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Medical copywriting explained

Copywriting and content for medical and healthcare leaders

Medical copywriting is a specialised field that requires a unique blend of medical and healthcare knowledge, copywriting skills and marketing insights. Medical copywriters, like those at 42group, work with healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and health and wellness brands to communicate complex medical information in a clear, engaging, and persuasive manner. 

In this medical copywriting guide, we’ll explore all aspects of healthcare content marketing, including audience identification and copywriting principles to SEO. We’ll also provide some expert tips to help you choose the best medical copywriting agency.

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What is medical copywriting?

Medical copywriting involves creating messages, content and materials for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers and health and wellness brands. You’ll also find healthcare copywriters work with the NHS, charities, private healthcare providers, dentists and other third-sector organsations. 

Medical copywriters provide ongoing support to create a range of materials, including:

  • Website content
  • Ad copy & content
  • Landing pages
  • Blog posts
  • White papers
  • Email marketing campaigns
  • Social media posts
  • Tone of voice guidelines
  • Style guides
  • Product descriptions
  • Animation scripts
  • Brand storytelling
  • Workshops and training
  • Copy editing

This isn’t an exhaustive list. You’ll find copywriters can also get involved in PR, internal comms, corporate communications and strategy. 

There are two types of medical copywriters: those with a recognised medical or scientific qualification and those without one. 

This is important. If you’re creating things like clinical training materials, for example, you’ll need to work with a qualified and experienced medical professional (who is also a writer). A website for the public could be written by a non-medical specialist. 

When we take a brief, we work with clients to identify whether the project has to be written by  qualified medical professional, scientist or subject-matter expert. If this is the case, we’ll build a suitable virtual team to deliver the project. 

When we begin a medical copywriting project, it all starts with an understanding of who your audience is. So let’s start there…

Audience identification

Understanding your audience is the first step in creating effective medical copy. The healthcare sector has a large and diverse range of stakeholders, including patients, healthcare professionals, caregivers, industry regulators, scientists and researchers, partners and the general public.

Each group has distinct needs, preferences, and levels of understanding. Recognising this, capturing it and reflecting it in your content is critical. 

Simply put, your audience shapes your approach to medical copywriting. Here are some of the key groups you’ll be writing for – and what they might need from you.

  1. Patients: It all starts and ends with patients. We know that patients want information that is easy to understand and actionable. They want to know about symptoms, treatments, side effects and recovery times for the conditions we’re communicating about. Empathy and clarity are crucial when writing for this audience. Writers must always consider the literacy level and the emotional and psychological state of patients who might be dealing with stress, anxiety, or confusion about their health conditions. Providing clear, compassionate, and supportive information can help alleviate their concerns and help them make the best-informed decisions about their care. 
  2. Healthcare professionals: Healthcare professionals (clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, doctors, etc.) want detailed and evidence-based information that supports clinical decision-making. Medical copywriting should reflect their advanced knowledge and include relevant data, research findings and technical details that they’ll understand and appreciate. Precision is paramount as healthcare professionals rely on accurate information to provide the best care possible. Including references to clinical studies, guidelines and professional recommendations will enhance the credibility and the usefulness of your content. Presenting information in a structured and logical way helps time-poor healthcare professionals quickly find the information they need.
  3. Caregivers: Caregivers need practical advice on managing the patients they care for. Copywriting and content should be supportive, providing clear instructions and tips that help them in their caregiving role. Caregivers often face significant stress and time constraints, so your writing should be quick to read and simple to follow. You can achieve thos by including step-by-step guides, checklists, and easy-to-follow instructions can be particularly helpful. Recognising and addressing the emotional toll that caregiving can take by offering encouragement and support, can also make your content more impactful and relatable. 
  4. Industry regulators: Naturally, healthcare and medical communication and content need to adhere to the rules. Regulatory bodies require precise, compliant, and factual information that’s referenced – rather than speculation or exaggeration. It’s essential to adhere to industry standards and guidelines when writing about all medical and healthcare topics. Your content must be meticulously accurate and backed by reliable sources to meet regulatory scrutiny. Including all necessary disclaimers, warnings and compliance statements is crucial to avoid legal issues (so work with your legal team throughout the process). As writers, understanding and staying up-to-date with current regulations and standards can help ensure your content meets all necessary requirements. However, we always recommend clients complete medical, legal and corporate checks on all content before it’s published.

