Based on our own experience of maintaining a blog we know that finding topics to write about that actually resonate with your target audience (provide education, entertainment, timely information, etc.) isn’t always easy.
You can spend hours scouring the interwebs only to feel like you’ve come up with nothing worthy of note. And we can imagine that in a dental practice where taking care of patients is your top priority that the amount of spare time you have to research valuable blog topics is less than ideal.
Yet, a blog can be beneficial to interacting with current and potential patients online. For example, if a patient of yours wakes up in the middle of the night with a toothache and wants to find temporary relief until they can visit your practice there’s a good chance they’ll look for a solution online. Having an article on your blog called “Best Ways to Reduce Toothache Pain at Home” provides a great opportunity for you to help solve this patient’s problem—all while you’re home in bed.
A blog is a great way to enrich your connection with patients and show that you offer value outside of their bi-annual appointments. It provides you another opportunity to share your knowledge and experience and build the relationship with your patient or potential patient. After all, you’ve probably seen it all!
But without quality content you could be throwing away time and resources just for the sake of “having a blog.” Instead, keep your blog content engaging and valuable by incorporating these top five dental practice blog topics into your writing.
- Tip Lists
One of the best quick-hit articles you can write is a list of tips pertaining to a certain dental topic. For example, Top 5 Tips for Better Flossing or Our 7 Best Tips for Eating for a Healthier Smile. Due to your expertise these should be fairly quick to write and valuable for patients. - Testimonials and Practice LifeThese are great “two birds with one stone” topics because they are helpful for both strengthening relationships with current patients and attracting new ones. Share a quick heart-warming story (with permission) about an adult patient who found newfound confidence after receiving veneers. Or show support for a local charity by writing a post about how your team volunteered at a community event. And don’t forget to add photos to these posts for maximum effectiveness.
- Expert Secrets
Sharing a little extra information that most non-dental people don’t know is a great way to pique reader interest and make them feel included. For example, many people use whitening toothpaste with lackluster results. If your practice supports whitening toothpaste you could share that the secret to maximizing their whitening ability is to brush for the full recommended two minutes and then to let the paste sit on the teeth for a minute or two after. - Explanation Blogs
These can be especially helpful for people who may at some point need or elect to have a more invasive dental procedure. You could share articles like “What’s Right for You? Traditional Braces or Invisalign” or “Breaking Down a Crown.” Having a series of articles like this will help keep patients informed and make them feel more comfortable if or when they experience these procedures for themselves. - Dental Innovations
People not directly in the dental industry generally have no idea of the new innovations that frequently pop up in our corner of the world. Share new topics, products or procedures that you plan to incorporate into your practice. For example, a new whitening system that promises a shorter wait for a whiter smile with less risk for sensitivity. This demonstrates to patients that your practice wants to offer them the latest and greatest dentistry has to offer.
Whether you’ve had a blog for years and struggle to continue finding valuable content for readers or are just considering starting a blog, keeping these effective types of dental practice blogs in mind can help you create engaging content for your patients. And remember, you don’t have to write a new article every week but be sure to have a schedule you keep to, such as every two weeks or monthly. Fresh content is important.
