When you're busy running a dentistry practice, blogging might be the last thing on your mind. However, you should know that in our modern world, it's imperative that all businesses have a content marketing strategy. Your business website needs more than just the basic (boring) information about your practice. Here are some tips about content marketing and why you should get on board, if you haven't already.

Content marketing basics

The basic gist of content marketing is to provide your patients, and potential patients, with information that they find valuable. You want to offer them a solution to a problem, engage in information that they will find relevant and helpful, and work towards building an audience that can grow your business.

The importance of content marketing

In the past, content marketing has not been as imperative for businesses to get noticed, but that is simply not the case anymore. Content marketing creates a sense of awareness for the customer, and offers them solutions that they didn't even know were possible. For example, you might have someone who is researching to find out whether or not teeth whitening procedures are safe. They come across a post on your website that describes the procedure, and what it will entail. This newfound information gives them comfort and confidence in both you and the procedure.

The potential patient may start doing research on home remedies and other dentistry practices, but because you were the first person to give them answers, you are the one who started forming their opinion. This will build trust, and in turn help the patient make the final decision to make their first appointment.

Don't overthink it

You don't have to post seven pages of information in order to get the results you're looking for. You need at least three hundred words, and if you choose to do more in-depth pieces, then you can write up to a thousand words if you want. However, keep in mind that people prefer to gather small nuggets of information at a time when doing research online. If you find that you want to cover a topic in a lot of detail, then break the posts up into a series and then link them back to one another.

Improve your SEO

When you post on your blog on a regular basis, and target the keywords and phrases that you want your website to be found for, then you will be helping to optimize your website. This will improve your rank in search engines, and make it easier for people to find you.

Google and other search engines strive to provide relevant sites to searchers. Put yourself in the digital shoes of a search engine. Regardless of topic, what do you think you'd suggest to someone searching: a site that hasn't been updated since 2012, or a site that's regularly updated with new articles?

Let your patients get to know you

The most successful blogs are the ones that allow people to get to know the writer or blogger. It can be hard to look at a website and get a feel for the people who are involved. A blog gives your website a voice, and patients prefer to go to someone that they feel they already know. This helps build a trusting relationship, and in turn will improve the growth of your practice.

So get to it (but take your time)

Jumping head first into blogging may work for a short while, but without an plan it's going to become a chore quickly. Make a schedule and be honest with what you can realistically accomplish. Write down a few possible categories and brainstorm a number of blog ideas for each. Then bring it to your employees! Is anyone else willing to help out or steer the process?

It's probably been a while since you and your staff have written more than an email, but it's more important than ever for your website!