Before we talk about content writing for healthcare and healthcare content writers, here’s a brief conversation I had with my uncle:
Uncle: I am very confused now. What should I do? This disease has taken a toll on me and I’ve nothing to end my dilemma. Me: Uncle, relax! If you search for a trustworthy website that writes about your illness, you will find your answers. Uncle: Oh! If that’s the case, can you show me because my doctor told me just basic things. I want to understand more about my disease and how I can change my lifestyle accordingly. Me: Sure!
Being a doctor and healthcare content writer, this case intrigued my curiosity about content writing for healthcare.
There are many websites and healthcare content writers writing on health and wellness topics but, does every health content solves its purpose?
Like my uncle, many other people are diagnosed with an illness. And being influenced by the “World of Internet”, they want to know more about it.
Justified!! Isn’t it?
This brings me to:
Need For an Effective Content Writing in Healthcare
Creating quality content for any industry is a challenge, but with healthcare, you definitely can’t take chances since people reading it depend upon what you write.
Content writing for healthcare involves a human life. Hence, it’s one of the most challenging tasks. And therefore, it’s crucial you hire healthcare content writers who know the inside out of this field.
Content writing for healthcare requires deep research, full understanding of the illness, and an ability to give information in a language a layperson can understand without having to open Google next to him.
Hence, arises the need for an effective healthcare content writer who targets your niche.
And how to accomplish this goal?
Well, follow these tips:
How to Get Effective Content Writing for Healthcare?
1. Consider your audience
The most important person you are writing to is your audience. They come on your website to understand their sudden body changes, and need your guidance on the right way to handle it.
So, your content should be based on these parameters.
- Choose medical words, but explain them in a language anyone can understand. Medical words hold equal importance since your tech-smart audience searches for the exact terminology and its meaning.
- Try to make the writing as interactive as possible to keep the audience interested whilst finding answers.
- Use of bold fonts in terminology can help them locate things easily.
Not only patients, an exceptional healthcare content can even benefit budding people who want to enter or have just entered this field. Content, if written keeping target audience in mind can help benefit both the strata of society: the patient and their doctors.
2. Too little or too much information is dangerous
This is my personal experience. When I started my career as a healthcare content writer, I got habitual of reading online. I saw some articles that literally “Control C+ Control V” the medical books.
Without missing on single information, they posted it as it is. But again, there were some blog posts that just picked up on the conclusion of the disease and planned their writings in such a way.
From there, as a reader, I decided something. Content writing for healthcare is a sensitive matter. It is fragile to the words written. Hence, the need for an effective content arise, where one should write concise, not less and not more.
To make it more effective, use images/ videos linked to the topics. This helps in better understanding with fewer words.
Also give quality references to help the reader understand his situation in a better way whilst increasing your credibility. Since medical science is ever developing, hence there is a need for fresh content that doesn’t contain redundant and outdated facts.
3. Write for the right effect
Here’s another short convo between me and my aunt:
Me: Hello, Auntie! How are you? Aunt: What have you told your uncle? He is reading everything and anything on internet. Then he guides me about what to cook and what not to cook. It has messed up our whole house system! Me: Okay, let me have a word with him.
Trust me! Convincing my uncle was a whole 1.5-hour conversation. He had read so many things on internet related to his disease which even as a doctor and a dietician; I was hearing for the first time.
This opened my eyes to yet another aspect of content writing for healthcare.
It’s not just about writing. Your content should be precise where it should truly affect the reader’s psyche positively.
Seeing my uncle scared to death, I write all my healthcare content with productive language and beneficial outcome. For that, I divide my content into stages:
For example:
Stage 1, its symptoms and how to control on this stage itself.
Stage 2, newly developed symptoms and ways to control and so on.
This really helps my readers analyze the situation they are in and follow accordingly. They get the right amount of information without fears and, as their family members; they adjust easily.
4. Build Trust
Just like doctors, even healthcare content writers get trusted readers who like to visit and read from their website only. In healthcare sector, a writer’s aim should be to build the trust with his reader.
Just like a patient who is reluctant to change the doctor, a reader should also be opposed to the idea of changing writers or websites for required information. If your writing can build trust with your reader, it can definitely lead to Placebo Effect!
Takeaway on Healthcare Content Writers
In the end, let me disclose. My uncle suffered from Stage 1 hypertension where his Blood Pressure fluctuated between 140-180/ 90-110 mmHg. He was told by the doctor to eat less salt from now on.
After reading on the internet, he found out so many things about blood pressure and its severity that he stopped eating salt altogether. But isn’t this a case with all other disorders and mindsets?
Either we “Splurge” or we “Stop”!!
Same thing applies for online information. Hence, after experiencing it personally; I felt content writing for healthcare is a challenge.
It should be done with a clear mindset, concise matter, and factual statements. It should highlight all the key points practically. The writing should be less dry and more interactive. It should make your reader revisit your website.
So, if you are a doctor or work in the healthcare industry, keep in mind the above points when you pen down your content.
If you don’t feel confident or lack time, contact us for your content writing for healthcare here.
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Wow 😍 its so inspiring .. well written 💙
Hello Dear and many thanks for your appreciation!!
Very Beautifully written information on content writing and moreover people these day care less about health issues and thus, creating awareness becomes really important. You are doing an amazing job Dr. 😊
Thank you so much Pushkar. I really appreciate your point of view and your lovely words motivates me.
It’s very helpful, keep it up Doctor…
Thank you Atul for your appreciation!!
Hi Vinita, It is a great pleasure to read what you have written.
I totally agree with your statements.
Thank you so much Ruchi for your appreciation. It means a lot!
Very Well written! Can’t agree more. Keep up your good work Vinita. All the best for your future endeavours☺️
Thank you so much Subia for your lovely words and best wishes. It means a lot!
It’s worth. A very helpful write up.
Keep sharing more,
Thank you so much Shallu for taking out time!! Really appreciate it.
Hi Vinita
The writing and the content you choose to write is very interesting and helpful..
Thank you so much Shamimi. I appreciate your inputs.
A very informative piece of writing. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much Jyoti. I really appreciate it!