How to get your writing found: Why medical writers and academics need to use search engine optimisation

Abstract

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of optimising your writing so that it can be found easily on the internet. There are five key steps that you can take to increase the discoverability of your work, which will be discussed below. These are: 1. Choose your keywords carefully; 2. Optimise your title; 3. Optimise your abstract; 4. Use your keywords throughout your article; and 5. Build links to your work. It is important to consider SEO when creating all types of medical writing that will be available on the internet. However, while SEO is important for the discoverability of your work it should never outweigh the importance of good scientific practice and publication.