Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

Is it Risky to Let Practitioners Write on the Clinic Blog?

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© claudiovaldes - Fotolia.com
© claudiovaldes – Fotolia.com

One of the signs of a healthy clinic blog is a wealth of contributions from multiple practitioners. This original content helps showcase your team’s expertise and unique personalities to prospective clients (as it lightens your own load to produce all the content yourself!).

Blogging has many benefits for the practitioners as well, helping them build their own reputation in the industry, and develop ideas they can turn into learning materials and programs.

A Content Mastery Formula client recently told me, “I’d rather not have [other team members] contribute, because what if they leave the practice?”

Let’s address that concern, as well as two other potential risks associated with a multi-author wellness clinic blog.

Risk #1: The practitioner won’t participate

Depending on how your business is structured, your practitioners may be employees or independent contractors. Either way, blogging is probably not in their job description.

Some people are afraid to write, some will insist they don’t have the time, and others just don’t see the point of blogging.

For those who are afraid to write, see the next section for some resources and tips. If time is the issue (and it often is!), point them towards these 12 ways to protect your blog writing time.

Finding the business case for blogging is sometimes the biggest hurdle, and you still may not have crossed it yourself. Be aware that the more convinced and committed you are, the more effective you’ll be at energizing your blogging team.

Start by reading and sharing these nine ways that blogging helps your wellness clinic be both found and trusted as a reliable resource for online health seekers.

If the business benefits aren’t enough to motivate your team members, appeal to their altruistic nature by touting the healing powers of blogging.

Risk #2: The practitioner doesn’t write well

Blogging is a skill like any other; it can be learned, practiced and mastered. It’s a myth that you have to be a good writer to blog effectively. Blogging consistently will not only help your practitioners improve their writing, it will also help them improve their thinking and focus their ideas. So whatever their high school English teacher may have told them, encourage your practitioners to try writing and keep trying.

Does that mean the quality of your blog should suffer? No, absolutely not. You want to maintain a high level of quality on your clinic blog, to make a positive and professional impression on your new and returning visitors.

To give your practitioners the freedom and space to grow and improve as bloggers, put an editor in place (just make sure you don’t bottleneck the process!).

If someone truly has no interest in becoming a better writer, you can interview your practitioners as subject matter experts, instead of having them write posts themselves. That is one of the ways Cleveland Clinic keeps content flowing on their Health Essentials blog.

Risk #3: The practitioner leaves your clinic

In her primer for how to draft a social media policy, Toronto-based lawyer Vandana Taxali recommends that you “require customers and users of your website to agree to community blogging guidelines before they can blog or comment on the company’s website.”

Those guidelines should include what happens when a practitioner leaves your clinic. “When you ask [team members] to blog, let them know it’s your intention for the content to remain in your archive in future,” writes Sheila Averbuch on LinkedIn.

Why are those blog posts an asset to your business, even after the practitioner has moved on? “If a former employee continues to build a great reputation in your industry after she leaves, then that reputation continues to work for your content,” asserts Mark Traphagen in a Moz post called Why Your Brand Shouldn’t Fear Assigning Authorship.

With blog posts written by former team members, Averbuch recommends that you go back and review archived posts to make sure there is no call-to-action to contact someone who is no longer at your clinic. While you’re at it, check for invitations to past events, materials that are no longer available, or any other broken links.

(Tip: To be proactive with this, whenever you use a time-sensitive call-to-action, mark in your calendar to update it once the event or resource is no longer available, and draft an evergreen version you can paste in at that time.)

If you’ve chosen qualified practitioners for your team, sold them on the idea of blogging for your business, and you’re editing their work to reflect well on your clinic, you have nothing to fear about inviting your practitioners to blog on the clinic website.

P.S. How healthy is your wellness clinic blog? Let’s look it over together (for free!).

How to Manage a Multi-Author Wellness Blog

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calendar tools multi-author blog
© djvstock – Fotolia.com

You’ve worked hard to create a team of qualified wellness professionals who deliver a range of services to your clients. But does your clinic blog reflect the unique wisdom and experience they each bring to the table?

Giving your team of practitioners a voice on the clinic blog has five key benefits:

  1. It lightens your load as the clinic owner to produce all the content.
  2. It gives each practitioner the chance to develop and express his or her own individual identity (brand) as a wellness professional.
  3. It demonstrates the depth and variety of the services and approaches available at your clinic.
  4. It helps your practitioners, clients, supporters and friends promote your clinic by sharing links to practitioners’ posts on social media.
  5. It cultivates a sense of teamwork, belonging and pride amongst the blog contributors.

Starting a blog and posting consistently can be challenging, and having more bloggers can mean there are more ways for things to go astray. Let’s go through some concrete tips for how to manage a multi-author wellness blog for ultimate success.

