Why Content Is Important For Your Clinic

Despite the exponential growth of digital marketing over the years, it's back to basics when it comes to the foundations of a strong marketing strategy. We're here to talk about why content marketing strategies are still an essential aspect of your overall marketing in 2022. Clinic owners and veterinarians shouldn't look past the effectiveness of quality content - though it can be time-consuming, content creation doesn't have to be complicated.

Content can be a blog, a newsletter, a podcast/video or anything in between. Content isn't just about giving internet users something to consume; it's about providing them value, knowledge and even entertainment by crafting something of quality.

Maybe you're wondering, what could I write about? Here's a quick list of ideas to get your creativity flowing!

• Health tips for pets
• A recent event you held
• A local team/school event you've sponsored
• Updates in the clinic
• Heartwarming stories about a pet's recovery
• Suggestions for the changes in seasons
• Introduce your team and yourself
• Anything that shows your expertise in the industry
• Anything that tells a story
   

Content and your clinic: what can it do for you?

1) Drive your SEO & improve your Google rankings

Content helps build and boost your rankings in search engines; they're a perfect pairing that works in sync with one another.

Creating quality content that's relevant and optimised helps search engines rank you higher. Some of the components factoring in content optimisation involve on-page content - optimised header, images, and backlinks (which we'll talk about later). Additionally, the search engine crawlers look favourably on regularly updated websites, which is easiest using content.

2) Save time in the long run

We get it - sitting down to write a blog or a newsletter can seem like too much of a time commitment. However, there's some good news: when you commit time to create content, you save time in the long run.

We mean that whatever content you create can be shared across platforms - from your website to your social media channels.

A good example is writing a blog for your website and sending it to your subscribers via email and social media. With one piece of content, you've ticked the boxes of improving your website (and SEO efforts!), engaging your social media and your email marketing campaign.

You won't only save time for yourself but also add value to clients.

3) Improve Your Backlink Strategy

Building a solid backlink strategy takes time and effort. However, there are simple ways to get started. A backlink is just a link from one website to another, but they're important because it signals to the search engine crawlers that your content is noteworthy. Therefore, it can help with your SEO.

Blogs are one of the simplest ways to get started with backlinking. Websites with frequently updated blogs generate 97% more backlinks, which is why it's so important to keep content creation frequent. Internet users love to share information, whether on their blogs or social media, especially when it's exciting and provides value.

To get started with backlinking, try some of the following content ideas:

• How-to's
• Lists (informative or important tips)
• Guest blogging on an industry partner/suppliers website (they can refer you via a link in return)
• Create videos (this could be pets who come into the clinic)

4) Improve awareness of the clinic

As mentioned above, content is great to share across your platforms. 

It's a win-win as it increases your content's chances to be shared further - particularly on social channels. It could be anything as simple as friends tagging friends on your post, sending the link to someone else or a simple "like"; it all helps gain traction and attention for your clinic. 

75% of internet users say they read blogs regularly, which means the demand for content is still alive and thriving. If you do it well enough, potential or current clients perceive value in your content, and it can significantly improve the likelihood of being shared further.

5) Increase leads

Insightful and relevant content for pet owners is a great way to increase your leads. Content works most efficiently when the focus isn't on pushing sales but on encouraging engagement and providing value to clients. 

For example, anything that pet owners would find informative or interesting - like sharing your knowledge through seasonal health tips, what to do in the event of a tick etc. 

As a professional in your field, you know what pet owners want or need to know - this is a great foundation to build your content strategy around.

6) Get more clients through the door

It's a simple equation: an increase in leads equals a greater chance of gaining a new client and having them walk through your clinic doors with their pet. 

Insightful, knowledgeable content encourages potential clients to make more informed decisions, building their confidence in following through with the decision to bring their pet to you (and not your competitors!)

7) Show your veterinary expertise; create trustworthiness

A great way to think about content is as an opportunity to talk to potential clients without being face-to-face. 

In today's technology-based society, your website or social media can often be the first interaction a client has with your clinic. Don't be afraid to use the content as a way to show them who you are, and what you know, and tell them more about your clinic and how you can help them and their pets. 

This helps get the relationship between clinic and client going, all while solidifying your expertise as a veterinarian and encouraging their trust in you.

Key takeaways

• It helps generate leads for your clinic
• Save time by using your unique, quality content across all your channels - newsletters, social media etc.
• Quality > quantity
• It helps your SEO strategy
• Builds your clinic's credibility and trustworthiness, solidifying your expertise in your industry
• Help spread brand awareness
• Add value to your current clients and potential clients
• It helps build a foundation for your backlink strategy
• Improves conversions in the long term

Maybe you're thinking, "but I'm a vet, not a writer?" or, "I don't have time to write" - the good news is, you can always outsource this task to a marketing whiz so you can focus on helping pets and running your clinic while they take care of your content. 

While keeping your content up-to-date and regular is essential, it's also equally crucial for this content to be of quality.

It's super easy to tick multiple boxes of your marketing strategy by just allocating some time to content creation - the opportunities really are endless.

If you want some extra help maximising your content marketing strategy this year, feel free to reach out to one of your internet marketing specialists at (07) 5636 3766 for more information or book a consultation today.