Bringing in more patients to a medical practice isn’t always linear, but there are definitely solutions you can implement to drive steady, long-term growth – starting with medical practice SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, is exactly what it sounds like: the process of adding content to your website that helps your practice turn up higher in search engine results. This includes writing blog posts, web pages, eBooks, and other content pieces that match what your target audience is searching for online. Though SEO is a full-time job in and of itself, and is most effective when integrated into holistic marketing campaigns that collect and measure data, there are plenty of SEO steps you can take to make the most of your digital presence as soon as possible. Let’s explore some of them.
Make a Sitemap That Makes Sense
Whether you’re currently building up your website from scratch or are simply looking for ways to give it a boost, the best thing you can do to lay the foundation for great SEO is to streamline your webpages. That starts with making sure that each page of your website has a clear topic, along with short but engaging copy. Make sure that every page has a main heading, and that this heading includes the topic that the page is about. Your Services page, for example, should have a headline that’s something like “Our Services” or “Services We Offer.” The content on the page itself should be succinct and relevant to the topic at hand. Don’t use your Services page to list how your company was founded and the mission you uphold; save that for the About page. By making your website as topically streamlined as possible, you’ll make it easy for visitors and search engines alike to have a positive experience when scanning your pages.
Invest in Beautiful Images
Images matter, and not just because they make your website design more appealing. High-quality, professional images throughout your site help to boost SEO. They improve your website’s readability, making it more likely that visitors will stay on your site longer. This is gold when it comes to SEO. Search engines love websites that keep readers engaged and that incentivize visitors to click through multiple pages. Beautiful, professional images do wonders for your user experience on the front-end and for search engine quality screenings on the backend.
Never Forget Mobile
Whether you’re having your website developed by a professional or are using a DIY template-based platform like Wix or Squarespace, always make sure that your site is appropriately formatted for mobile devices. Most of the time, websites are designed on desktops or laptops, but studies show that websites are visited on mobile devices about 54% of the time as of this year. This is huge, because it means that having a website that’s optimized for smartphones can literally make or break your lead generation and conversion rates. Search engines boost websites that are readable and easy to navigate on any device – especially mobile.
Content, Content, Content
The content you’re sharing through your website is instrumental when it comes to SEO. Search engines favor consistency and longevity; the longer you can go posting regular blogs, sharing eBooks, and building out readable web pages, the better for your digital presence. Make sure every blog post and webpage you share includes a focus keyword. The focus keyword is a short term (usually about 2-5 words) that matches a term your audience is likely to be searching for online. For example, a blog titled “How to Find a Great Primary Care Doctor in Tampa” should have a focus keyword like “primary care doctor in Tampa.” Include this keyword throughout your blog post a small handful of times wherever it feels organic; it’s crucial not to overload your web pages and blog posts with their dedicated focus keyword, as this can actually be detrimental to your SEO. As a rule of thumb, mention a blog or webpage’s keyword throughout the copy no more than five times.
Medical practice SEO is one of the most important – and cost-effective – ways you can boost your digital presence while building thought leadership and attracting patients. That said, SEO is a complex and ever-evolving process, and it does best when anchored in real-time data. If you’d like to make sure your SEO is at the highest possible level for your practice, we’d be happy to help. Set up a free consultation with us to talk through how we can leverage SEO to drive major results for your medical practice.
