You may have heard the adage “content is king,” and that is as true of healthcare sites as it is anything else on the web. In recent decades, the consumer of healthcare has become more empowered with the sheer amount information at his or her disposal. In generations past, patients would rely almost entirely on their doctor for their health information, particularly concerning specific data about medication. Physicians now deal with patients who arrive at appointments with a wealth of information and are able to make educated decisions.
The consumer depends on healthcare websites to provide them with this valuable information that will involve them in healing any conditions they may have. A content strategy for your healthcare site should focus on informing visitors as well as holding their interest and keeping them engaged. The data may be available elsewhere, so you should communicate it in a way that is memorable and will keep your visitors involved with your site long-term. The following are tips to attract and keep visitors who will make your website their go-to place for healthcare information.
Diversify Your Content
The key to website success is “stickiness.” While this term may not sound very appealing, but it is the secret sauce for keeping visitors engaged. The idea is to keep people on your site for as long as possible so they can click and see ads. To engage a visitor, your site should have a diversified content strategy. This means having informative articles, a Q&A, videos and tools such as chat with experts. Having contributors who are healthcare professionals will add credibility to your site and will give the visitor a feeling that he or she can rely on the information there.
Know Your Visitor
Think about the typical visitor to your site. Is he or she a patient who is looking for medical information? Do you provide information for physicians on how to hone their professional skills? Is the website geared towards students who want to earn healthcare-related degrees at institutions such as UC or who want to learn more about their mba in healthcare management online?
Design your website content with a view to who is visiting your site. Provide plenty of content that is relevant to them and to what they are looking for, and you are likely to convert them into regular visitors.
Make Information Easily Digestible
Medical experts may recommend easily digestible food to patients, and you should provide your readers with information that is easy to digest. It may be tempting to demonstrate how well-informed the professionals who produce your content are in their field, but overwhelming the reader with data may make the content dry and cause their attention to wander. If you are producing information-laden articles, make sure that the layout breaks up the data so it is easier on the eye and available in “bite-sized” chunks. This means formatting lists or numbering items. A Q&A is a great way to give over nuggets of fact and makes the information feel personalized as if it is being delivered face-to-face.
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