Sure, you’ve heard that putting out content helps engage your current patients and entices prospective ones. So, you started a blog and/or a newsletter. Great!
But, how do you get readers to trust your content…and to trust you?
On July 20, 2018, Google issued guidelines on how to improve your E-A-T score:
-Expertise
-Authority
-Trustworthiness
According to Danny Sullivan at Google, ” better content means higher rankings.” This makes sense. People come to your site to find out about healthy choice and treatment options or about their symptoms and conditions. They don’t want to know about your thoughts on the latest movie, new restaurant or your antique car. Save that for the car or foodie Fanpage site.
Author
First, show who created the content for editorials. Presumably it was you but if it was staff in the office, give that person a byline but add that it was reviewed and approved by you. This eases the reader’s apprehension that the person discussing the topics is the expert that they want to learn from.
Brand
Secondly, bolster your brand by increasing your social presence. This can be achieved by optimizing each profile on the social media channels you participate in. Make your bios informative but not like it came out of an encyclopedia. Rather than just list the information, make it interesting by inserting your personality into it. “Go Team”.
Make sure your profile photo is professional and looking straight at the viewer. Having a photo taken poolside with your pet poodle does not instill confidence in someone looking for a healthcare professional.
When someone takes the time to ask questions or respond to a post, make sure that you respond back- doing so in a professional manner that represents your brand. Make it engaging and entertaining, not dry and boring. Remember, stories are remembered, so adding them or a little anecdote, goes a long way.
Adding guest posts on sites that are in line with your brand and your services, also helps to make you perceived as a thought leader and an expert in your field.
Source
All the content that is published by you does not have to come from you.
According to the guidelines: “For some topics, the most expert sources of information are ordinary people sharing their life experiences on personal blogs, forums, reviews, discussions, etc.” You can highlight this and then give your own comments or opinions about the discussion after.
Trustworthiness
Besides an author and reputation transparency, viewers want to know that the site is secure for any personal information or questions they may add. To maintain a high E-A-T score, ensure your site with an SSL certificate.
Need help with your blog or social media? No worries. Contact Barbara@TheMedicalStrategist for a free consultation and we can get you started!