Medical professionals who maintain a website substantially increase the number of new patients who find them online versus those without a website. The next step is to invest in your SEO marketing to further increase your visibility.
Start With Local SEO
Local SEO is likely the most important factor for increasing your visibility since people will most likely look for a local provider. The information you include on your website will help with local searches, this includes a physical address, map, and directions from nearby cities. Make sure your business profile in major search engines is complete and updated as-needed. Include a working phone number and a link to your website. The more information you provide in your business listing, the more appealing you will be to potential patients. Business profiles often include reviews. You should regularly check your reviews and feel free to reply to them in a professional manner. Not only will this show you are active, but it shows potential patients that you care about the impression you leave on patients.
Be Relatable
When your website content is relatable, you are more likely to capture relevant search terms that will lead potential patients to your website. There may be a fine balance between including information that is professional while conveying information that is easy for everyday people to understand. For example, as a podiatrist, it is important to include keywords on your website that include "foot doctor" or "foot specialist" since many people will not know the technical term for a podiatrist. Use a similar approach when deciding on content for your website, whether they are static pages or blog posts. Think about the way your patients explain their concerns to you and this will give you a general idea of the language you should use to help with search visibility.
Include Updated Information
Thinking about other ways people search for a medical professional can also influence what you put on your website as keywords. An often overlooked aspect on medical websites is maintaining an updated list of payment options or accepted insurance. Beyond searching for a specific type of medical professional in the local area, many people will base their search on their insurance company. Since many medical professionals do not maintain an updated list of the insurances they accept, they are missing out on potential patients who would rather continue their search online than call your office. Medical professionals who do any type of elective or cosmetic work can benefit from working with medical financing companies and having this information on their website. Many people who pay out-of-pocket for procedures will be doing their searches based on which providers have financing options.
As a medical professional, competing with similar professionals in the area may be a matter of having good search visibility. Maintaining a comprehensive and updated website while taking advantage of your business listing will help. And don't be afraid to utilize SEO marketing services to promote your online presence even more.
After working hard to develop a great business, I realized that there were a few problems with my marketing plan. For starters, I didn't know how to get the word out about my company online, so I hired an online marketing group. It was really interesting to see what they had in mind for marketing, and within a few weeks I started to see a lot more traffic. This blog is here to inspire other people to get the word out about their companies online, so that you can enjoy a healthier bottom line. Check out these posts for great information.