If you have a website, it is highly likely that you have heard about the importance of having unique content on the site. Unique content is content that has not been reproduced or duplicated from any other site. It is content that is 100% yours. Many medical and dental practices, contract their websites from organizations that provide medical content on their behalf. While this is a great way to save time and provide exceptional medical information to those that visit your site, it can actually negatively affect your search engine rankings among other things.

We all want our websites to rank well, so it is easy to see why unique content can help separate us from the competition. There is, however, another benefit to using unique content that has nothing to do with search engine rankings and everything to do with how your website is received by patients. Unique content personalizes your site. It allows you a better opportunity to connect with visitors online by telling them about your practice and how you may be able to help them in your words – not someone else’s.

Websites today have become very personable. When we visit a site, we get to learn not only about the products and services offered by the company. We also get to learn about the people who work for the company. As consumers, we want to know who we are buying from – especially when it comes to medical or dental care.

The question then becomes, how can I create a more inviting website? One of the first places you can start is by making sure that there are updated bios of all healthcare providers working within your practice on the site. Updated portraits of all providers should be included. Many practices are even including bios and portraits of key team members. This helps potential patients put a face with a name and further connects them to your practice. Finally, consider adding a blog and social media accounts. A blog contains content relevant to your specialty written by you, or on your behalf. Practices that blog have 55% more website traffic than those that do not blog. This means a much greater chance of getting visitors onto your website.

Don’t let another’s content reside on your site. Take the time to showcase all that you do and offer in your own words. If you do not have the time or the staff to take on this responsibility, consider hiring someone to help you. The long term benefits of a custom website far outweigh any initial upfront costs.