Medical Content Creation: How Do You Do This Thing? (Part 1 of 3)

We discussed what defines a medical content creator and medical content. Then, we discussed the importance of the story behind the creator and the “why” for the medical content creation. Now, we are going to move on to the “how”. How do you get started in creating medical content? What are the different platforms for relaying your medical content? Do you need to create different content for different platforms? These are a few questions that I had when I started creating content. I will also weave in the so important central theme of communication. Content is created to pass along to others through various communication styles, methods, and approaches.

How do you get started in creating medical content?

First, I am assuming that you have an area of interest already and some idea about what kind of content you want to create. I will further discuss where you can find your content ideas in future posts in this series on medical content creation. But, for now, I will address how one gets started in creating medical content online.

The important tools in getting started in medical content creation are discipline and consistency. There is already a basic assumption that you have the medical foundation to build the medical content. But, having medical knowledge is not enough to create medical content online. You have to be able to translate that knowledge from your brain to some form of communication platform. One starts this process by initiating a regular schedule of content creation. A regular schedule is defined by your desired degree of investment into the project. Investment can mean time, energy, finances, or any other demands that one is willing to part with in order to move the content creation from an idea to a finished product.

To be successful in medical content creation, however you define success, the activity needs to become a part of your routine. Depending upon the other demands in your life, you may dedicate your resources to daily, weekly, monthly, or other intervals of producing content. However, to progress and learn the craft of content creation, there needs to be some degree of consistency. This is not an in-depth discussion about different mediums for communicating your content. But, each online medium demands varying degrees of consistently generated content. Some platforms demand multiple posts per day and others demand less frequent posting, like once per day or less regularly. The common thread among them is that there needs to be consistency. The consistency breeds familiarity with your consumer, so they can know when to expect to see your content. Once there is a familiarity and expectation set with your content, a loyalty develops and interested people will look forward to seeing what you will post next. Furthermore, as you set a routine for content development and are consistent with your efforts, the quality and efficiency of your content creation will improve over time. If you put effort into your work, through discipline and consistency, you will generate results. I can’t speak to the algorithms for the social media platforms and can’t guarantee likes and follows, but I can speak to the quality product that you generate. If you put in the time, your voice will evolve and you will be proud of the content that you are able to create. Practice makes perfect…or just better than when you started.

Another, important variable in how you get started in medical content production is understanding your target audience. The online population is very diverse and the various communication platforms have different demographics as well. Content creation is not a one-size-fits-all production. If you are a pediatrician, like myself, your target audience will likely be young parents with children. If I try targeting an audience outside of my area of interest or content creation, like elderly adults, I may be missing my mark (unless they have grandchildren they are caring for). Define who your content is for and why it is important to them. Then, tailor your content for them and focus your engagement on your target audience. There is always some crossover interest among different populations, but you want to focus on your primary audience to develop a community that has a common interest in your specific content creation.

So, when you get started, these may be some good questions to ask yourself:

• How can I be consistent with my medical content creation?

• What will be my routine for medical content creation?

• Who am I writing my medical content for?

The following 2 posts will continue along the theme of the “how” of medical content creation and briefly discuss the concept of the different platforms for expressing your medical content.

If you have been creating medical content, what tips do you have for those who want to create consistency and a routine for their content creation? How did you identify your target audience?