Mastering Communication: How else to say it is important?

October 2, 2025 •

4 min read

According to one report, poor communication has been linked to numerous patient errors and negative health outcomes. To ensure your message resonates and motivates, learning How else to say it is important? is crucial for more impactful and authoritative health-related messaging, from patient education to public health campaigns.

Quick Summary

Instead of the generic phrase, more powerful health communication uses specific, descriptive language such as 'it is vital,' 'it is essential,' or 'it is critical' to convey weight and urgency effectively and create a more compelling, persuasive message.

Key Points

Emphasize Urgency: Use words like 'critical,' 'vital,' or 'imperative' when immediate action is necessary for a positive outcome.
Highlight Core Concepts: For foundational or indispensable information, opt for 'essential,' 'fundamental,' or 'indispensable' to stress its baseline necessity.
Convey Consequences: Phrases like 'paramount' or 'consequential' are effective for communicating the far-reaching impact of actions or decisions.
Know Your Audience: Tailor your language to the reader. Simpler, clearer phrasing is often best for public communication to enhance health literacy.
Use Variation: Avoid relying on just one alternative. Vary your word choice to keep your writing fresh and impactful, using thesauruses to find suitable options.
Increase Persuasiveness: Specific and authoritative language is more persuasive than generic terms, motivating readers to take action and heed your advice more seriously.

Why Move Beyond a Generic Phrase?

When conveying critical health information, clarity and precision are paramount. While the phrase “it is important” is grammatically correct, its overuse can dull its impact, causing a reader to skim past crucial details. For an expert SEO content writer, the goal is to captivate and compel action. In the health sector, this is more than a writing style—it's a matter of ensuring understanding and influencing positive health outcomes. Replacing a broad statement with more specific and forceful language helps underscore the gravity or necessity of a message.

Phrasing for Emphasizing Urgency

In healthcare, timing can be everything. When time-sensitive action is required, the language used must reflect that urgency clearly. Instead of saying something is 'important,' consider stronger, more immediate words.

It is critical: This suggests a moment of decision or crisis where the outcome hangs in the balance. For example, “It is critical to adhere to the medication schedule for a full recovery.”
It is vital: This highlights that something is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of life or function. For example, “Getting seven to nine hours of sleep nightly is vital for cognitive function.”
It is imperative: This conveys a command or an urgent necessity. For example, “It is imperative that you monitor your blood sugar levels as instructed.”

Highlighting Core Concepts and Necessity

For foundational information, the phrasing should denote its fundamental or indispensable nature. This is useful when discussing preventive care, long-term habits, or scientific principles.

It is essential: This indicates that something is a basic, fundamental requirement. For example, “It is essential to stay hydrated throughout the day.”
It is fundamental: This stresses that something forms the base or core of a larger concept. For example, “Understanding your family's medical history is fundamental to preventive care.”
It is indispensable: This suggests that something cannot be done without. For example, “Regular physical activity is an indispensable part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Communicating Consequence and Impact

Sometimes the emphasis needs to be on the far-reaching effects of an action or inaction. These phrases help readers understand the gravity of the situation beyond a simple binary of 'important' or 'not important.'

It is paramount: This positions a concept as more important than anything else. For example, “Patient safety is paramount during any medical procedure.”
It is consequential: This highlights that an action has significant and lasting results. For example, “The decision to quit smoking is consequential for your long-term health.”
It is of great significance: This adds a formal, weighty tone. For example, “Accurate reporting of symptoms is of great significance for a proper diagnosis.”

Tips for Choosing the Right Alternative

Selecting the best alternative depends on the context and the audience. Consider the following when drafting your health-related content:

Know your audience: Are you writing for a medical professional or a layperson? Plain language is often best for public communication.
Analyze the purpose: Is the goal to urge immediate action, explain a core principle, or highlight a potential outcome?
Vary your language: Using the same phrase repeatedly, even a powerful one like 'vital,' can lose its strength. Use a thesaurus to find varied but equally effective wording.

Choosing the Right Words: A Comparison

To illustrate the power of specific language, consider how a simple phrase can be elevated. The table below compares common, less impactful phrasing with more targeted, powerful alternatives.


Original Statement (Less Impactful)	Improved Phrasing (More Specific and Powerful)
It is important to eat a balanced diet.	Eating a balanced diet is essential for your well-being.
It is important that you see your doctor regularly.	Regular checkups are a vital part of your healthcare.
This information is important for your treatment.	This information is critical to the success of your treatment.
It is important to exercise regularly.	Consistent exercise is indispensable for maintaining a healthy weight.
It is important to stay informed about your health.	Staying informed is paramount to making informed health decisions.

Outbound Link: The CDC on Health Communication

For more resources on creating clear and effective public health messages, consult the CDC’s Everyday Words for Public Health Communication tool. This resource offers common, everyday alternatives for complex public health jargon, helping you connect more effectively with your audience.

Conclusion

Moving beyond the generic phrase “it is important” is a fundamental step toward becoming a more authoritative and effective health communicator. By carefully selecting descriptive and powerful alternatives like vital, essential, and paramount, you can more effectively convey the true significance of your message. This precision not only enhances the clarity of your writing but also motivates your audience to take the necessary actions for their well-being. Whether informing patients, educating the public, or training staff, the right words can make all the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

While not inherently incorrect, the phrase 'it is important' is so widely used that it has lost much of its persuasive power. When communicating crucial health information, more specific and descriptive language is needed to truly convey the weight and urgency of the message.

To emphasize seriousness, choose alternatives like 'it is critical,' 'it is a matter of great consequence,' or 'patient safety is paramount.' These phrases go beyond simple importance to communicate the gravity of the situation.

Consider the context. If you need to stress necessity, use 'essential' or 'indispensable.' If urgency is key, 'critical' or 'vital' works best. Match the synonym to the specific purpose of your communication.

No. Overusing strong words like 'critical' can lead to audience fatigue, causing them to tune out when a truly critical situation arises. Reserve your most impactful language for the most significant points to maintain its power.

For general health, you can use phrases like 'it is fundamental to your well-being,' 'a vital part of a healthy routine,' or 'an indispensable aspect of preventive care.' These are more specific and descriptive than just 'important.'

Varying your language with specific, compelling words improves content quality, readability, and authority. It helps avoid keyword stuffing while naturally integrating stronger, more descriptive language that search engines favor in high-quality content.

For a low-literacy audience, focus on plain language, short sentences, and direct, action-oriented phrasing. Use visuals and organize information with the most important points first, rather than relying on complex synonyms for emphasis.