We all know we need to create new and engaging content to keep people coming back to your website and make your content worth sharing. It can be hard to follow trends and know where to look for advice on how to make your content the best it can be. But knowing what to avoid will help you to understand what to include, and its great to have a starting point so you know what not to do. When considering content, it is one of the most important ways to get information and engagement from your followers. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid for creating new content.
One thing that can really put readers off is the fact that the content has not been proofread. Using the wrong words and spelling for your audience will make your articles seem rushed or not thought out correctly. There are some common errors such as using apostrophes in the wrong places and messing up words such are there and they’re that really make you look unprofessional and certainly unpolished. So, no matter the information that is included in your article it will be lost if the spelling and grammar is poor.
To avoid these mistakes, you should make sure you read the content carefully before you decide to click publish. Perhaps get someone else to proofread your work to double check or use software that does this for you. This is also true of spellings and grammar. Checking these vital elements of good written work can be done manually or you can use spellchecker or other apps that will do this for you. Check and double-check the spelling and grammar and check again once it is published to make sure no changes need to be made.
You don’t want to annoy your readers as they will probably stop reading if the grammar and spelling is wrong. That means they will never get to the call to action and the purpose or goal of your article.
You can create a meticulously thought-out and well-crafted article, but if you forget about SEO it will never show up in search results and all that hard work will be for nothing. You should make SEO one of your top priorities and include this in your planning stage of content writing. But what is SEO and how can you implement it within your content?
There are many different factors to consider, and you need to keep up with the many changes that occur from time to time as well. This means you need to know what is happening in the world of search engine algorithms and ensure your content reflects this. Recent changes include considering voice operated search results, answering questions that are more open than direct and using multiple keywords.
You need to know what your target audience is, then make sure you are targeting the content to be shown up in the search results of this demographic. You should also focus on your keyword research and choose the right ones for the content you are promoting. Look at your competitors and make sure your SEO is stronger than those with similar keywords or audience.
It might be easy to churn out blog posts or articles every day just for the numbers but what are you actually saying to your followers? If you focus on quantity, you are going to lose focus on what message and information you are sharing within your content. It can also be annoying to those who constantly receive notifications of your new posts. They may unsubscribe to your emails if they receive too many prompts to visit your website or another call-to-action.
Don’t regurgitate content. Saying the same thing in a different way might be good annually if you are sharing valuable information. But if you share similar posts with the same information one week to the next, your clients will eventually stop reading and move on. Too many articles can also make you seem spammy.
Quality content is what you should concentrate on as opposed to the number of articles you share. Create informative articles that are backed up with facts and research. Giving your readers valid and relevant information that is interesting to read and worth their time is what will build trust and loyalty with your clients. Remember that just spending a little more time on the article is better than a rushed and irrelevant one.
Do you know what you use your PT clinics social media platforms for? Do you have a social media strategy and do you know how to reach your audience effectively? All valid questions when thinking about how you share your content over all your social media accounts.
One of the biggest mistakes made with social media is to share your own views and opinions that are not to do with your business. Sharing other peoples’ content that conflicts or does not sit closely with your brand or perhaps causes division, is a big no-no. Do this on your personal accounts all you want, but make sure you stick to the views and ethics of your business and only share content that will be relevant for your followers and readers.
Create the right strategy which includes how and when to share content. Decide on a regular sharing schedule and stick to it. That way your followers will be there to see your posts if you choose the right time. You should also decide which platforms are best for your business and where you will receive the most interest and engagement. Lastly, if there are comments and replies do not ignore them, make sure you respond.
When you begin creating and sharing content for your PT site, you should already have a plan and a goal in place. Starting to create without any real target will mean you have nothing to measure your success against. Plus, you will probably lose sight of where you were going without having anything written down. A little planning and forethought will go a long way.
Begin with planning why you are writing your content, including who will be reading it; whether it is bookings, calls to action clicks, newsletter signups or any other aim for how your readers react. Then you need to set a strategy around how you will measure the success of the content. Will you measure how many hits your post has or how many clicks on your target link within the content? Or maybe something else?
Once you have created your goal, you can monitor and evaluate your results which helps understanding what is working well and where you can do better. This will enable you to make improvements in the content and how you share it in the future.
Not only does this give you some mistakes to avoid, but also some great tips to make sure you don’t make similar mistakes. They are some of the things that hold people back when creating content and keeping these in mind will make a big difference. From the simple notion of creating relevant and quality content, to making sure the SEO is up to scratch. Keep those visitors coming back for more and find the right way to write and share content for your website. This in turn will increase your bookings and enquiries for your PT treatments and facilities.
Do you want to create the right content for your Physical therapy site, but need a little help? Why not speak to PatientSites and see what we can do for you. From social media, marketing plans and content creation, if you need that helping hand, we probably offer the services that you need.
Do you need some help with your physical therapy website and marketing? Download our Free Evergreen Marketing Blueprint for Physical Therapists and start creating long-term assets that generate new patient bookings for years to come.
