As a registered health practitioner, you’ve spent many years studying and developing your knowledge. While you could write your own website content, there are a some very good reasons why you probably shouldn’t:
- You will most likely use jargon that lay people don’t understand.
- Your years at university mean that you will have a more academic writing style, which isn’t appropriate for web content.
- Lack of time is extremely common for busy health professionals!
- And while you may be an expert in your field, you aren’t an expert in SEO copywriting.
The most successful web content (ie that captures the reader’s attention and persuades them to take action), should be easily read by a 12 year old. So if your website is filled with terms like:
- patellar subluxation;
- dissociative identity disorder;
- hyperopia and hypermetropia;
- foraminatomy or laminectomy;
then your content will not be understood by – or hold the interest of – your potential patients or clients.
NB: It’s still okay to use these terms occasionally, IF you include an explanation!
Here are the same terms rephrased in ways that the general public will understand (even if the terminology may not be medically “correct”):
- dislocated knee;
- “split” personality;
- long-sightedness;
- types of spine surgery.
Don’t ever be fooled into thinking that simple, easy-to-read text is easy to write. There is a real art to being able to write concise, clear copy. If your website is full of waffle or jargon, your potential clients are likely to lose patience (pun intended) and click away!