Updated with a 4th dimension – March 2023
Picture this: A consumer is frantically searching for health information online. She clicks on a website that looks promising and starts scanning the page for answers. But as she reads on, she’s getting frustrated, left with even more questions and confusion.
As healthcare content writers, this is exactly the problem we’re trying to fix. We’ve written well over 10,000 pages of healthcare content on a range of topics, from arrhythmia to Zika virus. And to create truly great healthcare content, you need to write in 4D.
The 4 Dimensions of Great Healthcare Content Writing
4D healthcare content writing means creating content that is:
1. Empathetic
2. User-friendly
3. Optimized for search engines
4. Medically accurate
1. Empathy: Connect With Your Audience
Empathy is about understanding your audience’s perspective and connecting with them. It’s about being compassionate and communicating in a way that resonates with people who may be scared, anxious or in pain.
When you write with empathy, you:
- Put yourself in your audience’s shoes
- Think about what they’re going through and the questions they might have
- Use language that’s simple and easy to understand
- Avoid medical jargon or technical terms that might confuse or intimidate them
2. UX: Create a User-Friendly Experience
UX, or user experience, is all about creating a seamless, user-friendly experience for your audience. You want your content to be easy to read, navigate and interact with.
When you write with UX in mind, you:
- Focus on formatting, layout and design
- Use headings and subheadings to break up your content and make it easier to scan
- Use bullet points and lists to highlight key information
- Optimize your content for mobile (since more people are accessing healthcare information on their phones)
3. SEO: Optimize Your Content for Search Engines
SEO, or search engine optimization, is about ensuring your content is easily discoverable and ranks well in search engine results pages (SERPs). Use the right keywords, meta descriptions and other technical elements to ensure your content shows up when people search for relevant topics.
When you write with SEO in mind, you:
- Research the keywords and phrases that people use to search for healthcare information
- Include those keywords in your content naturally and organically
- Optimize your title tags, meta descriptions and other elements to make sure your content stands out in search results
4. Healthcare Knowledge: Know Your Stuff
The 4th dimension of great healthcare content writing is perhaps the most obvious: You need to understand healthcare and medical topics. Knowing your stuff lets you translate complex medical information into clear, accessible language.
When you write from a place of healthcare knowledge, you:
- Do your research and make sure you’re presenting accurate, up-to-date information
- Work with subject matter experts to ensure your content is medically accurate and relevant
- Stay current on the latest developments and trends in healthcare
Weaving the Dimensions Together
Writing great healthcare content is challenging. But by thinking in 4D — and incorporating empathy, UX, SEO and healthcare knowledge into your writing — you can create content that truly connects with your audience. Whether you’re writing about arrhythmia, Zika or anything in between, these dimensions will help your content get noticed. When the frantic searcher arrives at your page, they’ll slow down, read the content and feel that now, they have answers and can start moving forward.
Looking for a team of 4D writers that will take your content to the next level? See what Aha Media can do for your healthcare brand.