Copywriting principles

So, what makes great medical copywriting? Effective medical copywriting builds human connections. There are several key copywriting principles that ensure clarity, engagement and credibility of content 

Here are some fundamental principles of medical copywriting that should to guide your work:

  1. Clarity: Medical copy should be free of jargon and complex language, unless you’re writing for healthcare professionals, scientists or researchers. Where possible, use plain language and define any necessary medical terms. Clarity helps ensure that your message is easily understood by a broad audience, including those without a medical background. Simplifying complex information without losing accuracy is a skill that enhances the accessibility of your content – and is something that the best copywriters can do. As well are working with words, incorporating visual aids like infographics, diagrams, animations and films into your content can help to both  simplify and clarify complex topics.
  2. Accuracy: It goes without saying (but we will anyway) that copywriters must ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. The accurate of content is critical in maintaining credibility and avoiding potential harm to patients – as well as legal issues. Inaccurate information can lead to serious health consequences and damage your reputation among your core audiences. What can you do? Regularly reviewing and updating your content to reflect the latest research, guidelines and clinical practices is essential. Providing sources and citations for the information in your articles and content can also enhance credibility and enable those interested to explore the topic in more detail. 
  3. Empathy: Medical copywriters must deal with topics rationally and dispassionately, but by showing understanding and compassion –especially when addressing patients and caregivers – you can establish a human connection. Doing so builds trust and makes your content more relatable. Empathy involves acknowledging the emotions and experiences of your audience and responding in a supportive and respectful way. You must show your audience you understand what they’re experiencing. Establishing and applying a compassionate tone can make your audience feel heard and valued, which is particularly important in healthcare communications. Personalising your content by addressing common concerns and questions can also help demonstrate empathy and build stronger connections with your audience.
  4. Persuasiveness: Persuasive copywriting techniques – like those used by commercial brands and businesses – can drive action. The best medical copywriters use a variety of techniques to encourage action, whether it’s adopting a new treatment, following a medical regimen or using a healthcare product. Persuasive writing involves clearly articulating the benefits and addressing potential objections or concerns (sometimes called pain points). We’ve found that including testimonials, case studies and success stories can help persuade your audience by providing real-world examples of positive outcomes and the impact of your product, service or solution. A strong call to action (CTA) that is clear and compelling can guide readers toward the desired action whether that’s clicking or connecting with you.
  5. Compliance: All copy and content must adhere to legal and regulatory requirements. This includes accurate representation of products, appropriate claims and including all necessary disclaimers. The process of compliance ensures that your content meets all industry standards and should avoid legal issues that could harm your reputation and patient lives. Understanding the specific regulations and guidelines that apply to your content is essential for creating compliant copy. Copywriters will understand some of the legal issues, but you should always ensure medical copy is checked by qualified legal experts to provide board-level assurance. 

Medical copywriting and content types

We’ve explored what medical copywriting is, how to define your audience and some principles. Now we need to apply these to your organisations. Medical copywriting encompasses a wide range of content types, each serving different purposes and for different audiences. 

Copywriters don’t – and shouldn’t – work alone. They play a key role in part of a marketing, communications and content strategy that’s informed by audience information and driven by strategic goals.

Here are some of the common tasks a medical copywriter can complete:

