As health writers, understanding the concept of “Search Engine Optimization” (SEO) is essential when it comes to growing our business. It applies to our own website, as well as the content we are producing for clients and companies. Our writing is not advantageous if it is never viewed by the intended audience. So how do we help search engines (like Google) distinguish our content from the multitude of available internet sites and health articles out there?

Keywords. We need to be mindful of terms and questions people use in their internet inquiries, and then incorporate those specific words into our writing projects. For example, as a nurse in the Emergency Department, I would use “Dental Pain” as a chief complaint. However, a person without a healthcare background would more likely use “toothache” when searching the internet for causes and remedies. It is important for us to write using the same lingo as our readers. Using certain keywords in titles and subheadings can enhance a website or an article’s position in the never-ending pages of search results.

Credentialed Byline. E/A/T is an acronym for “Expertise/Authority/Trustworthiness.” As nurses, we are healthcare experts, and we write with authority. Clients and readers know the content we produce can be trusted when it comes to accuracy and reliability. I have never been one to believe that titles equal superiority, but it does makes sense for a health article written by a credentialed healthcare professional to hold a higher ranking in search results than an article written by someone with no education or hands-on experience in that particular field. “Insider” knowledge is hard to beat!

Readability. People don’t search for answers to health-related questions hoping to find a novel. When perusing the internet, readers want to locate the “CliffsNotes” version – just the highlights, please. When we use titles and subheadings, bold and italic print, bullet points and numbered lists, etc. in our written content, it is much easier for the reader to scan the page to find the information they are looking for. This saves time and allows the reader to leave the page with a solid grasp on what they read.  

I know there are many others like me who just recently joined the writing community in a professional capacity. New terminology can be intimidating, and to be perfectly clear - I am not an SEO expert. I have performed research on this topic for my own knowledge in order to improve my website and my writing talent, and I hope those of you reading this will find the information to be helpful in your writing career as well!