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How Blogging Enhances Your Clinical Value and Brand Presence

on November 1, 2016

Categories: Athletic Training, Occupational Therapy, Patient Engagement, Patient Engagement, Patient Engagement, Physical Therapy, Speech Pathology

Blogs that educate about the value of physical therapy provide a platform to display your expertise and commitment to clinical excellence.

With the growth of Direct Access, it’s important to focus your marketing efforts on consumer choice and feedback. Your online presence is key to these campaigns as 62% of individuals seek healthcare advice online.² A well-written blog with high social media engagement will increase traffic to your website, increase your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and direct patients to your practice.

How to Blog

Writing a blog should be simple. To start, recognize that experienced Physical Therapists are experts in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, second only to Orthopedic Surgeons.¹ The information that PTs share is valuable to the community. It’s important to understand this concept in order to produce respected content.

The next step is to begin writing. Here are six clinical blog structures and examples to use as starting points:

Quick Tips – 3 Key Principles to Consider in Hip Rehabilitation (In Fact, All Rehab!)
How To – How to Maximize the PT-AT Relationship in the High School Setting
New Research – New Era in Orthopedic Special Test for the Shoulder
Uncovering Misconceptions – The True Benefit of Isometric Exercises
Condition Specific – 5 Reasons to Use Inhibitory Casting for Spasticity
Exercises – Best Exercises for the Trapezius Muscle

Develop Your Web Presence

There are several necessities to optimize your blog’s traffic, longevity, and impact:

Add a blog landing page and corresponding button/banner on your website’s homepage.
Begin lining up content providers for future posts. It may be a good idea to gauge the blogging interest of your connections and colleagues within your practice. Many individuals have passions and expertise that they’re willing to share!
Begin with one blog per month, and increase frequency from there – start simple!
Promote your posts via social media. With the average person spending 16 minutes of each hour on social channels, it is a great opportunity to share quality information and highlight your blog.²

If you’re reading this post, you’ve already recognized the need for a web presence. These simple steps can have a huge impact on your relationship with your patients.

Alanna Pokorski, PT, DPT

Dr. Alanna Pokorski, PT, DPT, has 17 years of experience in outpatient orthopedics with Sports Physical Therapy of NY and is the Senior Vice President, managing eleven locations throughout Upstate New York. She earned her Bachelor of Science in physical therapy from Daemen College in Buffalo, NY, and her Transitional Doctorate from Arcadia University in Philadelphia, PA.

Alanna is the clinical lead for the company's growing social media, marketing, and branding initiatives, all while keeping a strong focus on clinical excellence. Alanna has enhanced a clinical presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to demonstrate the value of physical therapy to the community and social audiences. Alanna is the director of all blog content and the company’s website, and proofreader to all blogs submitted for publication. The Sports Physical Therapy of NY blog can be found here.

Alanna serves on the Executive Committee as Treasurer for the Western District of the New York Physical Therapy Association and is a board member for the PT First Alliance in Upstate New York. She is a guest speaker at the University at Buffalo to the DPT students, and she is committed to community service in Western NY.

References

Childs J Whitman J Sizer P, et al. A description of physical therapists’ knowledge in managing musculoskeletal conditions. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. June 2005; 6:32.
Knight E, Werstine RJ, Rasmussen-Pennington D, et al. Physical Therapy 2.0: Leveraging Social Media to Engage Patients in Rehabilitation and Health Promotion. Physical Therapy. 2015; 95(3)389-396.