How To Create Content Your Patients Actually Want To Consume

In this essay, I’ll share a simple way to create content your patients will actually want to consume.

If you have tried to create content for your patients, chances are you’ve spent far too long, and got little to show for it. I know because it happened to me as well. And it happens to almost every single one of the physicians I work with.

The crazy part is, creating engaging content is actually easier!

The main reason why your patients are not engaging with your content is because it was not created for them.

Sure, you may have created it with them in mind but you did not create it for them.

I know you don’t believe me. So please, open up one of your recent articles, blog posts, instagram captions, etcetera. Now check how many times you used big words, medical jargon, or described something like you would when you were a resident presenting a case to an attending.

So unless your patients are all physicians, they felt like you were not talking to them.

Here are three simple steps to make your content more patient-centric:

Step 1 — Use Hemingway App

This is a free online app that lets you know how easy to read and comprehend your text is.

Copy your completed post and paste it in hemingwayapp.com. It will give you a “Readability” score. Your goal is to write at between grades 3 & 4.

Step 2 — Add a catchy, but very clear headline

People have an unlimited supply of content to consume — why should they consume yours?

A headline is whatever bit of your content the platform will show first to its users. This has to catch your patient’s attention long enough for them to read it and decide whether it’s worth their time.

Step 3 — When in doubt, go short

A common mistake physicians make is trying to cover too much ground in a single piece of content.

If you’re a pediatrician, I know it makes sense to create a single article about common types of baby rashes. But for the worried mom looking for an answer? She only cares about the “little red bubbles” she noticed on her baby’s side this morning.

Next time you’re creating a post, consider breaking it down into smaller posts.