If you think blogs don't matter, think again: this blog is the number one search result for "allergic rhinitis guidelines"

A screen shot of Google search results for "allergic rhinitis guidelines"

If you think blogs don't matter, think again: this blog is the number one search result for "allergic rhinitis guidelines." This is before the NEJM, AAFP, Medscape and AAAAI.

Things may change tomorrow, of course, but in any case it is remarkable to realize the power of the Internet created in the era of user-generated content, relevance and page rank.

Just to make it clear, I do not think that a blog provides the most reliable information on any medical topic by any stretch of the imagination. The text above only illustrates an Internet phenomenon typical of the current state of the web. It also shows why you may not be able to run a successful hospital or a medical society without a blog in the near future.

Google does not "like" static pages and neither do web users (which is all of us). Medical organizations should consider joining the dynamic web by at least having a blog and a Twitter account. This looks like the bare minimum of social network participation nowadays.


4 Pillars Of Social Media Marketing, VizEdu.com.

References:
Top U.S. Hospitals Are On Twitter
How Should Hospitals Use Twitter?
Hospitals have found Twitter. Should we be afraid? Chris Seper. MedCity News, 01/2009.