I recently posted Time Hacks for Consistent Content Creation. One of those hacks was to write a blog series. I absolutely LOVE this hack because it seriously saves a ton of time. Series are a perfect option for the naturopathic doctor who wants to write about a topic in depth. They offer a structured way to say absolutely everything you want to say—in short and digestible parts.

I took some time this weekend to scour the web for examples of blog series on topics related to naturopathic and integrative medicine. I found some great posts, but I also noticed the same mistake repeated on blog after blog. It really floored me. How could so many bloggers be making the same mistake?

I will reveal that mistake below, but first let's look at 6 steps to writing a successful naturopathic blog series and check out some examples. Read to the end to be sure you don’t make the same mistake so many others are making.

6 Steps to Writing a Naturopathic Blog Series

1. Choose a Topic

The first step in writing a blog series is to come up with a topic. Be sure the topic relates to a product or service that you offer. Be sure it is something that your ideal patient wants to know about. The best blog series will begin to educate potential patients about your medical philosophy and your unique approach to patient care. As an example, let’s say you are going to write a series on allergies.

2. Brainstorm the Parts

Next, you need to brainstorm the specific topics for each article in the series. I like to use a notebook to keep a running list of ideas, but lots of people prefer post-it notes. List all of the things you want your potential (or current) patients to know about your topic. This is like an all-inclusive, A-Z brainstorming session. For the example of allergies, you might want them to know the statistics, the role of genetics, environmental influences, how to calm the immune system, how to keep an allergen-free home, why gut health matters, when to use homeopathy, and where sublingual immunotherapy fits in. Once you have listed the A-Z of everything you want to share, move on to the next step.

3. Prioritize and Name Each Article

The next step is to prioritize and organize your topics. You might discover that some of the items that you listed are better to reserve for a conversation in your office. Choose a manageable number of topics (up to 6) to include in your blog series. Give them each titles. At this point, you might have a list of topics like this:

1. Why Allergies Are on the Rise—and How You Can Avoid Them
2. The Ultimate Checklist to Allergy-Proof Your Home
3. Top 5 Supplements to Quell Seasonal Allergies
4. How to Heal Your Gut and Overcome Allergies
5. Success Stories of Homeopathy for Allergies

4. Name the Series

Once you have your article topics, it is time to name your series. Think of a name that is comprehensive but catchy. A blog series title you could use in this example might be “The Ultimate Naturopathic Guide to Allergies.”

5. Write and Schedule the Posts

Set aside a block of time to write the posts. I recommend writing them in one or 2 sittings so you can get into the mental groove and be more efficient. Be sure to include an introductory post! The introductory post will be the hub of your series and a place where you can link to every individual article (see the examples below). Once your articles are written, schedule a timeline for them to post.

6. Link to a Common Call-to-Action

Your series will be most successful if it inspires your potential patients to take action. What do you want them to do with this wealth of information you share? Do you want them to download a resource? Call for an appointment? Order a kit? Choose the action you want them to take, and be sure to include a link to that action in every post.

Examples of Blog Series

Sometimes our best ideas come to us when we see examples of others doing it. Take a look at these 2 examples of blog series related to natural medicine:

Bulletproof Blog. Dave Asprey wrote a fabulous blog series titled Top 8 Personal Upgrades. The series includes an introductory article plus 8 posts (one for each upgrade). All of the posts are linked to the introductory article. Linking all of the articles to an introductory article achieves 2 things: it makes it easy for the reader to find all the information they need, and it boosts SEO by giving search engines a clue of how the content relates.

Mama Natural Blog. Here is a blog series titled Natural Pregnancy Week by Week. Each article in the series addresses issues and natural remedies for each week of pregnancy. This is an absolutely brilliant concept that will keep moms returning to the site on a regular basis for ongoing information and support. Like the Bulletproof blog series, this one also has an introductory page, which links to all of the articles in the series.

The Mistake that will Sabotage your Series

When I searched the internet for examples of serialized content, I was shocked at the mistake I saw again and again. I was reading excellent blog posts (with titles like “Part 1…”) that were never linked to the other articles in the series!

Do not make this mistake.

If you are going to the effort of writing an entire blog series, be sure to get the most bang for your buck. Include links at the top and bottom of each post that link to the rest of the series.

My suggestion is to include a link at the top of each post that goes back to the introductory post (where all of the articles are listed) and also a link at the bottom of each post that links to the next post in the series.

Writing serialized content is one of my favorite time hacks. I hope the tips in this post will get you on the path to creating some of your own. Be sure not to miss my other Time Hacks for Consistent Content Creation.