I got a post today on Dentaltown with the following in it:

Maybe my perception of blogs is wrong.  But, I thought the primary reason for a blog on a dentist's website was to simply create "fresh content" for the search engine spiders to find.  Search engines like regularly updated websites.

I cannot imagine any consumer spending any time reading a dentist's blog, like EVER.  That's me thinking AS a consumer.

So, for ME, I'd rather update my site regularly by writing / editing actual COPY for my site.  If I'm going to write, I want it to actually be PRODUCTIVE writing… writing that sells.  I just don't see the real practicality of a blog on my website.  But, I realize I am an exception among dentists when it comes to writing and actively "sowing" my website.   A blog would certainly be easier, but my hallucination is that a blog is more of an SEO thing than actual promotion of the practice.

So here is my answer.

There are at least two reasons that dental website blogs are critical to your long term success on the web as a dental practice marketer (which every dentist in practice is, of course, to one degree or another.)

One has to do with attracting someone to your site (being found and someone visiting your site.)

The second has to do with conversion.

How a dental website blog attracts patients better than just changing your website around

For attracting someone to your site, my blogsites have a lot of advantages.

• They ping numerous content aggregators,
• They get to Google sometimes near the top in hours or days,
• They end up at social media sites through my external promotion activities.
• They give other people something to look at and talk about.

Static, regulare websites don't do any of these particularly well. If you add an article to your brochure website, it doesn't ping anyone. It doesn't make it easy for someone to go right to a page and see your latest update. It doesn't plug into the social media scene. It has very few advantages in terms of getting found, compared to a blogsite like the ones I put together for dentists.

But dental blogsites do a lot more than just attract patients better. They convert visitors into patients.

Why dental blogs for converting prospects into patients?

When I, as a dental patient, find a dentist, I want to know that that dentist cares about patients like me. I don't want to see stock photos and stock articles. I want to know who I am dealing with. You as a person. If you have a blog that you occasionally post to, I can read that and get a quick feel for who you are. It doesn't have to be your blog, it can be a blog by a hygienist or assistant or office manager.

But a personal blog can help convert patients becasue it lets them know who you are and feel comfortable with you. They will not read every word. But they will read some of it and then be more willing to pick up the phone and call for an appointment.

Now, if you like this article, you should get my book. Some dentists have their entire team read it and discuss chapters in weekly team meetings. It is in its third edition. It costs $59.95 but is yours free right now. I will never share your email or info with anyone and you can opt out anytime.