How to Create Ketamine Clinic Content Consistently (Without Burnout)
Part 3 of our Complete Ketamine Clinic Growth Series
Synopsis: Discover the 4-step content creation machine that prevents burnout while keeping your ketamine clinic consistently visible online. Learn how to create pillar content, convert it into multiple formats, and generate micro content for social media. One video can become dozens of marketing pieces when you build the right system.
Key takeaway: Stop creating content from scratch every day and start thinking like a machine. Create one piece of pillar content, then systematically convert it into multiple formats and micro content pieces. Your consistent content acts as a vital sign that potential patients use to assess whether they can trust your ketamine clinic.
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Mention “Ketamine StartUp” and receive FREE quotes & exclusive policy discounts. Learn more about how they support ketamine clinics here.
Creating consistent content for your ketamine clinic doesn't have to lead to burnout. This systematic approach transforms one piece of content into multiple marketing materials, keeping you visible to potential patients without the overwhelm.
Creating Content For Your Ketamine Clinic
Welcome to Part 3 of our four-part blog series where we'll walk you through everything you need to know about growing your ketamine practice through strategic, authentic marketing. We're sharing the things we actively do in our own ketamine clinic!
If you're joining us and haven't read Part 1, Ketamine Clinic Marketing Funnel: How to Convert Prospects Into Patients, or Part 2, Content Marketing for Ketamine Clinics: What to Create and Why, please check them out. Doing so will help you better understand this blog!
Building upon the power of organic marketing and how to do it sustainably without burning out, here in Part 3 we're going to take you step by step through our content creation process and why it is so vital for your business!
By the end of this blog, you'll be ready to start implementing your own organic content creation process!
Let's dive in!
Table of Contents:
Your content creation doesn't have to be overwhelming. This systematic machine approach turns one good idea into multiple pieces of content, preventing burnout while keeping you consistently visible to potential patients.
The Content Making Process: The Machine
Before we jump into describing the step-by-step process we use to make our content (i.e., still image posts, video clips, etc.), we want to take a moment to explain a couple of things and make a distinction.
You need to first decide on what to make or what to talk about - which we go in-depth with our What-To-Make Venn Diagram in Part 2. To oversimplify the diagram: talk about things that are relevant and interesting to your potential patients and be you as you do it, i.e., be authentically you.
Once you decide on what to talk about, then you make the content, which we are going to talk about extensively in this blog.
So think of it this way: What you want to talk about is the input for the marketing machine that is the content making process. The various pieces of content, video clips, newsletters, etc., are the output.
The quality of the input, i.e., the message you want to make (#1 above), is so important because remember, to get a good output in any machine and especially this content marketing machine, you first need good input! So for those of you who didn't check out Part 2 of our series and jumped right into this blog (or even for those who did read it - thanks by the way!), it's worthwhile to take some time to read it, Content Marketing for Ketamine Clinics: What to Create and Why.
Here is the overview or schematic, if you will, of the content marketing process machine:
Input idea of what you are going to talk about → Make Pillar content (blog, video, or podcast) → further processed into Micro content, i.e., smaller pieces of content (newsletters, social media content, Google business profile updates, etc.) → Publish!
Using this process since 2018 and building a thriving YouTube Channel for our clinic and a vibrant social media presence, sticking to this process minimizes the burnout of brainstorming new ideas and types of content. Now let's dive deep into each section, sharing the steps.
Start with one piece of pillar content - whether it's a video, blog post, or podcast episode. This becomes the foundation that you'll transform into all your other marketing materials, making content creation sustainable and efficient.
Step 1: Create Pillar Content
There are three main types of pillar content: blogs, videos, and podcasts. We really want to get you to start thinking about creating in terms of pillar content - i.e., larger format content that can be broken into smaller microcontent. Instead of thinking you have to make newsletters, blogs, video clips, photo posts, etc., which can lead to overwhelm and burnout, the idea is to think of just one video or a straightforward blog that can then be recycled and repurposed into an Instagram post, a TikTok video, or a Google business profile update.
Let's use the example of answering the frequently asked question "How do I prepare for a ketamine treatment?" We start off with making a video (that is usually how we start our process - personal preference which luckily works given videos engage and convert well!). Either you can script it - writing down word for word - or have a bulleted outline. Film and then edit the video.
For many, that will be hiring someone to do video editing, doing it yourself, or some combination of the two. If you decide to DIY it and you are new to video editing, you can use an AI-assisted video software or a classic video editor. Here are a list of options:
iMovie (already on your Apple computer)
Once the video is produced, upload it to YouTube. So that means you need to make a YouTube channel for your clinic brand if you haven't already done so. Then embed the video on your clinic website.
