What is a blog, anyway?
The word ‘blog’ originates from the term ‘weblog’ and dates to around 1994 when, people started putting down their thoughts in a diary-style post on their personal web pages.
Since then, blogs have evolved and now individuals, as well as every size of business, use them to inform and inspire audiences interested in what they have to say.
So, these days, a blog is a collection of articles of between approximately 400 and 2000 words about a product or service you may be offering, that will be useful or interesting to your community online.
Why do I need a blog?
As a business, you need to get the word out about what you do and what you offer. Blogs can help you reach potential customers and new service users by grabbing their attention.
A good blog post will boost the visibility of your website. And regular blogging builds up your ranking in search engines, meaning that when people type in a question about what you offer, your website will appear higher up the list of sites they see.
What do I blog about?
Well, really, you can blog about anything you want! However, it’s probably best to keep focussed on aspects of your business that will help you engage with your potential clients or patients.
So, you might think about what questions a potential client may ask Google when needing something your service offers, and then write a blog post focussing on that. For example, ‘What treatment can help my painful shoulder?’ or ‘What will help reduce Sciatica?’. Or even ‘How can physiotherapy help my sore back?
Interested in finding out more?
We can help you understand and develop your brand, get in touch today.
What makes for a good blog post?
There are a few elements in a good blog post. We’ve put together a checklist, to get you off to a great start!
1. A good headline
You need to start with a good headline or title. You’re competing with many other Health & Wellness blogs out there, so aim for your headline to draw customers towards you. ‘Bespoke Osteopathy; tailored to your needs!’ is probably more attractive than, ‘A few facts about Osteopathy’ in terms of making customers feel that you’re going to be able to help them.
2. A good introduction
Craft as good an intro as you possibly can! It’s great that readers are interested enough to look at your title, so you need to keep their eyes focussed on the next piece you write. The best way to do that is to jump straight in and start talking about what you’ve said you’re going to focus on. Even if you do digress after this…your audience know where you’re heading.
3. Write for your audience
Make sure you write for your intended audience. Refer to what your customers will be interested in i.e., if you’re an osteopath and want to encourage those with bad backs or arthritic pain to contact you, then write about bad backs and arthritic pain and how you can solve this problem for them.
4. Be specific
Being specific is crucial. For example, the subject of this blog would catch less attention if the subject was just ‘How to make a good blog’. ’7 top tips: How to write a good blog for your Health & Wellness business’, is being really specific; 7, quality, Health & Wellness Business.
5. Engage = solve a problem for your audience
Engage and educate your audience. You’ll engage your audience by writing something that gives them a new perspective. If you’re a Pilates teacher, for example, explaining how you’ll help someone improve their core strength, what exercises may be appropriate and why they should be practised, would be a very engaging read for someone wanting to address back pain. Or, if you are a physiotherapist, explaining how you would create a recovery plan for someone who had been injured and what you may include, maybe with a case study to illustrate, would be helpful to those needing something similar.
6. Brand voice or personality
Brand Voice. What’s your Health & Wellness practice’s personality? Is it serious and authoritative, laid back, quirky, funny? Whatever it is, remember to write consistently in that voice; it takes a bit of practice but don’t worry – we can help with this.
7. Providing an answer
Answer a question. Make sure you’re answering a question that your customers want to know the answer to. You can do this by doing your keyword and SEO research – what are people searching for, on the internet? Click here to learn how we can help you with SEO
Conclusions on blogs
So, as we’ve seen, like most things, any blog that you create needs to have the right ingredients to make it work well and satisfy the needs of your customers or potential customers.
If you follow the guided tips we’ve given, you should be off to a fantastic start; a good headline/title, a good introduction, identifying your target audience, always keeping your audience in mind, specificity and a consistent brand voice should all go towards creating a great blog that will inform, inspire and help your patients.
At Evexus, we’re here for anything you’re not sure about, from the smallest detail to what may feel like an overwhelming task. We’ll support and guide you through, to make your blogging journey manageable and even fun!