Blog Post or Patient Resource? Choosing the Right Content for Your Practice

"Should we be writing more blogs, or making better handouts?" It's one of the questions I hear most from dietitians and nutrition practices.

The honest answer is that they do different jobs. A blog brings new people to you. A patient resource supports the people already in your care.

Mix them up, and you end up with blogs that read like clinic leaflets and handouts that try to sell. Neither works well. So let's look at what each one is actually for, and how to decide which your practice needs next.

What a blog post is for

A blog is a discovery tool. Its main job is to be found by someone who doesn't know you exist yet, usually because they've typed a question into Google or an AI assistant.

That shapes how it's written. A good blog answers a real search question, uses the words people actually type, and is structured so search engines can understand it.

Google is clear that it rewards content written to help people, not content written purely to rank (1). For health topics, that means showing your expertise: who wrote it, what it's based on, and why the reader can trust it.

Blogs also work over time. One well-written post can bring in enquiries for months or years after you publish it.

A blog is the right choice when you want to:

• Reach new clients who are searching for answers
• Build authority on a topic you want to be known for
• Give people a reason to land on your website and book

What a patient resource is for

A patient resource is a support tool. It's for someone already in your care, who needs to remember and act on what you discussed.

This matters more than we often admit. Research suggests patients forget 40–80% of medical information almost straight away, and much of what they do remember is recalled incorrectly (2).

Health literacy is a factor too. One UK study found that 43% of working-age adults struggle to understand everyday health information in text, rising to 61% when numbers are involved (3). Think portion sizes, fibre targets or carb counting.

Written materials work best alongside the conversation, not instead of it. Combining verbal and written education tends to be more effective than either alone (4).

A patient resource is the right choice when you want to:

• Reinforce advice given in a consultation
• Explain something practical, like a meal plan, food swaps or a reintroduction phase
• Save clinical time on information you repeat to every client

How to choose: three questions to ask

Before you commission or write anything, I'd ask yourself these three questions.

1. Who is reading it?

If it's someone who's never heard of you, write a blog. If it's someone sitting in your clinic or on your caseload, create a resource.

2. What do you want them to do next?

A blog should lead to an enquiry or a booking. A patient resource should lead to a change in what they eat, buy or track.

3. Where will they find it?

Blogs live on your website and need to be searchable. Free or paid resources are handed over, emailed or shared through your client portal, so search optimisation isn't the priority. Clarity is.

If your answers point both ways, that's a good sign. It usually means the topic deserves both.

Making them work together

The practices that get the most from their content don't choose one or the other. They build the two so they feed each other.

Say you specialise in IBS. A blog on "what is the low FODMAP diet?" brings people to your site. Once they book, a clear reintroduction guide helps them follow the plan properly.

You can also turn a popular resource into a lead magnet. Offer a simpler version as a free download on a relevant blog, and you've given readers a reason to share their email.

The key is that each piece is written for its job. Same evidence, same expertise, but a different reader and a different goal.

If you'd like to see what this looks like in practice, have a look at my portfolio. It includes SEO blogs, recipes and educational resources I've written for dietitians and nutrition businesses.

Final thoughts

Blogs help new people find you. Patient resources help the people you already support get better results.

Both need to be evidence-based, clearly written and true to how you practise. And both reflect on you as a professional, so they're worth getting right.

Not sure which your practice needs next? As a HCPC-registered dietitian, I write both, so I can help you work out where to start. Get in touch and let's talk about what would make the biggest difference to your practice.

References

1. Google Search Central. Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content. Available from: developers.google.com
2. Kessels RPC. Patients' memory for medical information. J R Soc Med. 2003;96(5):219–22.
3. Rowlands G, Protheroe J, Winkley J, Richardson M, Seed PT, Rudd R. A mismatch between population health literacy and the complexity of health information: an observational study. Br J Gen Pract. 2015;65(635):e379–86.
4. Friedman AJ, Cosby R, Boyko S, Hatton-Bauer J, Turnbull G. Effective teaching strategies and methods of delivery for patient education: a systematic review and practice guideline recommendations. J Cancer Educ. 2011;26(1):12–21.