Before you start a multi-author wellness blog at your clinic

Long before publishing your first post, create a clinic or team blogging plan so that everyone is on the same page (here are the five things to include in your clinic blogging plan).

How to keep your clinic blog going

Once you have your plan and you’re ready to start, here are some helpful tips to stay consistent:

  • Create a shared calendar for editorial topics and timelines. Make it easy for writers to plan ahead, and for you or your editor to follow up as needed. Try Google Calendar or blogging-specific WordPress plugins such as CoSchedule, Edit Flow, or Editorial Calendar.
  • Hold regular meetings for the blogging team, where you can brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot problems, and celebrate results. If you keep restating the blog’s purpose and goals, it will boost motivation and enthusiasm for the project.
  • Offer alternatives for reluctant writers. Some of your practitioners may not have the time, patience or skill for writing, but with a little creativity, everyone’s voice can be heard. For example, let them talk out their ideas as a video or audio recording. Then have an editor or ghostwriter turn those ideas into a written post or a bulleted list of highlights published along with the video or audio message.

Promoting your wellness clinic blog

Readers will not remember to visit your blog, so you have to invite them back to read every new post. Ask everyone on your team to share links to the latest blog post – on social media, in their email signature, or in response to a question related the post’s topic. You can even supply pre-written social media teasers that will get readers curious about the post.

Give readers an easy way to share your posts on social media by installing social sharing apps and plugins (ask your web developer for help and recommendations).

As well, show your appreciation to your blogging team by spotlighting your contributors in your clinic communications on social media, in emails and/or newsletters, and in flyers posted at the clinic.

What can go wrong with a multi-author wellness blog

Here are some of the most common issues that may arise for multi-author blogs, and my suggestions for how to overcome them:

  • Maintaining quality – When writers are feeling pressured to finish a post on time, or just unsure of how to write an effective blog post, quality can vary. Share examples of the types of posts you’re looking for, as well as a style guide or simple checklist for writers.
  • Running out of steam – Things start out well, but then begin to fade. Eventually, posts get less and less frequent and in some cases they stop completely. Sometimes it’s because contributors aren’t seeing clear results so they have no motivation to put in the effort. Hold regular meetings to discuss concerns and celebrate results. Work as a group to brainstorm topics and reignite enthusiasm for the project.
  • Losing contributors – If one of your prominent bloggers or even the blog manager leaves the clinic, gets an influx of clients, or has a personal situation, the blog can flounder. Head back to the drawing board and make sure all five elements of your blogging plan are in place and still relevant, including someone to take ownership of the blog.
  • Competing priorities – There are many moving pieces in the day-to-day life of your clinic, and sometimes blogging might need to take a back seat. Do what you have to do, whether that’s stretching out the frequency of posts or taking a break. Get back on track as soon as you can. Always start with a fresh blogging plan so everyone has clear guidelines and the same goals in mind.

A clinic blog can give your practitioners more visibility and credibility to potential clients, current clients, referral partners and other supporters. Use these strategies to ensure your blogging team’s success.

P.S. How healthy is your wellness clinic blog? Join me for a personalized review and free advice.

12 Blogging Pitfalls to Expect in Your First Three Months

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© Milkos - Fotolia.com
© Milkos – Fotolia.com

You’ve convinced yourself that blogging is a good idea for your wellness practice. If you work in a clinic setting, you’ve gotten the rest of the team on board. All you have to do now is turn your subject matter expertise into captivating online content.

Before you start, be aware of these 12 predictable pitfalls you will face in your first three months of blogging, and plan for how to survive them:

1. Copycat confusion

You try to model your blog after others in the industry, but you don’t get the same results. What you’re missing is the solid foundation underneath any successful business blog. Survival tactic: Study other blogs for what you like and don’t like, then apply those things to your own unique blogging strategy.

2. Lack of buy-in

You were gung-ho from the start, but now you’re experiencing skepticism and resistance – either internally or amongst your clinic team. There’s confusion about what you’re doing and why. Blogging may feel like an onerous extra step that dilutes your existing marketing efforts. Survival tactic: In your blogging strategy, show exactly how blogging will fulfill your marketing goals.

3. Too many ideas / Too few ideas

You may be flooded with new ideas for blog posts, to the point of overwhelm. Or, you may feel unsure about which subjects would make a good post. Survival tactic: Create an editorial calendar and pre-populate it with key topics that meet your customers’ needs and your goals for the blog.

4. Branding confusion

If your blog has a different look and feel than your website, visitors aren’t getting a unified experience of your brand. Survival tactic: Work with your web developer to integrate the blog into your main website, with the same colors, layout and navigation options.