  1. Website copy: Medical copywriters can produce content for websites. This could include writing new copy, editing existing copy or optimising it for SEO. Copywriting for websites is a process that begins with understanding your audience, defining the flow of users through the site, creating messaging frameworks and optimising the user experience. There’s too much to go into here, but it’s a process that’s creative, scientific and strategic.
  2. Patient education materials: Copywriters will be called upon to create brochures, pamphlets, and website content that explain medical conditions, treatments and providers healthy living tips. These materials should be written in a clear and engaging manner to help patients understand complex medical information. Including visuals such as diagrams, illustrations, and infographics can enhance understanding and retention, making difficult concepts and instructions easier to understand. Educational content should be driven by audience insights and address common questions and concerns that patients might have, providing reassurance and guidance. Offering practical tips and actionable advice can empower patients to take an active role in their health management.
  3. Healthcare professional communications: Copywriters can support in the creation of white papers, journal articles and clinical study reports that provide detailed, research-based information. This content is usually originated by qualified professionals and must be highly accurate and well-researched, reflecting the latest scientific findings and clinical guidelines. As you’d expect, including detailed references and citations is crucial to establish credibility and allow healthcare professionals to verify the information. Such documents must present data in a clear and logical format, with appropriate use of charts and tables. This can help facilitate understanding and make the content more relevant and valuable to healthcare professionals.
  4. Marketing materials: Medical copywriters regularly create Advertisements, landing pages, email campaigns, and social media content designed to promote healthcare products and services. Effective marketing materials should be persuasive and engaging – using commercial copywriting techniques to highlight the unique benefits and features of the product, service or solution. When it comes to increasing engagement, compelling visuals and strong calls to action can increase engagement and conversion rates. Copywriters must be experts are tailoring the messaging to the specific needs and preferences of the target audience, which can boost relevance and impact. Advertising materials must be checked by legal teams with all claims validated and supported by evidence. 
  5. Social media posts: Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and others are powerful means to connect with patients. Copywriters can help you create strategic and well-structured social posts that increase awareness and drive engagement.
  6. Blogs & articles: Blogs, articles and news on your website provide a valuable resource for your audience as well as boosting SEO. While there’s a difference between copywriting and content production, you’ll find medical copywriting agencies, like 42group, offer both copywriting and content production services to clients. As well as writing content for websites, we can provide keyword ideas and website analysis (including competitor analysis) to find new ways to connect with your audiences.
  7. Internal communications: Internal content and copywriting can include training materials, newsletters and memos aimed at educating and informing healthcare staff and stakeholders. As we’ve established with our copywriting principles, these materials should be clear, concise, and informative, providing relevant and timely information to the intended audience. Using a structured format with headings, subheadings, and bullet points can help organise the content and make it easier to read for time-poor clinical and care staff. Making it personal and relatable works. Including practical tips, case studies and real-world examples can enhance engagement and understanding. 

Finding the right tone…

The writing style in medical copywriting varies depending on the audience and content type. However, certain stylistic elements remain consistent across all medical writing.

  1. Concise and direct: Avoid unnecessary words and get straight to the point. This is particularly important in patient communications where clarity is paramount. Concise writing helps ensure that the message is easily understood and retains the reader’s attention. Breaking down complex information into simple, digestible parts can make it more accessible. Using bullet points and lists can also help organise the information and make it easier to follow.
  2. Formal and professional: Maintain a professional tone, especially when writing for healthcare professionals and regulators. This ensures your content is taken seriously and considered credible. Avoid using slang or colloquial language, and ensure that all medical terminology is used correctly and appropriately. A formal writing style helps convey authority and expertise, which is important in establishing trust with your audience. Consistently using a formal and professional tone across all communications helps reinforce your brand’s credibility and reliability.
  3. Engaging and relatable: When writing for patients and caregivers, use a conversational tone that engages the reader and makes complex information accessible. Personal stories, examples, and anecdotes can help make the content more relatable and engaging. Asking rhetorical questions and addressing the reader directly can also create a more interactive and engaging experience. Using simple and familiar language helps ensure that the content is easily understood. Incorporating visuals such as images and videos can also enhance engagement and make the content more appealing.
  4. Structured and organised: Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists to break up text and make it easier to read. A well-structured document helps guide the reader through the content and allows them to easily find the information they need. Headings and subheadings provide a clear outline of the content and help organise the information logically. Bullet points and numbered lists help break down complex information into simpler, more manageable parts. Including summaries and key takeaways at the end of sections can also help reinforce the main points and improve retention.

