Concise, timely posts can make your website a go-to stop for your customers.
Do you regularly update your blog? Packing your blog with timely, informative content can help establish your team—instead of Google—as the go-to expert source. Try these tips to drive readers to your website:
- Use your voice. Some people get bogged down when writing for publication by trying to be too formal. You want your personality to shine through. Use the language you use when you speak to build a natural connection to your audience.
- Have a call to action. Leaving readers with a list of topics to discuss at their next appointment or a motivation to schedule an appointment will boost your bottom line.
- Keep it short. People scrolling on their phones want highlights. More than 600 to 800 words might lose your audience. If your first draft is long, consider breaking the article into two or three entries that you can post over the course of a week. Use bullet points, subheads and photos to make text more readable.
- Don’t sell (too much). Yes, you want to position yourself as an expert, but don’t make it all about you. Instead of saying, “We now offer dental cleanings,” cite a study about the benefits of dental health in animal longevity. Sharing information from others, such as a specialist with whom you work or a respected national association, gives an outside nod of approval to your content.
- Set a calendar. Professional writers rely on editorial calendars, which include a list of topics scheduled several months in advance. An editorial calendar helps you keep things timely and avoid repetition. It also assures that you have a topic at the ready.
- Keep it fresh. Internet marketing gurus at HubSpot found that companies that published blog posts more than 16 times per month got 3.5 times the traffic of those who posted fewer than 5 times per month. In addition, updated content may help your SEO (search engine optimization), meaning your website will come up in searches more frequently.
- Keep it current. Nothing says, “I’m out of the loop” like an outdated blog. Keep abreast of current events and put your own spin on them. For example, if a 17-year cicada cycle is on its way, your clients may want to know if they should be concerned when their dog eats a cicada shell.