Back in 2010, when I first started my freelance writing business, I could count on one hand the number of content writers plying their trade within the dental industry. In fact, from memory, I think there were around three or four of us who advertised our services regularly.
To prove a point, I was staggered I could even buy and register the dot com “Dental Writers” and it wasn’t even a ton of money either. Now, that domain is worth several thousand bucks (or, it was the last time I checked, anyway). Moreover, it didn’t take much to rank above well-known platforms like Upwork – or Elance as it was then.
Nowadays, however, the landscape has shifted and more and more writers are niching down into dentistry and platforms like Upwork even have a special category for “dental content writers and copywriters”.
The question is, How can you as a new dental content writer stand out from the competition?
The answer? Be better than everyone else at what you do.
Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean having more knowledge than your competition – after all, there are plenty of seasoned dentists who also turn their hand to content writing, but it does mean being smarter than your competition.
With just a few simple hacks I’m going to show you some real-world tips that will help you to become a better dental content writer, stand out from the crowd and rise above the competition.
So let’s get started…
#1 – Be a better communicator
This may sound like something you do anyway, and if you do, then great, but you’d be surprised at how many writers don’t understand the importance of good communication. If you want to stand out from the crowd, it’s important to master the art of client communication. This means, understanding the client’s needs, actively listening to their feedback and expressing your thoughts and ideas clearly.
But it also means keeping them informed or in the loop.
I’ll let you into a secret…
If I’m slammed with work and I have to delay onboarding a client or I am running behind with delivery (it happens), I’ve found that people are way more accepting of events when they’re communicated to.
It’s when days turn into weeks and no information is forthcoming that clients get hacked off. Even a simple email like a “quick project update” or an “I haven’t forgotten you” goes a long, long way in positioning you as a better dental content writer than your competition.
Writers write but better writers excel at great communication!
#2 – Have a basic concept of SEO
You don’t have to be an SEO expert to be a good dental content writer but it pays to understand the basics of SEO. As an example, I always incorporate a key phrase, an engaging meta title and a meta description even when the client hasn’t asked for it. In reality, this should be the minimum standard for content delivery.
Essentially, I’m demonstrating that I’m a writer for sure, but also I know the basics of SEO and ranking content.
You’d be surprised at the amount of writers who don’t do this as the norm; yet by doing this one simple thing, you’ll already be head and shoulders above many other writers.
If you don’t yet have a handle on basic SEO practices, then there are plenty of good tutorials online that will get you up to speed pretty quickly.
This one from HubSpot is a great example:
This one from SEM Rush is another:
#3 – Become a master of engagement
Just because it’s dental doesn’t mean that your titles or sub-headings have to be run-of-the-mill boring.
As an example, I could have called this post “Top Tips To Be A Better Dental Content Writer” but let’s face it that’s pretty generic, right?
Essentially, headlines are crucial for catching a reader’s attention and can be the difference between someone clicking on your article or passing it by. So, here are some tip tips…
Focus on benefits – What will your reader gain from reading the article? In this case, “real-world tips to becoming a better dental content writer to stand out from the crowd.”
Curiosity – Another effective strategy is to create an air of curiosity – For example, I wrote an article yesterday entitled, “Saliva And Oral Health – A Dive Into The Amazing Properties Of Spit.” A headline like that piques the interest and is arguably far more interesting than “The Connection Between Saliva and Oral Health”.
Words like, surprising, hidden, alarming and intriguing are great for piquing interest so if you can utilise them in your dental content titles, then all the better.
Seek help – I’ll let you into a secret… When I have writer’s block and can’t come up with an engaging title I’ll turn to AI for help.
Essentially, I put in something along the lines of “I need 5 engaging titles on (insert topic here)” and see what it spits out.
You might be pleasantly surprised at what it comes up with. I may then use the title ‘as is’ or cherry-pick the best bits from several titles to make one solid title. Either way, it’s a great tool when you use it in this way.
It isn’t just titles that should be made engaging. Similarly, introductory paragraphs are the ideal place to hook the reader. Why not start with a fact, an anecdote or a question? You can even use this format on more technical articles. It sets the tone and makes your article something someone would want to read.
Get it right and you’ll immediately set yourself apart from many other writers in the dental niche.
#4 Under-promise and over-deliver
Again, this should really be the norm but you’ll be amazed at how many times people get this aspect spectacularly wrong.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worked with writers who tell me they can deliver on a certain date and the day comes and goes and the content isn’t finished.
I would much rather a dental content writer give me a longer delivery time and present work before the day. This way, It’s an instant win and as long as the content is on-brief, I’m happy.
It isn’t just about timescales. Consider how you can over-deliver to go above and beyond a client’s expectations. To be clear, this isn’t about writing a ton more words than you’re billing for. It’s about adding client value.
It may be providing a working blog plan so they know what dental blogs you’re writing, incorporating a content plan or a detailed content questionnaire when writing content for a website or including authority links or backlinks into an article or blog.
Essentially, these examples show the client you’re more than just a run-of-the-mill dental content writer and one that stands out from the crowd.
Final thoughts
So there you have it. 4 real-world tips about how you can stand out from the competition.
While good dental writing is all about having a good grasp of the latest technology and services, keeping informed about industry trends, understanding your client/target audience and being versatile in the content you write, these aspects are something every dental content writer should be doing.
However, by utilising these 4 simple, real-world strategies, you’ll be head and shoulders above many other freelance writers before you know it!
If you’ve yet to land your first client as a dental content writer why not start by downloading my free guide? It teaches you all you need to know about how to find work that pays well and so much more. Plus, you also get access to a ton of blogs teaching you about every aspect of running a successful freelance business.
Are you ready to take action?
Here’s to your success!