• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Health Writer Hub

Health Writer Hub

Medical Writing Courses & Certification

  • Writing Courses
    • How to Write Patient Education Materials
    • Principles of Health & Medical Copywriting
    • Introduction to Health Writing
    • Medical Editing Course
    • Build Your Portfolio Masterclass
    • Freelance Writing Course
    • Breaking Into Health Writing
  • Digital Tools
  • Blog
    • Free Course
    • Pitching Guide
    • View all Posts
  • Reviews
  • About
    • Accreditation
    • Contact
    • Subscribe

Health blog FAQs

Read the answers to the most frequently asked questions about starting a health blog for money, business and career development.

LAST UPDATED January 12, 2023 | FIRST PUBLISHED May 13, 2014 | BY Michelle Guillemard

LinkedInFacebookTweetPinPrintEmail

Earlier this month, I gave a short talk about starting a health blog at a networking event for the Sydney branch of the Australasian Medical Writers Association.

My talk was about the business-related benefits of health blogging for writers.

I spoke alongside the lovely Sarah McKay – a brilliant medical writer and blogger over at Your Brain Health.

Sarah was my real-life case study of how health blogging can help you to build a successful online profile and enhance your writing business or career – often in unexpected and surprising ways.

Sarah’s health blog led to the launch of The Neuroscience Academy – an online course about brain health and wellness. More than 600 students have now taken Sarah’s course.

Blogging for business is a must-have strategy for all writers who are serious about growing their careers, because:

  • Blogging drives traffic to your website (primarily through SEO and social media)
  • Maintaining a high-quality blog is an important sales strategy (if you leverage your views, ie by including call-to-actions in every blog post)
  • Health blogging enhances your credibility and establishes you as an “expert”
  • Your blog helps you to achieve long-term career success

Of course, there were questions after my talk. Here are some of the most common questions I was asked – along with my answers and top tips for aspiring health bloggers.

How should I pick a subject for my health blog?

Think about where your passions lie and where your unique experience sits within the broader healthcare industry.

health blog template

Health Blog Template

My Health Blog Template pack explains how to structure a high-quality health blog and how to allocate words to each section of the blog. Use these templates when you’re writing health blogs for brands, businesses, or your own personal or business blog. You can also use these templates if you’re writing content for your portfolio!

BUY NOW

You might care about research, ethics, statistics, bad medicine, or evidence-based medicine.

You might know a lot about a particular therapeutic area or health topic.

Or be interested in a specific topic, ie pregnancy, cancer research, muscle health, fish oil or biochemistry.

Finding your passion is key to your blogging success.

Also, if you’re a writer, your blog does not have to be about writing. Your blog can focus on a complementary subject matter – as long as it is showcasing your skills and helping to boost your business in some form.

Does I need to use academic references in my health blog?

Because blogs are like diary entries and are usually informal and chatty, traditional medical referencing and citations often feel out of place.

However, whenever you are citing research or referring to a clinical trial, it’s a good idea to provide detail.

You can do this by linking to the PubMed abstract or including the author name, year and journal article in-text or in a list at the end of your post.

This means your savvy readers know that you’re providing a credible link which they can examine further if they choose.

If your health blog is discussing an idea or a quote you found on another website, you can refer to it informally and include a link back to the original article or website.

Linking to external sites of authority can actually help to improve your search engine optimisation, too.

Remember: when it comes to health blogging, YOU are the expert of your subject matter.

So, think of your blog as an opinion piece as opposed to a “journalistic” article or report where you’re only providing the facts.

What if I’m really bad at social media?

Setting up different social media profiles and spending hours every week building a following is daunting and, at times, stressful.

The key to your health blog’s social media presence is to approach it bit by bit, either day by day, or week by week.

Social media can often feel like an uphill battle with few rewards.

This is especially true if you’re not comfortable with the current “web celebrity” formula that many solo business owners adopt.

Think about which platforms will be most relevant to your health blog and business. Focus on these platforms to begin with.

Do a little bit every day. Or, you can schedule in time once or twice per week.

Social media is one of the most important ways to drive traffic to your website with your blog posts.

That’s why it’s important to bite the bullet and embrace social in some way, shape or form.

Learn how to write amazing health blogs

Introduction to Health Writing Course

Starts Monday 6 March 2023

Enhance your health blogging skills.

Learn how to write health blogs, news, feature articles, web content and sales copy.

Enter your email for a free course outline!

You'll also join 20,000+ others who receive our regular emails. Opt out at any time. View our Terms and Privacy Policy.

Loading

How often do I need to update my health blogs?

Producing one great blog once a month is a better strategy than churning out one average blog every week.

Your health blogging should be an exercise that comes from the heart.

Writing blog posts should also be an exercise that inspires and motivates you and your readers.

Blogging shouldn’t be a chore – when it is, readers know.

Also, writing a blog shouldn’t take too much time away from your paid work.

Blogging is a necessary marketing and business-building exercise for all writers who are serious about growing their business.

However, you need to ensure that the time you spend blogging doesn’t come at the expense of your client work (or paid employment).

The same applies for the time you spend on social media, building a following and leveraging your blog posts.

What blogging platform should I use?

WordPress. That is all!

Should I have a wordpress.com or a wordpress.org blog?

Your WordPress strategy depends on your vision for your health blog.

Will your blog be integrated with your website, or will it be separate?

Do you want to pay someone to design your website, or would you rather do everything yourself?

I like the flexibility of the wordpress.org option, but this option is more technically-demanding if you are doing everything yourself.

Do you have a question about health blogging and business?

LinkedInFacebookTweetPinPrintEmail

Filed Under: Health blogging, Health writing

About Michelle Guillemard

Michelle Guillemard is the founder of Health Writer Hub, the Past President of the Australasian Medical Writers Association and a freelance medical writer. Blogging about health & medical writing since 2012, Michelle teaches health writing courses and communication workshops to students and corporations around the world. Michelle is passionate about creating better health outcomes and changing lives through effective health communication. Connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

You might also be interested in …

plain English guidebook

How to Write in Plain English Guidebook

Our How to Write in Plain English Guidebook is essential reading for anyone who writes health & medical content for consumers.

This detailed workbook will show you how to write clear, best-practice health content and improve your writing skills.

BUY NOW

Primary Sidebar

COURSES OPEN NOW

Breaking Into Health Writing
Principles of Health & Medical Editing

UPCOMING COURSES

6 March 2023: Introduction to Health Writing
17 April 2023: Principles of Health & Medical Copywriting
15 May 2023: How to Write Patient Education Materials
12 June 2023: How to Become a Freelance Health Writer (revamped)

Browse Topics

  • 30-day writing challenges
  • Freelance health writing
  • Getting started as a health writer
  • Growing your career
  • Health & medical editing
  • Health blogging
  • Health communication research
  • Health copywriting
  • Health writing
  • How to be a more confident writer
  • Readability and plain english
  • Writing about COVID-19
Health writing courses

Not sure which course is right for you?

Get in touch, and let's have a chat about your skills and experience.

HELP ME CHOOSE

Footer

Join 20,000+ writers who are learning now. Get the latest health writing advice and course news.

Opt out at any time.

SUPPORT

Contact
FAQ
Payment
Disclaimer
Terms
Refunds

ABOUT

About us
Student feedback
Alumni
Accreditation
Subscribe

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Courses

Health writing
Freelancing
Medical copywriting
Medical editing
Health marketing
Career course
View all courses

Health Writer Hub © 2023. All Rights Reserved. I acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where I live, learn and work.

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!