If you’ve ever been working on creating a blog post for your website and have found yourself stuck, I can help!
Honestly, most people get stuck here from time to time, and this is where a template can help.
Here’s a template structure I’ve used many times that helps get me unstuck, and can work for you too.
The Headline
This is one of the most important parts of your post, if not the most important.
Why?
The headline is the hook for grabbing attention. This is especially true for people who find it via social media. Just think about how much competition you have for eyes when someone is scrolling through their Facebook feeds.
The Image
Along with the headline, the image is another critical step for the same reasons as listed above.
Think again about someone scrolling through their Facebook feed. What are they looking at, and what makes them stop scrolling? It’s a captivating image.
I typically use a stock image service, but occasionally I’ll use screenshots or even an embedded video.
The Lead-In
In way of capturing attention when someone clicks on your post, the lead can do a lot of work in just a sentence or two.
A question can be a great way to get their attention and engagement right away.
The lead-in also sets their expectation for what’s coming later on in your post.
The Story
This isn’t always used but is very helpful as people connect with stories.
From a patient perspective, they’re even more likely to connect with a post if they read about someone who has gone through the same thing or has the same questions as them.
Even though it’s obvious, I’ll state it anyway just out of an abundance of caution and as a reminder… you’ll want to be very careful about HIPAA and/or patient privacy here.
If you can share a story, even if it’s a question you were asked in clinic that day, it can be a very powerful engagement tool.
The Pivot
The pivot is often just sentence or two, but it’s when you turn attention back to the original point.
This is like the final hook to get the reader to finish reading the rest of the post.
The Main Point
This is what the patient came to get in the first place. This is where you answer their questions and/or share your expertise.
It’s fine to go into some depth here, but you don’t need this section to be longer than a few hundred words, max.
You can write this section just like you would if you were talking to the patient in your office.
The Rationale
Explain the why behind your point. People are curious, and there are a lot of different medical opinions online (not to mention a lot of flat out bad advice).
One of the significant advantages of having your own personal website and blog as a doctor is that people can connect with and relate with you, which builds up even more trust.
The rationale sections of your posts are critical to building up your credibility in the minds of your patients.
The Close
This is the concluding statement where you bring it all home for the reader.
You’ll want to end the close on a helpful, positive note that builds up goodwill.
The Call To Action (optional)
Depending on the topic of your post, you may want to have a call to action.
If you’re writing about a specific condition, this can be a quick summary of When To See A Doctor.
It’s ok to have a link to your scheduling page in this section on some, but not all posts.
Following this template can make the writing process much easier and faster. It’s also helped me several times in seeing the proper place to put sections I have written.
I hope you find it as helpful as I have!
