So, you want to raise your Google rankings, hmm? Having great copy on your website is the key to getting your clinic to show up on the first page of Google. This is easier said than done, however!
See, you want to showcase your expertise in physical therapy, but you want to do it in a way that anyone who visits your website or blog can understand.
This means that even if something is explained correctly in medical terms, you must remember that the people reading your writing are your patients, not your colleagues.
The goal is to show that you’re knowledgeable and empathetic about relieving a person’s pain. You want to be an encouraging and helpful guide to potential patients; you’re not helping them get their degree in pain management!
We’re here to provide you with information that will help you to create engaging yet easy-to-understand copy. Keep reading to learn what copywriting is, the importance of writing your web copy, and the seven rules to creating excellent copy for your website!
What is copywriting?
Copywriting can be classified as any word on your website or blog that your current or future patients may see.
For physical therapists, copywriting serves as a call to action. PTs want to encourage people living with pain to seek physical therapy for help. Your copy gets people to think about their need for physical therapy, feel hopeful about the outcome of treatment, and respond by calling the clinic to make an appointment!
Why should I be writing my copy?
Point blank; you should be writing the copy that goes on your website. At the very least, you should trust someone who understands physical therapy to do it for you. You don’t want a blank website, and you don’t want a website that leaves your visitors wondering if you’re even qualified to treat them. The more organized, accurate, and digestible your website information is, the better a visitor will feel about contacting you to set up an appointment.
Your website should have:
- A website header
- A section for a conditions blog
- What you treat
- How you treat
- Articles about pain symptoms
- Bonus: Workshop invitations
Having a well-designed, easy-to-navigate website full of engaging and easy-to-read copy is your golden ticket to your clinic’s phone ringing off the hook.
Good copy versus bad copy
You might be thinking, “OK, I know I need to take care of this, but how can I write engaging copy for my physical therapy website and blogs without making it sound too technical?”
Here’s an example of “bad copy” versus “good copy.”
Bad copy: “The use of manual therapy (MT) is also recommended by NICE for treating patients with LBP6. MT is a hands-on treatment that involves spinal manipulation and patient mobilization. The mobilization entails low-velocity passive movements through a normal range of motion (ROM), whereas the spinal manipulation involves high-velocity impulses and thrusts that are normally administered to synovial joints beyond their normal ROM, which may lead to audible sounds. This technique is often used by osteopaths, chiropractors, and manual therapists.”
Good copy: Manual therapy is a hands-on technique that many physical therapists use to help treat patients with lower back pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, neck pain, and other conditions. This treatment technique involves spinal manipulation, a method where your therapist will use their hands or a device to apply controlled force to a spinal joint.
The example of “bad copy” is not poorly written by any means! However, it’s too full of medical jargon for the average person to read and comprehend. The “good copy,” on the other hand, explains in simple terms what manual therapy is, what the benefits of physical therapy treatment are, and what kinds of medical professionals utilize manual therapy to treat pain.
Most people reading about your clinic just want to know that you have the answers to their pain. They’re not necessarily searching for a thesis statement on the effectiveness of physical therapy treatment.
The 7 Rules of Good PT Website Copy
Here are seven rules to follow when you’re writing PT website copy.
1. Start with a strong lead.
When writing a piece of copy, remember that it is not guaranteed you’ll hold every reader’s attention for the entire amount of time required to read your writing! Starting out with a strong introduction, such as an attention-grabbing sentence, is a great way to make sure your readers are engaged from the beginning.
For example, “Picture this: You’re on your way to work on a snowy morning when suddenly, bam! Down on the ice you go: your coffee goes flying, your purse busts open, and worst of all? You feel immediate pain in your back.” This kind of lead forces your reader to imagine a common scenario that could cause back pain, which is better than simply shoving information about back pain at them!
2. Demonstrate your authority. Be their guide!
Imagine if you walked into a car dealership and said “I want to buy a car,” and the car salesman blinked at you before replying “Me, too.” How annoyed would you be? You came to the dealership to get help buying a car because you knew the employees there are knowledgeable about the process!
The same is true of your patients when they go to your website. They’re looking to you for answers and solutions to their problems. Position your clinic as a safe, trustworthy place for those searching for pain relief by providing examples on your website to serve as proof that you’re an expert in your field and you can help them. For example, patient testimonials are a great asset to include on your website!
3. Express empathy for your patients.
Expressing empathy in your writing makes the person reading it feel much safer and more understood. You want your patients to know that you care about their wellbeing as much as they do.
Ask questions in your copy that may get them to nod their head in agreement, such as “Do you find it difficult to get down on the ground and play with your children the way you used to? Are you hearing random pops and cracks in your joints in the morning that make it difficult to start the day?” Use phrases such as “We understand how frustrating it must be to feel this way…” and “You deserve to live a comfortable life, free of pain.”
You want your patient to leave your site and immediately pick up their cell phone, thinking, “I’m going to give them a call and make an appointment – they understand what I’m going through.”
4. Be specific!
Your copy should be clear, concise, and to the point. It should not be generic, confusing, or lack clarity in any area.
Imagine if you were searching online for a restaurant in your area that served a specific dish you’ve been craving. You come across the website for a place that claims they serve “food that will satisfy you no matter what you’re in the mood for.” Well, that doesn’t solve your problem. How do they know that what they’re offering is what you’re craving? You want to find a place that states specifically that they serve the dish you want on their menu!
Don’t just write about how physical therapy can help with any problem a person may be experiencing. Be specific. Write an email about how physical therapy can help relieve back pain. Write a newsletter about how physical therapy can aid those in recovery after car accidents. Post a blog about the benefits of physical therapy before and after surgery.
You want all of the language you’re using to be necessary and meaningful, so state your point and explain it well. Don’t leave room for guessing games.
5. Avoid PT jargon.
This one is simple. As we stated before, the people reading your copy are (hopefully) soon-to-be patients. They probably did not attend PT school, so refrain from using PT jargon. This will give them a much higher chance of understanding how you can help them.
6. Show value.
It’s easy to say “You’ll feel better in no time!” However, what a patient really wants to read is how they’re going to feel better in no time. What are they going to gain from physical therapy treatment at your clinic? What are some things they’ll be able to do after treatment that right now they’re in too much pain to accomplish? This is how you showcase the value that physical therapy has to offer: giving readers a glimpse of how much greener the grass is on the other side!
7. Cut out excess.
Good copy doesn’t have extra phrases. It’s a good idea to install a helpful grammar tool such as Grammarly in your browser to help you identify unnecessary words and phrases in your copy. Cutting out excess speeds the reading process along for readers and makes your copy more digestible.
How can I know if my copy is any good?
There are several tools out there that can help you to “rate” your copy – its readability, SEO rankings, grammar, spelling, and more! You will also know if your web copy is performing well for you based on your website conversion rates. How many people book an appointment from your website each month? Remember, the #1 goal of your website copy is not to tell your life story. Good physical therapy copy gets patients to book an appointment on your site!
Another way to ensure your copy performs well? Use Headline Analyzer! This nifty tool helps make your copy stand out by starting with the first thing people read; your headline!
One thing is certain: having great copy on your website is one of the most important aspects of improving your clinic’s Google rankings. And no, we don’t suggest handing the project of creating engaging copy off to a local marketing agency. They don’t know PT! You need people who are used to writing for physical therapists or have physical therapists on staff (like Practice Promotions!), to write for you.
If you choose to write your web copy yourself, be sure to follow the seven rules of good website copy listed in this blog. That way, you’ll be sure that your copy is informative, easy to read, and performs well for you!
