Utilizing free social media outlets such as facebook, twitter, and blogs helps you increase your practice’s online landscape and search-ability. See our tips below on how to get started blogging for your practice:
How to Get Started: Blogging
1. Create a list of at least 10 topics you would like to blog about. (Keep in mind, blogs are intended to be short entries. Try to stay between 300-500 words.)
2. Commit to writing an entry on a consistent schedule, example: two times a month, once a week, two times a week, etc.
3. Research other blogs to gain ideas and understand the flow of entries and writing styles.
4. Start your blog. The following are two great platforms to blog on:
- Blogger - Click on the orange Create a Blog button. This site is run by Google, so you need a Google account. Choose to either sign in with your previous Google account, or create a new account. Click continue, pick a name, and start blogging.
- Tumblr - Go to Sign Up. All you need is an email address. Create your URL (example: drjonesblog.tumblr.com), and start blogging.
5. Incorporate your blog into other marketing efforts. Be sure to link your blog to your website, and create a link on your website for your blog. Also, subscribe to and comment on others’ blogs. This way, they will return to your blog and maybe even comment on it in theirs.
6. Use this list from the Mashable (Social Media Guide) website for great writing tips, free templates, tracking information, and ways to integrate your blog.
Be sure to include search terms that are relevant to your geographic location and your practice. This will help your practice appear higher on the search results list in Google or Bing. For example, include terms like “Dr. Smith’s Eye Care”, “contact lenses”, “eye exams”, and “Madison, Wisconsin” in your blog posts and titles.
Do you have a blogging success story? Do you want to share it with us? Leave a comment with your story and we may feature you in an upcoming post!