SEO principles for medical copywriters

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is essential in medical copywriting to ensure your content reaches the intended audience. Here are some key SEO principles to incorporate:

  1. Keyword research: Identify relevant keywords that your audience is searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find high-volume, low-competition keywords. Understanding the search intent behind these keywords helps you create content that meets the needs and interests of your audience. Including both short-tail and long-tail keywords can help capture a broader range of search queries. Regularly updating your keyword list to reflect changes in search trends and audience interests is also important for maintaining effective SEO.
  2. Keyword placement: Integrate keywords naturally into your content, including titles, headings, meta descriptions, and body text. Avoid keyword stuffing, which can harm your SEO ranking. Using keywords strategically in prominent locations helps improve your content’s visibility and relevance to search engines. Ensuring that keywords fit naturally within the content helps maintain readability and user experience. Including variations and synonyms of your main keywords can also help improve your content’s search engine ranking.
  3. Quality content: Create high-quality, informative content that answers the questions and concerns of your audience. Google rewards content that is valuable and relevant. Providing comprehensive and accurate information helps establish your content as a trusted resource. Using a clear and engaging writing style helps maintain reader interest and encourages longer engagement with your content. Regularly updating and refreshing your content to reflect the latest information and best practices can also help maintain its quality and relevance.
  4. User experience: Ensure your website is user-friendly, with fast loading times, mobile optimisation, and easy navigation. A positive user experience contributes to better SEO rankings. Ensuring that your content is easily accessible and readable on all devices helps reach a wider audience. Using a clean and intuitive design helps guide users through the content and improves overall engagement. Regularly testing and optimising your website’s performance helps ensure a smooth and positive user experience.
  5. Analyse, iterate and improve: 

Marketing principles for effective medical copywriting

Copywriting isn’t just about finding the words that fit, it’s about creating a connection and inspiring action.By incorporating marketing principles into your medical copywriting you can enhance its effectiveness, increase awareness and ultimately achieve better results. 

Here are some essential marketing concepts and pcinriples every copywriter should consider:

  1. Value proposition: You need to clearly articulate the unique benefits of your product or service. What sets it apart from competitors or alternatives? Why should the audience choose it? Highlighting specific features, benefits and advantages helps differentiate your product, service or solution in a crowded market. One way to reach beyond promotion and create a personal connection is to include testimonials, case studies and clinical trial results. This evidence of your value proposition is highly valuable. It’s essential to communicate your value proposition consistently across all marketing materials to help build a strong and cohesive brand message.
  2. Call to action (CTA): Include clear and compelling CTAs that guide the reader towards the desired action. A CTA works, whether it’s encouraging a reader to schedule an appointment, download a resource or make a purchase. A strong CTA should be specific, actionable and relevant to the reader’s needs. It should be clear, not complex. An important part of a compelling CTA is to use persuasive language. CTAs should be part of the whole user experience. Placing CTAs strategically throughout your content – such as at the end of sections or after presenting key benefit –, can help capture reader interest and drive action at the right moments. You’ll need to refine your approach to CTAs. Testing different CTAs and their placements can help optimise their impact, giving you a great insight into how your audience consumes your content. 
  3. Audience targeting: The best content is written and created for a clearly defined and understood audience. Tailor your content to the specific needs, preferences, and behaviours of your target audience. Understanding essentials like demographics, interests and pain points helps create more relevant and engaging content. Using simple segmentation techniques – like creating personas or using customer data – can help refine your targeting. Customising your messaging, tone and content format for each segment is essential. Things change, so regularly reviewing and updating your audience targeting strategies ensures they remain relevant and effective as your audience evolves.
  4. Create content that connects: You should aim to develop a medical content marketing and copywriting strategy that includes a mix of content types and formats. Content like blog posts, videos, infographics,and social media updates are all part of an overall programme. Strategic healthcare content marketing helps build brand awareness, educates your audience and can establish your authority in your sector. Invest time in developing a content calendar and consistently publishing high-quality content. This can drive engagement and build a loyal audience. You’ll need to learn about what’s working and what isn’t, so use analytics tools to measure the performance of your content and use the insights it provides for continuous improvement. Integrating SEO strategies into your content marketing efforts can also help increase visibility and reach.
  5. Brand consistency: In marketing, brand is everything. Work to maintain a consistent brand voice, tone, and messaging across all your content and communications. Consistency in copywriting, content and communications builds brand recognition and trust – making your brand more memorable and relatable to your audience. Defining your brand’s voice and tone guidelines can help ensure that all content aligns with your brand identity. Consistent visual elements, such as logos, colours and fonts across all marketing materials reinforces your brand image. As audience demographics and preferences change, regularly reviewing and updating your brand guidelines ensures they remain relevant and aligned with your overall brand strategy is vital.

