What happens when you invest your time and dollars? It’s natural to desire to protect and extend the reach of your investment.
Creating dental content is like that. Get the most value from a single piece of dental blog content whether it’s general information that leads to a patient or client decision, SEO, a click to an internal page on your website, or the development of a relationship that includes all the above and more.
A blog post is a blog post is a… (or is it?)
I often hear a consistent theme from clients. In particular, from those for whom I create blog content on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
“Why blog or…how do we get the most “mileage” from our blog content?”
Blog content isn’t an “end” in itself. Far from it.
It’s a good (and I believe essential) place to “dip your toe” into the dental content marketing waters. But you must see beyond the “build-it-and-they-will-come” mindset.
Believe me, the consistent creation of dental blog content will boost your brand. The blog page on your dental website can become a leverage point for your influence, expertise, SEO, and social media engagement.
Think leverage when you consider the impact of your dental practice or dental business blog. But think beyond it being a one-and-done content marketing strategy.
One of my blog clients gets what I’m saying here. I write an average of two posts a month for this large, two doctor, two location dental practice.
What they do post delivery has the potential to triple the impact of each blog post. Let’s unpack their simple approach and apply it your dental content marketing strategy.
How to maximize the impact of a single piece of dental blog content and leverage it into a profit producing resource.
Commit to consistently publishing blog content
This will require time and dollars. My recommendation is to outsource this to a skilled, qualified, experienced copywriter or content creator – preferably one who knows the dental industry culture.
Sound biased? I am (unapologetically).
The reason? Your time savings plus the writing perspective that’s less technical (industry-speak) and more conversational (how people skim, read, engage content).
Your content “bread-and-butter.”
- Blog content answers basic questions.
- Blog content provides practical solutions to problems.
- Blog content is searchable and can potentially improve your page rankings.
- Blog content is flexible
Let’s explore the idea of content flexibility.
Communicate with those who already trust you
There are numerous nuances to marketing. Two are common.
The most common is invasive or interruptive. Broadcast media, sales calls, direct mail, etc., fall into that category.
Another is permission based. Seth Godin rocked the marketing world a few years ago when he published his epic book, “Permission Marketing.”
People will grant you permission when they trust you as a source of valuable information. That’s putting it way more simply than Godin does but you hopefully get the point.
For example, your email list is a good, entry level example of this idea. Patients, clients, or interested individuals have given you “permission” to email them by trusting you with their email address.
Back to your blog content…
A single blog post is for public consumption. It has a url on your website, it can be searched and found based on the title or meta-data that’s keyword sensitive, and anyone can access it and share it at will – regardless of permission or trust.
Why stop there? Model what one of my client’s does.
First, publish the content on your website’s blog page.
Then…do one of two things…
Create an email with a compelling subject line and brief “teaser” lead with a clickable “Read more…” link embedded in the body of the email that directs the reader back to the original post on your website.
Or…
Create a separate email newsletter that includes the entire blog post (what my client does).
Send it to your list.
And there’s one more…
Connect with your “tribe” on social media
Others (your “tribe”) choose to follow in addition to the above or solely via your social media channel(s). For example, your dental practice or dental business Facebook Page.
Here’s the content marketing strategy flow my client follows:
Blog post to email to…social media (Facebook Page)
I write the post and create three Facebook posts that link back to that specific post and/or another post that is linked within the blog post.
They get traffic to the original post plus traffic to another post or service page on their website. And don’t underestimate the value of posting useful, relevant, solution-focused content on your social media channel(s).
The value of the social media connection is the ongoing ability to engage via comments, answer more questions, monitor feedback, etc.
And get this…every inquiry, question, feedback comment is a “seed” for future content.
Why?
It promotes social “listening” into what their questions, problems, or concerns are. Bingo!
Now you’re back at step one – blog content!
And you thought a blog post is a blog post is a blog post…!
It’s way more. But you gotta maximize your investment.
