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3 Blog Basics for Dental Industry Businesses & Service Providers
[Portions of this article – written by me – first appeared on the Dentoola Blog-01.11.2011]
Dental industry businesses and service providers that “get” social media will move ahead of the crowd. What’s a good first step?
Choices vary these days from Twitter, to Facebook, to LinkedIn, to Google+, YouTube and more. Try one or even better test-drive all. And while you’re at it remember a foundational essential – the blog!
“…blogging is an essential ingredient to any social media strategy.”
Amy Porterfield blogged that while confessing the common uncertainty of what to write about, when to post, how to grow subscribers, and how to keep them coming back for more. “If you’ve had any of these concerns you’re not alone!”
The dental industry as a whole can benefit from the social media marketing boom. And many are getting ahead as we speak!
Blogging is an essential entry-point strategy to get the wheels moving forward.
Let’s start with some blog basics.
1-Keep it simple
A blog isn’t a novel. There’s no real pressure to create a plot, back-story, or drama. It’s simply a place to engage, inform, and inspire (more on those in a moment).
Blog about your dental industry expertise. But don’t overwhelm your reader/subscriber with industry-speak. Remember the point is to engage (make friends) not impress or worse, alienate.
Start simple with your dental blog. Give readers and subscribers something to use. What do you know about them?
> Make a list of topics. What are your clients or patients concerned about? Read other industry blogs. Get a Twitter account and scan your niche’s trending topics (look for “#” – the hashtag). Then…write simple how-to tips and post on your dental blog!
> Create an editorial calendar and regularly add ideas to it so you’re never without a seed thought or two to develop.
> Contract a blog writer. Many copywriters specialize in online writing. They know how to write compelling blog copy and load it with SEO friendly keywords (tags).
2-Keep it conversational.
Write (blog) like you would talk to a friend over drinks or dinner.
You lose and readers lose when you speak a language they don’t speak. Sure, you know your industry and the terminology like the back-of-your-hand. Just remember to keep it out-of-the-clouds and not so “lofty.”
Use your blog to engage them in not only practical knowledge but give them a place to interact with your expertise via questions and comments. A blog gives them access to your knowledge-base 24/7.
Ongoing conversations about dental trends, orthodontic supplies, CE options, practice management and consulting services, etc. builds trust that you can take to the bank! A blog spotlights your well-earned professional knowledge, skills, and services in a most engaging way.
3-Keep it civil.
Sometimes you’re tempted to use your blog to rant. Should you?
There’s some buzz about social responsibility and online content. Keep in mind that what’s said online…stays online! Take-backs may work in face-to-face conversations or print media. But online…not so much! That should determine if (perhaps the best practice), when, and how you choose to rant via your dental blog content.
Inform. Inspire. Compel…but do so responsibly!
Deliver useful, practical, actionable content on your blog. Readers will come back for more…and tell others to do the same.
Blogging is an A-level strategy for taking the leap into social media marketing. And it flows very effectively into how you can use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
3 Ways Dental Copywriting Can Take-On Something as Serious as Oral Cancer
I wrote a recent blog post around a now favorite quote by copywriting and marketing legend, Dan Kennedy.
“The ability to organize words that motivate people to buy is a super-power.”
Written communication has the moxie to change things. If you want to win-the-day with any topic, trend, thought, service or product transform them with super-poweredness (how’s that for a cool, new word).
I’m a copywriter (and an occasional public speaker/trainer) so you’d expect me to enter the fray with words. It’s why you hire or outsource your marketing content (word-wise) to those of us with the chops to bring just-the-right words to the front-lines of whatever it is you’re promoting.
Take oral cancer prevention for instance (and take it seriously!).
I picked up an eye-catching…informative data sheet from the front office of the dental practice where I work part-time – “Common Myths About Oral Cancer.” It used the common Myth-vs-Fact approach to heighten awareness of this life-threatening issue.
The more I’ve reflected on the “Facts” the more I believe that super-powered content can shift the battle against this killer that takes 9,000 lives annually out of the 34,000 impacted by it (more deaths per year, by the way, than melanoma and cervical cancer).
The super-power ability in me (thanks to Dan Kennedy) wants to go all Captain America on this health threat.
Words motivate! And there are strategic ways to organize them to compel people to have awareness and take action against something as serious as oral cancer – or whatever you’re promoting.
>Case Studies
Someone has taken on oral cancer and won! Perhaps the tipping-point was an oral cancer screening product used by a savvy dental practice. Maybe a hygienist’s knowledge gained via a particular continuing education course trained her in what to look for. Could be that a practice management firm with a strong bent towards oral cancer steered their practices in the right direction towards state-of-the-art screening technologies.
A well-researched, compellingly written case study tells THAT story. And what better story than a life spared.
>A White paper or Special report
Sometimes the mountain of data must be distilled to its essence. Too much technical jargon numbs your readers or market to the real-life impact of something as threatening, in this instance, as oral cancer.
A white paper or a special report cuts-to-the-chase.
Their unique format states the problem and offers an expert solution (that’s you and your product, service, or information). These also communicate well to an audience that is typically accustomed to a more academic, technical approach. And they do it without the – sometimes necessary – word volume associated with standard technical writing.
>Social Media (didn’t think I’d leave it out did you?)
Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Google+, YouTube, QR Coding, etc. provide a steady-stream opportunity to become a content super-power. Link back to big-gun content like case studies, white papers, special reports, web content, blog posts, etc.
Social media provides the opportunity to get chatty and occasionally frontal about the topic at hand.
Engaging dental social media builds trust. And dental businesses and dental service providers on the front-lines of social media will increasingly be viewed as industry experts.
That’s the big idea, really. Whether you’re talking about oral cancer or promoting dental products and services that offer preventative solutions – you want an “expert” in your corner…right?
Even better…how about some super-poweredness?