One of the requirements for your dental website to rank high in organic search is to have fresh, authoritative content that answers searchers’ queries.
Keeping that content fresh can be a challenge for dentists. Not everyone is naturally inclined toward writing and not everyone is skilled at producing content that is written a a level that your prospects will easily understand.
Add in the fact that producing online content doesn’t directly make dentists any money and it’s no wonder that websites are often a “fire and forget” project for dental practices.
In today’s ultra-competitive environment, that’s not an attitude you can afford.
Still, that doesn’t make the writing process any easier. If you’re producing your own online dental content, here are five writing prompts that can help you get started when your Muse goes missing. Making a start on writing can be half the battle.
Tip #1: What’s Happening?
Use this prompt to remind you that there are always new developments somewhere. You might recall a recent dental research finding that you can break down to your readers’ level. For instance, there’s mounting evidence of a link between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis, various types of cancer, and heart disease. You might also write about children’s dental issues, and the fact that so many children in the U.S. still don’t receive regular dental care.
If nothing on the scientific front comes to mind, look to your practice. What’s new in the office? Have you added or upgraded equipment? Are you offering a new approach to various types of dental treatment? Maybe you’re involved in charitable efforts in your community. While this type of content may not be responsive to queries, it still represents fresh content which is a plus for Google and helps you keep your readership.
Tip #2: What Did Happen?
Anecdotes are your friends, if you don’t mind retelling them for your audience. A good, engaging, informative story can flow well and read easily. You might recall a certain case, something that happened in dental school, or maybe something inspirational from an annual meeting.
If possible, try to tie your anecdote into something that can be responsive to searchers’ queries. For example, if you’ve got a good case that you can write about, be sure to also talk about effective treatment approaches for that condition.
Tip #3: Who’s That?
Dentists live and work in communities, and things are always happening in communities. Consider writing about newsworthy events, community leaders, dentistry-related happenings, and the like. Again, if you can plausibly tie what you’re writing about to something that your dental prospects might search for, that’s a big plus.
Tip #4: What If?
What if everyone brushed twice a day and flossed once? What if everyone had semi-annual cleanings and exams? What if your readers knew the signs of a dental emergency and what to do about it? What if they knew the truth about over-the-counter teeth whitening programs? What if you could dispel dental myths about root canals, dental sedation, or implants? The possibilities here are almost endless.
Tip #5: Get Random
Don’t discount the impulse to write something just because it’s not dentistry-related. Random thoughts sometimes lead to the best articles. Of course, sometimes they’re better off never being published, so exercise caution.
The more you write, the easier it’ll become and the better you’ll get at it. Follow these five writing prompts to get your creative juices going.