Well, here we go again…
Mask mandates are coming back; the Delta variant is in the news. It feels like we’ve taken a big step backward, and in the midst of a brand new COVID-19 crisis, there’s a ton of fake news and social media content muddying the waters yet again.
While I don’t particularly like the idea of profiting on tragedy, I do think that content marketing can be used as a force for good. I see nothing wrong with making money for your effort to keep the public informed. There’s so much fake news and fluff content out there. I feel like it’s the responsibility of both established medical professionals and medical content creators to provide the most trustworthy information out there.
The benefits of running an ethical content marketing platform are many, especially now. People want and need sources they can trust. They want guidance they can feel good about following. Most importantly, they need to know that the information you’re providing is legit.
These are the things I want to address in this article. I also want to take the opportunity to provide a little direction on how you can deliver both great quality content and content that is relevant because therein lies what I consider to be a great recipe for success.
Controversy Sells… But Be Careful!
I read an alarming statistic recently that said that nearly half of Americans now get their news from social media. The problems that exist with this are many. The sad part is that it’s a problem largely perpetuated by marketers all using tactics like controversy and scare tactics to engage readers. Now, a little controversy can sell content quite effectively, but there are ethical and unethical ways to go about presenting it.
For example, let’s take a look at two possible titles for the same article on the Delta variant:
Delta Variant: When Your Vaccine Fails
Delta Variant: Is Your Vaccine Effective?
These titles both tease the same content. The first has a caustic clickbait kind of feel to it. The second promises the answer to a tough question that, as of this writing, is on many people’s minds. There is a difference between scaring people into clicking through and earning that click-through by teasing an objective answer to a serious question on their minds right now.
The Need for Factual Information
It still amazes me how irresponsible some marketers can be when developing content around specific sources. It’s easy to tell what the marketer’s own opinion is on any subject when all their content has the same basic slant. That slant is the result of research done from the perspective of something called confirmation bias. In a nutshell, that means they do research they know will lead to specific conclusions, information, or opinions. It isn’t objective, and, in many cases, it also isn’t factual.
Be sure to keep your research objective and unbiased. Thoroughly vet any source from which you draw information and be certain those sources are legit. I recommend steering clear of other blogs for anything beyond finding inspiration for new posts. The information from your posts must come from trustworthy medical, scientific, and government sources. Always provide links to your sources and encourage people to click through to them.
Providing factual, high-quality content serves a dual purpose. It positions you as a trustworthy authority in your niche, and it helps tremendously with SEO. Well-written, well-presented content with a few relevant keywords and links to authoritative sources gets the attention of search engines and helps your pages rank better. It literally pays to do things responsibly and ethically.
Your Entire Content Strategy Matters
When you deal with a subject like COVID-19, information changes and updates constantly. Are you up to the challenge of staying current? Do you have the means to keep the content flowing and publish on a tight schedule? Here are just some of the content considerations that should be on your list.
Regular updates – Again, timing is everything when it comes to COVID-related topics. You don’t want to be the last creator in your niche to cover important topics, and you might need to be flexible with your publishing schedule to stay current. Having a roadmap of viable topics and a plotted-out content publishing schedule is vital to capturing those clicks before what you have to say is already stale.
Current information and events – I recommend harnessing the power of email and the ease and efficiency of social media posts to stay up-to-the-minute current with your content. You can even curate content from vetted sources to stay ahead of the curve while promoting your own latest blog posts at the same time.
Support content – I mentioned email and social media posts already, but there are numerous content areas you can tap to keep your content in front of your readers and followers. Newsletters, direct text messages, and in some cases even press releases can go a long way to augment your content strategy. The focal point of your marketing should be your own blog or website, but all the content that points to it matters every bit as much.
This is why I hope you’ll consider working with us to make your medical content marketing efforts a success. We have talented staff and a list of savvy freelancers, all skilled in medical copywriting for all kinds of content. Best of all, we can keep you on your publishing schedule, and that is the best way to stay in front of your readers and hold their attention. Want to know more? Contact BeezContent today, and let’s discuss your medical marketing project.