How to choose the best medical copywriting agency?

Type ‘medical copywriting’ into Google (or another search engine) and you’ll find thousands of pages, hundreds of copywriting agencies and a handful of freelancers. So, how do you find the best medical copywriting agency for your healthcare product, service or solution?

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a medical copywriting agency:

  1. Expertise and experience: Look for an agency with a proven track record in medical copywriting. Inevitably, experience and connections in your specific niche, whether it’s pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or healthcare services will be particularly valuable. Reviewing the agency’s portfolio and case studies can provide insights into their expertise and the quality of their work. As well as checking out examples, asking for references or testimonials from previous clients can also help assess their reputation and reliability. One thing you should never do is ask an agency (or a freelancer) to complete an unpaid task. 
  2. Understanding of your goals: Before issuing a contract or even sending a brief, ensure the agency understands your business goals, target audience and brand voice. Developing a deep understanding of your objectives and audience helps the agency create more effective and strategically aligned content. Communicating your expectations clearly and providing detailed briefs can help ensure the agency delivers work that meets your needs and avoid misunderstandings and missteps that can damage (or even destroy) previously productive relationships. Regularly reviewing and discussing progress and project feedback can help maintain alignment and address any issues promptly. Try to work with an agency that values collaboration and open communication can enhance the overall working relationship and project success.
  3. Range of services: Consider the range of services the medical copywriting agency offers. Full service agencies are masters of nothing and ultimately may not be able to provide the service you need. Copywriting agencies (like 42group) may offer complimentary services that benefit the core offer. In addition to copywriting, does your agency provide SEO, content marketing, social media management, and design services? Understanding the agency’s capabilities –and how they can support your broader marketing strategy – can help maximise the value of your investment and reduce the risk of poor delivery. Finally, evaluating the agency’s ability to scale their services based on your evolving needs can ensure long-term support and partnership.
  4. Creativity and innovation: Aim to work with an agency that demonstrates creativity and innovation. You want a copywriting team that leads, not follows. Creative and innovative content can help capture audience interest and differentiate your brand – which is vital in today’s competitive marketplace. Reviewing the agency’s past work and assessing their approach to problem-solving and idea generation can provide insights into their creativity, but making a personal connection is more important. Consider the agency (or individual’s) willingness to experiment with new formats, techniques, and technologies. This is vital in ensuring your content remains fresh and engaging.
  5. Cost and value: Cost and value are not the same thing. A higher initial cost may be justified by better results and a higher return on investment. Evaluating the agency’s pricing structure – including date rate and any additional fees or charges – can help assess the overall cost. Don’t judge purely on price. Comparing the agency’s costs with their deliverables, expertise, and the quality of their work can help you to determine value. Recognise you’re investing time in developing a long-term relationship. The benefits – like improved brand recognition and customer engagement – can also help justify the higher upfront  investment and ongoing costs.

42group is a medical copywriting agency, so we’ve got a vested interest in this – but we only want to work with partners who are confident and comfortable with us and our approach. We recommend connecting wth several agencies and engaging with them personally to understand if they have the risk skills, capabilities and experience to deliver copywriting and content projects at the speed and standard you need.

Why medical copywriting matters…

Medical copywriting is a specialised field that requires a deep understanding of the healthcare industry, excellent writing skills and effective marketing strategies. As well as the ability to be creative and presuasive, copywriters must also be strategic – creating copy and content that drives the organisation’s overall mission. 

Medical copywriting is complex, but we’ve sketched out an approach that can be successful for any organisation. By understanding your audience, adhering to copywriting principles, creating diverse content types and optimising for SEO you can create medical content that cuts through and creates a human connection with your audience. 

Want to work with a specialist medical copywriting agency?

42group is one of the UK’s leading medical copywriting Gand content agencies. If you’ve got a project to discuss, then get in touch today. One of our expert medical copywriters will contact you within 1 hour.

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