You can think of a blog the same way you would as a first date: It’s your chance to make a good first impression, put your best foot forward, and show someone what you’re really about. But, the cold hard “tooth” (we had to) is that standing out from the crowd online can be tough.
As of 2018, there were over 500 million blogs on the internet – how do you make yours stand out from the rest? By developing blog posts that specifically target what your potential patients are searching for.
Running your practice’s blog means you are wearing several hats at once – digital marketer, copywriter and researcher. By learning ways to make finding these topics easier, you can make your blog a stronger source of traffic to your site. Here are four tips on choosing blog topics that drive traffic to your site:
- Reference common patient questions – “Is my root canal going to hurt?” “How long does a dental implant take?” “Why does my tooth hurt?” Questions like these might seem familiar and if your current patients are asking them, chances are potential patients have the same questions! Referencing common questions from patients as your blog topic is a great way to come up with fast content – and you already have the answers!.
- Capitalize on dental-related events – Did you know National Tooth Fairy Day is Aug. 22? Or that February is National Children’s Dental Health Month?
Focusing your blog’s content on a specific dental-related holiday can drastically increase traffic to your blog. For instance, a Tooth Fairy-specific blog post saw a 1,158% increase in traffic around National Tooth Fairy Day, compared to the same period prior.
This is especially true with dental holidays that are related to children’s dental health – we all want to make going to the dentist fun, after all. Developing a blog post around activities parents can use is an effective strategy for increasing blog traffic.
- Use tools to gauge searcher interest – There are numerous tools out there that can help you gauge how often a topic is searched. Some of the easiest tools to use include:
- Google Trends – Google Trends is a free tool offered by the search engine that tracks the popularity of certain search terms across the globe. It allows you to search for your own, track already popular searches, or compare the two different trend lines.
- Keywords Everywhere – The Keywords Everywhere Chrome extension is a useful addition to your Google Chrome browser that places monthly search volume in the actual Google search results page.
Keywords Everywhere helps ease the process of finding the exact keywords your audience is looking for, and removes the need to switch between several windows during the process.
- Make your content visually appealing – Part of choosing blog topics that drive traffic to your website is finding a way to keep those searchers on your site. By using bullet points, lists, shorter paragraphs and paragraph titles, you can help visitors on your site quickly scan the blog post to find the answer to their question. Additionally, providing in-text links to related service pages can encourage visitors on your site to stick around and explore the services you offer.
A blog is an enormous resource for your website. Choosing the topics you cover wisely can make it one of your top traffic generators, and convert website visitors into actual patients. Interested in more tips about the effectiveness of website blogs? Contact Wonderist Agency to discuss your digital dental marketing needs.