Yes, we know this is a lot of work. However, it's worth it given videos perform well on the various social media platforms. If you're curious as to why you should even bother making video, check out our Why Your Ketamine Clinic Needs Video Content (And How to Create It) post.
Remember, the idea behind all of this is to be findable on the internet by individuals who are interested in the service you provide. So that is why you are posting the video on YouTube, which remember is owned by Google. So YouTube is one of the top search engines as well. Think about how you weren't sure how to clean your Dyson vacuum cleaner or how to replace your windshield wipers. You either Googled it and found a YouTube video or went directly to YouTube and searched for how to!
Which Pillar Content Should You Start With?
Before we move on to Step 2, this is a question we often get. And our answer is always the same: Start with the type of content you will actually do! If you find it easier to hop on a camera and start filming yourself talking, then start with video. If you love talking but don't want to be on camera, record the podcast episode. If you love writing, then write the blog!
Do whatever you will actually do. Why? Because it will actually get done, is sustainable, and you will be most at ease as you do it!
This is where the magic happens - one video becomes a blog post and podcast episode. By converting your pillar content into different formats, you reach patients who prefer reading, watching, or listening without tripling your workload.
Step 2: Convert into Other Types of Pillar Content
This is where the magic happens.
To create a blog:
Download a transcript of your video - if you are using a program like Descript, a fairly accurate transcript will be automatically generated. YouTube also generates a transcript as well, but we find it isn't as accurate. You can also try a service like Rev that can make a transcript as well. Whatever option you use, you'll definitely need to review it.
Make edits to transform the video transcript into an easy-to-read blog. While a direct transcript can work sometimes, they are difficult to read and follow at times. So that means breaking up the transcript into paragraphs and creating an introduction and conclusion.
Make your blog more SEO-friendly by adding paragraph headings with keywords your potential patient is searching for (to help with this, use a platform like SEMrush), include internal and external links, and create images with captions and alt text.
To create a podcast:
Take the audio only from the video
Consider recording an introduction and outro (i.e., the conclusion of the podcast, thanking the listener) and add to the audio of the video
Based on the content of the episode, create an episode cover, episode subtitle and summary, and show notes, and upload to the platform where you are hosting your podcast.
Here is the beauty of this system. From the one video you made in Step 1, you now have up to three types of pillar content. You have increased your ability to reach your potential patients, as some may prefer watching YouTube videos as they eat their lunch, listen to a podcast while they work out, or read a blog before they start their work day.
You are less likely to get burned out by using this content creating machine since you were able to repurpose one thing you recorded (if you started with the video) and then were able to make two pieces of other pillar content. Potentially your only time commitment is hitting the record button on your camera, especially if you create a team to help you produce the other two types of pillar content - which we get to later in the blog.
But Which Is Actually Easier to Create?
That being said, the ease in actually producing the pillar content does vary, and here are some thoughts on that:
In order of decreasing ease: Blog > Video > Podcast
Editing videos and podcasts have gotten tremendously easier thanks to AI-assisted editing programs such as Descript and Riverside.
For video, you will need to set up a YouTube channel to host your pillar videos, which is incredibly easy - just follow their instructions.
Podcasts require a bit more work to set up, such as selecting a hosting platform such as Buzzsprout, Anchor or Squarespace and where the episodes will be released such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, but once you get set up, it's basically no different than producing video. Especially if you outsource the podcast production.
Creating a blog is the easiest thing to do if you start with a video or a podcast episode.
Converting a blog post to a video or podcast episode requires more work in the sense that you will need to either convert the blog post into a script or bullet points and then shoot the video or podcast. However, sometimes that's a nice way to go, especially if you have a blog post that performed very well, and so you know that someone out there is willing to watch a video or listen to an episode about that topic!
Transform your pillar content into bite-sized pieces for social media and other platforms. One comprehensive video or blog post can become dozens of posts, keeping you consistently visible without constant brainstorming for new ideas.
Step 3: Create and Publish Micro Content
Take your pillar content and make micro content, aka smaller pieces of content to post on various online platforms to drive people to check out your clinic's website. Similar to Step 2, micro content minimizes burnout and optimizes consistent content creation by using that one input of the initial pillar content!
Micro Content from Video Pillar:
Cut smaller clips from your video and post on various social media platforms with copy (aka the words that accompany your video/post) optimized for that platform.
Example:
Let's say you use a really cool analogy for the "How do I prepare for a ketamine treatment?" video - like how gardening is like preparing your mind before the ketamine treatment. You cut a video clip for that.
