Traditionally, word-of-mouth referrals and repeat patients were the most dependable ways to grow and sustain any medical practice. However, in the age of the internet, online marketing strategies are now the most popular way to market healthcare services.

People are increasingly turning to Google to help them find the medical care they require. With this in mind, SEO for doctors can help private practices reach a larger audience, find new patients, and establish a long-lasting digital presence.

What Do Patients Search For on Google?

When it comes to SEO for doctors, you must consider your patients and what they search for online. For example, if your medical practice specializes in primary care rather than pediatric care, you will notice a difference in what your target audience searches for on search engines such as Google or Bing.

When considering what your target audience searches for online, consider the various intents. Intent can range from informational to transactional, which means that while one user is learning about a topic, another is ready to take action, such as making an appointment. “Near me” searches for doctors are common across all practices and specializations.

This is due to the fact that most physicians prefer to provide their services in person rather than virtually. When people need a doctor, they look for a doctor near them because they will have to travel to that doctor’s physical location for treatment.

Aim to target keywords across all intents for the best results with your doctor SEO strategy. This strategy allows your practice to reach out to potential patients at every stage of the purchasing funnel, from researching their medical needs to finding their next physician.

(RELATED: 2022 SEO Guide for Doctors)

Main Benefits of SEO for Doctors

More people are using search engines to find doctors in their area, which means you must rank high in the results if you want to reach them. Aside from simply ranking well, some of the other advantages of a doctor SEO strategy are as follows:

• More targeted leads – If you search for a doctor, you will get millions of results. When you look for a doctor in a specific town or neighbourhood who specializes in one area, your options narrow dramatically. SEO places your website in front of people who are specifically looking for what you have to offer. Because these leads are a better fit for your practice, they are more likely to visit your website for more information and eventually become patients.
• Lower marketing cost – Traditional advertising is costly, has a limited reach, and has a short life span. This is not the case with doctor SEO. You can reach more people over a longer period of time for a lower cost. This not only results in a higher return on investment but also allows you to compete for patients with larger practices that have the resources to invest in large ad campaigns.
• Higher authority – The number of people who visit a website and how they react—either by spending time on the site or by immediately “bouncing” back to the search engine results to find a better option—determines search engine rankings in part. As a result, a website that ranks higher on search engines is regarded as more reliable than one that ranks lower or does not appear at all.  

Useful Tips for SEO for Doctors

Now that you understand what SEO can do for your marketing strategy, use these SEO tips for doctors to reap the benefits:

1. Start with keywords. 

Great SEO work should result in your practice gaining patients by directing them to pages that answer their questions. To do so, you must plan ahead of time rather than “just blog.”  Identifying the keywords that will attract ideal patients is always important, and the simple strategy outlined above will assist you in getting started. Before creating content, always conduct keyword/topic research..

2. Optimise for local search.

People would prefer to visit a doctor who is close by, so their search terms may include a specific neighbourhood or town. Optimize your site for these types of searches with local SEO, and your practice will reach more potential patients.

Include your location in your site’s text, title tags, and other copies. Make sure your address is in the page’s footer. Also, make sure your address is consistent across all platforms where your practice appears, such as social media, Google Maps, and online medical directories.

3. Create unique content.

When ranking websites, search engines take into account a number of factors. Among them are the freshness and relevance of the content, the number of pages, and the number of visits. All of these aspects are addressed by a blog.

Create a new post once a week to keep your site up to date.

This increases the number of pages on your website and attracts new visitors who may not have heard of your practice otherwise. Focus on the topics that are receiving the most attention when writing, and use the keywords that people use to find advice and information.

People use search engines to find doctors, and unless you optimize your site, you won’t get these patients. If you want more website traffic and prospective patients, an SEO strategy is your best bet.

If you’re unsure where to start, Maple Cloud SEO can guide you. We build and design websites that are SEO-ready. Consult us today!