5. Every post is a dead end

Some people say they’ve seen and liked your blog, but most tell you they weren’t aware of it, or they didn’t realize anything new had been added. Survival tactic: Offer an email subscription for your latest blog posts. As well, link to other related posts from each post. Lastly, suggest one action readers can take after they read, e.g., read other posts, leave a comment, connect with you on social media, or learn more about one of your related products or services.

6. Comment obsession

You check the blog several times a day and despair there are no comments. Why do other blogs have comments and yours has none? Survival tactic: Have patience. It takes time to build an audience. Also, with some topics people may not feel comfortable leaving a public comment. This doesn’t mean that the blog isn’t working.

7. Inconsistency of quality and frequency

One week there are two new posts, then nothing for two months. Most posts are well written and researched, but if you’re honest, some lower-quality posts were published just to have new content. Survival tactic: Have a clear process for managing the calendar, editing submissions, and adhering to the basics of blogging.

8. Category clutter

Each contributor makes their own list of categories for every new post. Soon, there are several versions of the same category, creating confusion for readers and writers alike. Survival tactic: Lay out five to seven key categories in your initial blogging strategy and insist all posts fit with that list.

9. Good content can’t get through

In a larger clinic or organization, you may need to have your company’s legal, human resources, or communications department review and approve posts. Sometimes they’ll ask for revisions, and this can feel frustrating when you’re trying to keep your blog fresh and current. In other cases, it’s just one person who’s the bottleneck (it might be you). Survival tactic: Consult any content reviewers when writing your initial blogging strategy, and then meet regularly to discuss their issues and concerns. If you’re on your own, keep an honest eye on any delays and get the help you need.

10. Losing enthusiasm and fizzling out

After plowing forward for awhile, you start to question whether this is worth the time, effort and stress. You post less and less, and blogging moves down the list of daily tasks until it’s relegated to a few stolen moments in between more pressing priorities. Survival tactic: Follow your editorial calendar and keep posting. Read articles about successful blogging techniques and the benefits of blogging.

11. The pull to quit

As you post less, momentum stalls and you lose touch with your initial enthusiasm for blogging. You wonder whether it’s going to produce the promised results, and when. Survival tactic: Set clear and realistic goals for your blog, with both qualitative and quantitative measurements. Schedule specific times to objectively review these measurements. Remember that blogging is a long-term strategy that builds on itself and creates a collection of marketing collateral you can draw on for years to come.

12. Success!

If you plan ahead for these pitfalls and apply these wellness blogging survival tactics, you will see a return for your blogging efforts, such as increased awareness in the marketplace, more leads, or the “social proof” of people liking and sharing your pages and content. Some savvy marketers even turn their blog posts into other valuable assets such as white papers, presentations, books, case studies, videos or checklists.

Your first three months of blogging don’t need to be a battle through one pitfall after another. Learn how I can help you master the art of blogging for clients.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

12 Most Tenacious Ways to Keep Blogging on the Front Burner

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© Chepko Danil - Fotolia.com
© Chepko Danil – Fotolia.com

Have you ever started gung-ho on a new venture and then pushed it to the back burner when another more pressing thing came along? Many people tell me this is what happens when they start blogging.

They post here or there, but when faced with the decision to keep up with the blogging or toss it aside, the poor blog got the toss.

Here are 12 ways to keep blogging on the front burner often enough to see some results.

1. Start with a plan

Create a blogging plan so you know exactly what you’re trying to achieve and how.

2. Draft a content calendar

Come up with topics, titles, and ideally outlines for each blog post you plan to write over the next month, quarter or even year.

3. Read other blogs that inspire you

Look for people that seem to have fun with their blog, and are blogging at least once a month. These blogs may or may not be related to your business; sometimes the best inspiration comes from an outside perspective.

4. Convene with other bloggers

Join a Twitter chat, online forum, or social network group for bloggers with similar interests, e.g., business owners, foodies, crafters, dog lovers, or another community. Review some of the recent discussions, respond where you can, and post your own questions.

5. Buddy up

Find someone to set accountability goals with (a coach is a great tool for this!) and keep in touch regularly about how you’re doing.

6. Keep blogging in your sights

Set up visual blogging cues around your workspace, like a printout of your content calendar or to do list. Then set appointments to work on your blog, with reminder timers that will get your attention.

7. Take care of your physical needs

You’ll have better access to your creativity and brainpower if you’re rested, hydrated and well-fed.

8. Give blogging the best part of your day

Maybe not every day, but set regular stints in your calendar where you use your peak creative and focused times for blogging.

9. Divide up your blogging tasks

Don’t try to start, finish, post and promote a blog post in one sitting, because that just sets you up to fail. Schedule separate blocks for each part of the process and then feel great about getting that done.