Create a title that is optimized for YouTube. This will be a YouTube Short, which as of this writing, is a great way to get new viewers (i.e., not your subscribers) to find your content. People who are already subscribed to your clinic's channel will have your full video pop up in their feed, but the YouTube Shorts will appear on non-subscribers' feeds too! Exciting! You take that same clip and post it on other platforms that support video such as TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Micro Content from Blog Pillar:
Create an easier-to-read version email newsletter, aka simplified, streamlined, more bullets. Or pull a section of it, add it to your newsletter, and invite the reader to explore the blog post on your website.
Take the blog and convert it into a carousel (those posts you can swipe through). You can hire someone to help you with this, or you can DIY it with Canva.
Take smaller sections of the blog text and convert to social media copy - aka the text below the image. Add to a related image such as a behind-the-scenes from the clinic, a photo of you or your staff, quote card, or infographic. Ideally not stock photos, but if you have to, that's okay.
Example: The blog version of "How do I prepare for a ketamine treatment?" is made into a carousel and you post it on Instagram, Meta, and LinkedIn. You take a couple of quotes or select lines from the blog and make posts for X (formerly Twitter), Threads, and Bluesky.
By the way, what works now may not work 6 months from now, but then a year later it does. So remember to be flexible! Plus keep in mind the various nuances of each platform - aka platform optimization. This means as you or someone on your team creates these micro posts, they must keep in mind the different tones, character limits, and hashtag strategies for that platform.
Which Platforms Should You Post On?
Is "all of them" an answer? We joke, but in an ideal world, anywhere a potential patient is spending time and giving their attention online, your content would be there. But starting out, keep it simple and just pick a couple. Your potential patients are most likely to be on one of the following platforms: Instagram, TikTok, or Meta. Plus don't forget about your Google Business Profile page!
Step 4: Review and Reuse Your Content
You put all this hard work and money (especially if you outsourced), so you're going to publish the content. But often what doesn't happen is the review step. Why? Because you are likely a solopreneur, seeing patients, and juggling making this content on your own or with a small team.
Questions to answer as you review:
How did the post perform? Were there comments, likes, shares? Were the comments positive or negative? Was there increased traffic to your website when you posted the pillar post?
Did your content get flagged and removed because it violated community guidelines? Was it optimized for the social media platform?
Answering these questions will help you either refine or repurpose this content and guide you in creating your next pillar and micro content. Therefore, depending on what you learn from the review, you'll:
Change the copy or create a new title for the video clip or post
Keep the same copy but change the image or carousel format
Not reuse a poorly performing post or one that got removed by the platform
A word on how well your post performed: Don't get discouraged that no one commented on your video, or that you only got 3 likes or 20 views. Your goal isn't to be a popular social media influencer, have a video go viral, and get thousands of followers. Your goal is to be findable on a platform that your potential patient is on, get them curious to learn more about you, and go to your website and join your newsletter and book a consultation.
And the more relevant and authentic content you make, the more likely they will flow through this content marketing funnel to you and your clinic. But did you realize that there is more to it than just making the content and posting and reviewing it? The content you make is a signal to the health of your clinic. Your organic content is a critical vital sign often overlooked by practices, which we'll talk about next.
Just like monitoring a patient's vital signs, your clinic's content reveals its health to potential patients. Consistent, authentic content shows a strong pulse, while no content or sporadic posting can signal problems that drive patients away.
How Organic Content Is A Clinic's Vital Sign
If you haven't already thought it, we bet you are thinking, "Wow, this is a lot" and are wondering, "Is this really all necessary? Is it really vital for my clinic?" And the answer is yes!
Organic content for your ketamine clinic is not just a nice-to-have - it is vital. It is an overlooked vital sign of a business. Why? Because in today's world, checking out a business's content is one of the ways a person assesses whether they want to come to you. They are going to check your business's pulse, so let's run with that analogy:
No content = Asystole: No heartbeat. Is this clinic even alive? Potential patients may begin to wonder, "What's going on there? Why don't they put effort into creating content? Should I trust them?" It's really important to at least have something there, because if you don't have content, they don't even know if they can trust you. They don't even know if you're alive.
Weak content = Bradycardia: Like having a heart rate in the 30s or 40s. The content is weak and inauthentic - just a bunch of stock photos or videos on topics your potential patients don't care about. The content isn't in that sweet spot of the What-To-Make Venn Diagram - that patient-relevant content that is authentically and uniquely you and your brand!
Inconsistent posting = Atrial fibrillation with RVR: That's posting twice a day for two weeks, then absolutely nothing for a month. It looks weird. They begin to wonder, "Is this even real? What's going on? Are they about to go out of business?" For patients, trust in your clinic is essential, and this is especially true for ketamine therapy patients facing emotional and physical pain. Your marketing content can be at the start of building that trust between them and you, and consistency is a key component.
Normal sinus rhythm = Consistent, authentic content: That is consistently creating content to build trust and really focusing on what is important to the patient through your unique lens and voice!
