Mastering the world of online content can be a formidable task for anybody, but it’s particularly challenging for medical practitioners. After all, readers of medical websites come to them in the assumption that they will be getting factual content and reliable advice. This means that the quality of the site’s content needs to be very high. That’s why so many hospitals have plunged into inbound marketing, which focuses on providing valuable content to the reader.
The Value of Blogs for Hospitals
In recent years, more and more hospitals have added full-time blogs to their websites—and it’s easy to see why. The freshness and unpredictability of blogs make them ideal for any inbound marketing campaign, since they appeal to both search engines and the kind of readers that hospitals’ websites are most likely to attract. Hospitals love blogs because:
- Readers trust blogs. Studies have shown that more than 8 out of 10 U.S. consumers are likely to trust information that they get from a blog. Hospitals can use blogs to educate the public, both providing a quality service and effectively promoting themselves to people who are looking for a medical facility.
- Blogs drive sales. Most consumers in the U.S. have made at least one purchasing decision based on something they read in a blog. Websites with strong, accessible content are more likely to draw in people who are searching for a medical provider.
- Blogs promote a positive, trustworthy image. If readers see a steady stream of helpful, authoritative content coming from a hospital’s blogs, they’re much more likely to have a good impression of that hospital—and that means that they’re more likely to patronize it. This is invaluable for hospitals—or any business looking to promote a brand.
- Blogs provide fresh content. If a hospital wants to stay visible online, it needs to keep its website as dynamic and varied as possible. The constant infusion of new, relevant content provided by a high-quality blog can be the perfect tool for hospitals that are looking to revitalize and improve their online presences.
The Importance of Varied Content for Medical Websites
While blogs are understandably central to most medical practitioners’ inbound marketing strategies, the story doesn’t stop there. In order to stay vibrant and interesting, hospitals need to expand their content approach to different formats. These are some of the possible types of content that hospital websites can use to pull in a wider readership:
- Videos. There’s no better way to catch somebody’s attention than by showing them a video. For hospitals, videos are the perfect way to educate patients about everything from new medical techniques to hospital procedures. They are also accessible to children of all ages, which makes them a terrific content choice for children’s hospitals.
- Podcasts. In an age when most adults carry their smartphones with them everywhere they go, the popularity of podcasts has exploded. This opens up new possibilities for content, since people can listen to podcasts even when they’re busy doing something else. Many hospitals offer regular podcasts that keep their followers up-to-date on everything from flu shot reminders to dietary advice.
- Interactive content. As a rule, interactive content drives more conversions—and more effectively promote brands—than content that is absorbed passively. If a reader is inspired to click, respond, or otherwise engage with a piece of content, it’s going to leave more of an impression. Surveys, games, quizzes, and risk assessment tests are all popular types of interactive content that hospitals use.
The Challenge of Creating High-Quality Content
Once a hospital has decided to expand its online promotional campaign, the most significant challenge remains: finding a way to produce all that content. For medical practitioners and facilities, it may seem as if there is no shortcut to producing great content. After all, the content not only needs to be well-researched and well-written, but also reflective of the hospital’s values, philosophy, and voice. This isn’t something that just any team of writers and designers can handle. If a hospital wants to have a truly exceptional online presence, it needs to partner with the right creative team.
For hospitals and other medical providers, Pennington Creative is that team. Our seasoned content creators have experience writing custom blogs on a wide variety of subjects. In addition, our talented graphic designers can produce stylish and engaging visual content to any specifications. Whatever your content needs might be, we’ll be happy to work with you to develop an approach that works. If you’d like to learn more about our services, contact us today to set up a discovery call.
