No hospital website should be without a blog anymore. A blog is the powerhouse behind all of your social media channels, e-mail marketing and website content. It improves your SEO and gives you another low-cost way to connect to patients and improve community health.

For maximum success, hospital blogs should have a few essential features, including:

1. Graphics liven up your blog, making it colorful and inviting. They also increase the number of clicks you get when you share your blog on Facebook or Twitter. Every post should come with an image of some sort.
2. Physician input. Use your blog to position your physicians as experts. Most (if not all) of your blog posts should either be written, ghostwritten or feature quotes from your physicians. Not only does this make your blog seem more trustworthy, it makes your physicians look like the pros they are.
3. Call to action. Include ways for your patients to take action at the end of the blog. Invite them to make an appointment, take health surveys or quizzes or even just learn more about the blog topic or featured doctor. Always give them a way to become more familiar and involved with your hospital or practice.

Go for bonus points and add a comments section for people to ask further questions and interact with you. Use you blog to build a relationship with patients and future patients.

Have a blog, but no time to write? Drop me a line, and we can work together.