In healthcare? Why you should blog.

Social media in medicine is big. But tricky. If you’re in healthcare, the easiest way to get started is blogging. Healthcare blogging is easy to integrate into your site. Existing and potential patients can find it first. You’ll have a variety of topics. And, you can kill two birds with one stone. Help patients and help your practice. Who doesn’t love that? Lucid manages social media and blogging for many successful healthcare providers. We’ve summed up a few reasons blogging is your new go-to.

Patients first

Heard of KevinMd.com? Back before blogging was a thing, Dr. Kevin Pho got it. In his search to find another way to connect with patients, he blogged. To his surprise, patients responded. They uncovered information. Sought care. Felt comforted.

This is the power of blogging.

Connection

  • To healthcare. Source them out. Or write them yourself. Regular blogging connects patients to the concept of healthcare. Many people avoid the exam room. But everyone is online. Your educational blog post could prompt medical care in an otherwise avoidant patient.
  • To the shingle. Your blogs connect patients to your practice. To your staff. And to you. The provider space is crowded. Patients have choices. Blogging reaches out to them in a modern, relevant way.
  • To tackle taboo topics. Some serious conditions are still taboo. One of the reasons people avoid the doctor’s office. They simply don’t want to talk about it. Think STD, erectile dysfunction or teen pregnancy. Your blog gives a low-threat chance for those struggling to begin an internal dialogue. You could be the missing link between them and treatment.

Practice next

You went into medicine to heal. But the reality is that with healthcare changes, practice growth is a must. Ethically. Soundly.

Blogging gives you that.

Opportunity
  • To be first. When choosing a new provider, patients go online first. They read reviews. Check out sites. Google rewards consistent blogging. With this, your practice will have first-page landing. We all know most of us don’t make it to the second page.
  • To build your reputation. Blogging on relevant patient topics builds your reputation. Mixing posts up between revenue-building topics and general educational topics will tap you as a resource. An expert. It builds trust. Patients and public alike will turn to your page for more information when they found it there before. This especially holds true for providers in a specialty space like women’s health.
  • To branch out. As people read your blogs, shares will happen. You’ll gain the exposure you wouldn’t otherwise have. For free. There’s not a lower cost way to broaden your reach than well-done blogging.

More from Dr. Pho on using social media in medicine here.