More than Words: A Case for Blogging
By: Lisa Farren, PCM, Director of Marketing and Communications at SoNE HEALTH
I was recently asked if I had any marketing suggestions or advice for independent medical practices. In thinking about it, the strategy I keep coming back to is the power of a good blog. Both in my current role at SoNE HEALTH, as well as in previous roles, I’ve seen notable engagement results from blogs.
Personally, I enjoy blogs of many types – blogs on topics that interest or excite me, blogs on topics I’m not necessarily interested in, but I’m compelled to read either because I admire the author, their expertise, their writing style, or storytelling ability. Blogs can be an effective element of the marketing mix for all businesses, including healthcare. In fact, I believe independent medical practices are uniquely positioned to leverage blogs as a tool to connect, educate, and most importantly, to stand out.
Blogs do not need to be long or overcomplicated. A short, quick read is accessible, with the power to share knowledge, uniqueness, and expertise in a short amount of time. Seth Godin – marketing philosopher, best-selling author and one of the most sought-after public speakers on marketing-related topics, leadership and change – writes at least one blog per day. With over 10,000 blog posts under his belt, many are often just a paragraph or two. In some cases, his blogs are no more than a handful of insightful sentences.
More than words – I’ve heard blogs described as “digital handshakes”. Think of a blog as an opportunity for patients to learn about your values and your unique approach to care. In the world of healthcare, connection is everything, and blogs encourage the building of both relationships and trust. Authenticity is important. Opening with a story or an example is an effective way to draw readers in from the get-go by creating a sense of connection to the content and to the writer, establishing you as knowledgeable, caring, and trustworthy.
It can be hard to break through the noise and have a message stand out, particularly when up against large health systems with mammoth marketing budgets. Adding a blog page to an existing website and promoting it on social channels requires little to no expense. Paid advertising certainly has its benefits. But display ads, print, radio, and other paid marketing, which can be costly, require you to compete for your audience’s attention. Whereas in the moments when someone visits your site to read your blog, you and your message are the stars.
