Eyeworld

138 | EYEWORLD | APRIL 2019 I by Vanessa Caceres EyeWorld Contributing Writer N THE PRACTICE Focus as much as possible on what patients need to help them make decisions related to their eyecare, including cost-related issues, Mr. Phillips advised. He works frequently with medical prac- tice blogs and helped grow the blog for Anchor- age-based Alaska Sleep Clinic to reach millions of site visitors. See sidebar for more blog post ideas from Mr. Phillips. Final suggestions: It's OK to add a personal touch or humor, as long as it's not over the top, said Andrew Whitley. Also, keep your titles as natural-sounding as possible; avoid the tempta- tion to use clickbait wording, which can ruin your credibility, he added. 2. How long should blog posts be? Generally speaking, posts should be 300 to 500 words, Mr. Whitley said. "When people read online, they have a much shorter attention span than they do when reading a book, so the reader should be able to finish the post within a few minutes. An occasional long-form post of 1,000 words or more can be valuable as well, particu- larly, when it's a complex topic." For those longer posts, make sure to use subsections with bold headings so the reader can easily skip ahead. Mr. Phillips favors the longer posts and said that 1,000 words or more should be done regular- ly, so long as the text is broken into sections with headers and has links to other helpful information. Y ou may have heard that a blog on your practice website can help grow your online presence, but you may be won- dering how that works. A blog can indeed increase your online traffic and establish your prac- tice as a local eyecare expert, which can potentially grow your patient base. However, it's a long-term investment that requires some patience and strategy. Read on for answers to some of the most common FAQs about blogging. 1. What should we write about in our posts? An easy place to start is with questions that pa- tients frequently ask your practice, recommends Kevin Phillips. In addition to the questions you hear, ask the front desk staff and techs about the questions they get asked, Mr. Phillips recom- mended. In her work for the ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery blog, Samantha Parrish has cov- ered several topics, including: • FAQs about procedures • new developments in the field of vision care • health conditions that may contribute to vision impairment • prevention and wellness tips • lifestyle topics related to wearing glasses and contacts • practice news 6 FAQs about using a blog to grow your online presence continued on page 140 positive input from patients," Dr. Al-Mohtaseb said. They also use Twitter to participate in the buzz at ophthalmology conferences. Dr. Al-Mohtaseb thinks it is possible for ophthalmologists to garner more positive atten- tion based on what they post. "Ophthalmologists can set the tone and shape the types of comments patients make by their level of engagement and interaction on social media," she said. "Ophthal- mologists who are interactive with their poten- tial and past patients are more likely to receive positive comments than those who aren't." She suggested encouraging patients to share how they feel about their experience and inviting them to tag your office in the post. Dr. Al-Mohtaseb recommends ophthalmol- ogists increase engagement with followers, post more photos, and look into hiring a social media liaison due to the time-consuming nature of it. It is also vital to be mindful of patients' privacy and any associated HIPAA rules. "Also, avoid political, negative, or offensive posts that can push away your target audience," she said. Dr. Al-Mohtaseb thinks social media will be- come of greater importance to ophthalmologists. "With a rapidly changing social media landscape, it will become more important for ophthalmolo- gists to be aware of new social media platforms and trends to effectively connect with past and future clients," Dr. Al-Mohtaseb concluded. continued from page 136 About the sources Samantha Parrish Marketing manager ReVision LASIK and Cataract Surgery Columbus, Ohio Kevin Phillips Content marketing consultant IMPACT Cambridge, Minnesota Rachel Santora Digital marketing account manager Advice Media Park City, Utah Andrew Whitley Senior account executive Amplify Online Bradenton, Florida

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