If your chiropractic blog contains useful, high-quality content, other online sites may link to it as well as companies that blog experience 97% more backlinks
A 2019 BrightLocal survey found that nine out of 10 consumers search online to find local businesses. That’s partially why a website is important to building and growing your practice. But what happens when your site isn’t getting as much traffic as you like? One option that can increase visitors by two times or more is starting a chiropractic blog.
Blogging’s impact on website traffic
Data collected by IsItWP—a WordPress technology lookup tool—indicates that businesses with online blogs see 55% more website visitors than those that don’t. Stick with blogging long-term, generating at least a couple dozen posts, and it can increase traffic even more, by as much as 30%.
These increases are due to a number of factors. First, if you email a link to your blog to patients, they can go to your site directly. The same is true if you share your blog on social media.
If your chiropractic blog contains useful, high-quality content, other online sites may link to it as well. This alone can increase your site’s traffic according to IsItWP as companies that blog experience 97% more links back to their website. And it doesn’t cost a thing. No paid advertising fees. No social media ads. Just good old-fashioned organic growth.
Additional benefits of a chiropractic blog
The benefits of blogging don’t stop with increased website traffic either. Here are a few additional statistics offered by HubSpot:
- Blogging can increase your indexed pages by 434%. Indexed pages are used by search engines like Google to determine the quality or value of your website. The more indexed pages you have, the more credible your site. The more credible your site, the higher you appear in your potential patient’s lists of search results.
- Blogging can increase your monthly leads by 67%. Making people aware of your practice is the first stage of the sales funnel. The second involves piquing their interest. A chiropractic blog achieves both of these goals, first by increasing your website presence and, second, by providing information in a way that helps your site’s visitors begin to know, like, and trust you – the three keys to effective marketing.
- 70% of consumers prefer blogs over advertisements. Blogging provides your site’s visitors a chance to get you know you on their own terms. Instead of being just one more advertisement thrust into their face, they’re able to sift through your posts and read the content that is most appealing to them. Blogs also give them the opportunity to see you more as a person than a business. They are exposed to your personality through your site’s content, making them feel as if they know you. You become more like a trusted friend; someone they will listen to when offered advice.
Starting a blog for your chiropractic practice
If you don’t currently have a blog for your practice, starting one may seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be. The first step is to make a list of topics you could blog about. This includes writing about the benefits of chiropractic or what to expect on their first appointment. Think of the questions that your patients often have and seek to answer them with a post.
Another good topic is to discuss a particular service that you offer or area of specialty. This highlights your expertise while also showing patients how you can help them with a specific issue or condition. If you offer additional modalities in your office — massage, acupuncture, etc. — these are topics to consider as well.
Once you have a complete list of ideas, create an editorial calendar. This is a plan for which topics you want to discuss and when. For example, if you want to do a post about how to avoid common musculoskeletal football injuries, publishing it in August, when schools are starting their practices, might make the most sense. If your chiropractic blog post is about how to ease headaches, a spring or fall timeframe might get better results as head pain is common due to allergies and weather changes.
Sitting down to write is often the next stumbling block. Incorporating an hour or two in your schedule weekly ensures that you have the time to tend to this task. Alternatively, if you have a talented writer on your staff, you could assign this activity out. Hiring a freelance writer is another alternative, allowing you to keep up with your blog without requiring any writing on your part.
Blogging does take a bit of time, especially up front. However, once you get a plan laid out, it becomes more like clockwork. And it’s a great way to grow your business while providing patients information that can improve their health and wellness. When you have a blog, everyone wins.
