Blogging Doctors Should Repurpose Content, not Reinvent the Wheel

After a full day of procedures and consultations, do you really want to sit down and write a blog post or press release about cosmetic surgery?

Probably not but the fact remains that providing timely and relevant content about aesthetics is a great way to generate traffic, engage with existing patients and attract new business.

The good news is that you don’t have to start from scratch. Every time a professional association or other entity puts out a press release or shares data on the latest trends, it can serve as the seed that lets your own creativity blossom.

In recent years I’ve seen a shift from having to create your own unique content to leveraging content that is relevant and adding your own opinion to a trending news topic, says Alicia Nakamoto, vp community for RealSelf.com. If the news is trending, people will already be interested so you’re helping them feel confident in their choices.

Consider a few examples:

• In February, the Twin Cities Dermatology Blog reported that facelifts can make patients look seven years younger, citing research first published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.
• In March, Houston dermatologist Jennifer Peterson crafted a press release about Thermage that used new data on minimally invasive procedures from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
• In April, Dr. Michael Menachof of Denver used data from RealSelf.com showing high (80%) patient satisfaction rate for rhinoplasty to spread the word about his clinic and services.

Such efforts are a win-win-win situation. Doctors are spared having to create their own content from scratch while being seen as up-to-date on the latest trends. Patients get good, solid information from local providers. And the organizations that provide the underlying information see their content spread further (as long as appropriate credit is given).

Doctor Takeaways

1. Add a personal touch to promote your practice

While giving credit where credit is due is key, it’s also important to personalize the content. Providing quotes describing your opinion of the findings or augmenting them with insights about how your practice handles the product or procedure makes the information more relevant to your target audience.

2. Spread the word beyond your website

Once you’ve created a blog post or online article for your website, recast it as a press release. Services such as 24-7pressrelease.com and i-Newswire.com distribute press releases either for free (limited services, no guarantee of publication) or for fees that allow for greater volume and visibility.

3. Expand your audience via alternative media

Social media, video, podcasts — the number of ways people seek out information on the Internet is exploding and there is no one-size-fits-all approach that works for all of them. Once you’ve crafted your content, post it on social media sites, upload it as a video to YouTube or Vimeo or create a podcast.