A majority of patients these days are searching for doctors on the internet. Although this may not seem like an issue to some, a large number of users never scroll past the first page of search results. That being said, it is important that doctors pay close attention to the search engine listings of their practice if they want to get ahead in their business.
In most circumstances, patients are looking for something nearby, or at least in the state they reside in. That is why we are here today to explain local SEO to you and how your practice can best optimize your medical SEO campaign!
Ever typed into google “coffee shop near me,” or better yet, “doctor’s office near me”? Trust us – you are not alone! That is what everyone seems to be doing today. Google uses an algorithm that uses location services to easily find out this information for the appropriate audience, making it even easier in a state of crisis with an unknown location. Wouldn’t you want to be that doctor to the rescue? Here is what you should do to have your practice come up on top.
Address consistency:
It is important to have the same consistent address known as the location of your office. You are going to want to come up in local listings and want the consumer to be able to get to you. Inconsistencies will confuse searchers and it will also impact your ratings. Make sure to check your “Google My Business” listing.
Reviews and rankings:
The likelihood of someone coming to your practice after seeing a 1 out of 5-star google ranking is slim. Patients rely on the word from other patients, and if your reviews online are poor, no one is going to want to visit your office. The best way to optimize your rankings is to offer your best service; then, people will happily write you a great review along with those 5 starts.
Page content:
The content on each page of your website should be meaningful and focused. You are going to want to have at least 300 words on each page. If you offer different services they should, likewise, have their own page. If each page has a singular focus, it is likely you will rank better and not get “dinged” for duplicate content.
Blogging:
You want your audience to know how educated you are. Aside from this, blogging is a great way to incorporate keywords and be more discoverable via search. Include frequently asked questions (FAQs) in your blog that patients will likely search and thus visit your site.
Mobile friendly and site speed:
You are going to want to make sure that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly! If your site is slow to load, you are never going to be ranked above your competitors. Further, many patients will use their phone to do a quick search, and if they cannot easily access your site from their mobile device, your rankings are going to be impacted negatively.
Maintain your social media pages:
Keep up with your social media pages! It is important to post weekly, if not every day. Social media is a major hub for information these days and if the patient is not searching for you on Google they will probably go to Facebook or Instagram. If they do not get a good first impression from your social media do not expect them to walk through your office doors.
We hope that you find these SEO tips helpful! If you are interested in working with Robb Digital to improve your medical SEO contact us today!