10. Close unnecessary windows

If this is the time you dedicated to brainstorming, drafting or outlining your post, you really don’t need the Internet. Just add a note in your document that there is a link or reference you want to add, and fill it in later. Make it easier on yourself to stay focused.

11. Scrap a lifeless post

If the energy isn’t flowing with a particular post or topic, move on. If blogging feels like slogging, it will be even more tempting to push to the side. Find another topic from your blogging plan that lights you up right now.

12. Just do it

Like other tasks that are good for you, you may not always feel like blogging, or want to give it any of your precious time. Do it anyway and reap the satisfaction of following through, and the rewards of adding to your growing library of valuable content.

12 Cures for Blogging Overwhelm

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© utoimage - Fotolia.com
© utoimage – Fotolia.com

Busy-ness is a common theme for wellness clinic owners and wellness practitioners. You always seems to have more things you want to do than time in the day to do them. And now you’re supposed to blog, too?

Whether blogging is a job requirement or one of your own marketing goals, when it’s piled on top of a full load it can be tough to muster the the motivation to follow through.

Yet an abandoned blog will wave a red flag about your credibility every time a visitor lands on your website. And if you’re not blogging yet, you’re denying prospective clients the gift of discovering your expertise in the very area they need help.

Before you give up on the idea of blogging for your business, consider these 12 soothing truths for overwhelmed bloggers:

1. You can miss a post

You can remove the word deadline from your vocabulary. For most of us, very little that we do in a day is a matter of life or death. We make plans and schedules, and then we do our best and recalibrate when we must. The world won’t end if you veer from your editorial schedule. Reset the delivery date (isn’t that a nicer term?) and move on.

2. Inspiration always returns

When I sit and agonize over a post that’s not flowing, I find that I can turn my attention to something else and trust that when I come back, I’ll be given the inner or outer resources I need. If that means a blog post isn’t done when I hoped (or never gets done – link to when to scrap), that’s okay, I just refer to Truth #1.

3. No one is reading every word

In an interview with Tema Frank of Frank Online Marketing, I was reminded of the humbling fact that even though I review every single word of my blog posts several times, that’s not how people are reading them. They’re much more likely to skim the headlines, as you may be doing right now, honing in to read only certain sections.

4. There is no perfect

Though my attention may be drawn to industry giants who blog beautifully and brilliantly on a regular basis, in the grand scheme of things there are far more businesses who blog less frequently and definitely less perfectly. Depending on your niche, you might already be the one who’s farthest ahead, and you’ll be improving with every new post.

5. Everything improves with repetition

The more you write, publish and promote blog posts, the easier and more effective you will become. You can also use your published posts to measure your responses, do more of what’s working well, and experiment with things that may work better. Josh Kaufman claims you can get noticeably better at any skill by applying 20 hours of focused practice (that’s 40 minutes per day for a month). Writing every day doesn’t mean you publish every day, but it will do wonders for your confidence and skill.

6. Mistakes can be deleted

You can go back anytime after a post is published and correct a typo. If you’re adding new content or correcting misinformation, I recommend you clearly label that new information. Yes, people who subscribe to your blog will get the original version in their Inbox, but you can still take comfort in knowing the corrected version is the one that will live on forever.

7. You can let go of something else

Take an honest look at the time and money you’re currently spending on promoting your business. If something isn’t delivering results, can you funnel that investment into your blog? Be just as honest about your personal time. If you watched one less episode of a TV show or were more efficient with your errands, couldn’t you find a few minutes for blogging?

8. Blogging gives way more than it takes

Your blog posts can do double duty as content for social media, email newsletters, presentations and more. And as I mentioned in Truth #6, blog posts live forever on your site for new people to discover.

9. More isn’t better

Very few businesses need to be publishing a new blog post every day, and once a month might even be enough. It’s better to spend a few minutes each day working towards one really solid post, than to force yourself to eke out more frequent posts that aren’t well thought out or effective.

10. It’s okay to split

A clinic blog can have multiple personalities, topic areas, and even audiences, as long as they’re clearly defined and organized so the right people can find the information that’s for them.

11. If you can help, you can blog

Your wellness clinic exists to help people, and that means you already have everything you need for a terrific clinic blog. These days we often turn to the Internet first when we have questions – if you can provide answers that help people begin to solve their problems, they’ll come back for more. When it’s time to get expert help, you’ll be right there on their screen.

12. There is help for blogging

Whether it’s planning a blog strategy that incorporates your marketing goals, coordinating or interviewing subject matter experts, writing and editing blog posts, posting them to your site, or promoting and sharing them on social media, there are people with those areas of expertise.

For an overwhelmed blogger, the most soothing solution of all may be to share or pass along the task. That way everyone on your team can do what they do best, and you get to concentrate on running your business and serving the new clients your blog will attract.

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