But What Does Consistency Look Like?
Creating authentic content when you first start out isn't easy, especially when you are finding your rhythm. So consistency could look like once or twice a week for a video. It could mean a once-a-month newsletter instead of every two weeks. Sure, if you were to Google or ask your favorite AI assistant, "How many times a week should I post on [fill in the name of the social media platform]," your answer might be a staggering 4-6 times a day.
That is not sustainable, nor will mass-producing content be the answer - it comes off really generic. So keep it simple and sustainable, and here is the key again: Consistent!
To support your consistency of content creation and posting lets talk about building your content marketing machine team!
Building Your Marketing Machine Team
To support your consistency of content creation and posting, let's talk about building your content marketing machine team!
Creating a team is essential for the machine to run consistently and efficiently. Most importantly, it minimizes your chance of burning out in creating content. Imagine a future where all you have to do is schedule time to record a video, and then your marketing machine creates three types of pillar content and ten types of micro content!
Who you need to add to your team depends on a few factors: how much of this you want to do on your own and budget. To assist you in building your team, here is a starter list of potential team members:
A blog writer (converts your video or podcast transcript into a blog) who is also an SEO expert or has working knowledge of SEO
A video editor (many can also edit and produce the podcast episodes as well - since there is a current trend in creating video podcasts)
Social media content creator - they would assist in converting and repurposing the pillar content, i.e., they'll make the micro content. Sometimes they can also double as social media managers, have some SEO expertise, write the copy to go with the micro content too, upload and schedule posts, or manage comments on posts. Obviously, the more they know and do, the more they will charge.
An assistant - depending on your budget and level of expertise of your assistant, they can have some overlapping tasks with your social media content creator. So their tasks can range from scheduling the pillar content and micro content posts to potentially liaising between the video/podcast editor or blog writer for you.
Some other people you might want to include: a social media manager, social media community manager, or SEO expert.
The more you do yourself, the less it will cost, but what you don't pay with money you pay with time - aka increase your likelihood of burnout. But starting out, you simply may not have a budget nor have the time or skills to manage these team members. This is where you can consider working with a marketing service. But if you want to build your team yourself, you can consider working with freelancers, online virtual assistants, or even reaching out to a family or friend who is already in the marketing field and are looking for a few extra hours of work.
Make That Ketamine Therapy Pillar Content: Start Filming
We covered a lot in Part 3 of this blog series. You now have an outline of the process of creating content, understand why making content is so vital, and who to add to your marketing machine team. So let's make it practical. Here are a few steps to take now:
Decide on one type of pillar content to start with - ask yourself what type of content can I consistently and easily make.
Schedule time to make the content or collaborate with someone to make it with you.
Select your first topic - revisit the What-To-Make Venn Diagram from Part 2 or pick a frequently asked question you get and connect it with one of your personal interests.
Set up your accounts - such as creating a YouTube channel and claiming your Google Business Profile
Select your social media platforms selecting 2-3 to begin with.
To complete our blog series, Part 4 will cover one of the most effective content types - the email newsletter and why it is so powerful!
Related Questions:
What is the 4-step content creation process you mentioned?
Our process has four simple steps. Step 1: Create pillar content - pick one type (blog, video, or podcast) that you can consistently make. Step 2: Convert that pillar content into the other two types - so if you start with a video, turn the transcript into a blog and use the audio for a podcast. Step 3: Create micro content by cutting your pillar content into smaller pieces for social media - video clips for Instagram and TikTok, carousel posts from your blog, quote cards, etc. Step 4: Publish and review your content to see what's working. The beauty is you get multiple pieces of content from one initial effort, which prevents the burnout of constantly brainstorming new ideas.
Why did you compare content creation to medical vital signs?
Because potential patients are checking your business's pulse just like you check a patient's vital signs! No content is like asystole - patients wonder if your clinic is even alive. Weak, inauthentic content is like bradycardia - it shows you have a pulse but something's wrong. Inconsistent posting is like atrial fibrillation - posting a bunch then nothing for weeks makes patients question if you're going out of business. What you want is normal sinus rhythm: consistent, authentic content that builds trust. For ketamine therapy patients dealing with emotional and physical pain, trust is essential, and your content consistency can be a first step in building that trust.
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Discover the 4-step content creation machine that prevents burnout while keeping your ketamine clinic consistently visible online. Learn how to create pillar content, convert it into multiple formats, and generate micro content for social media. One video can become dozens of marketing pieces when you build the right system.
Explore the 4-step content creation machine that prevents burnout while keeping your ketamine clinic consistently visible online. Learn how to create pillar content, convert it into multiple formats, and generate micro content for social media. One video can become dozens of marketing pieces when you build the right system.