You don’t get it. You have a fantastic and easy-to-navigate website that’s filled with engaging medical and healthcare content, as well as a design that can grab anyone’s attention in just a span of seconds. Despite all of these, nobody seems to be visiting. What could be the problem?
Odds are, your online visibility is pretty low. In other words, your website has poor search engine rankings. People looking for the services or products you offer will have trouble finding you online. So, is there anything you can do to solve this annoying issue? You bet there is! Your hope lies in healthcare and medical SEO – and that’s what we’ll be exploring in this post. Before we can get into its ins and outs, however, let’s get you familiar with SEO…..
Page Contents
What Is SEO?
Source: meson-digital.com
SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the building blocks of most successful online marketing strategies. Simply put, it is the process of making your website easier to find on Google and other search engines. The more relevant your site is, the higher you rank. And, the higher you rank, the greater your chances are of attracting visitors to your website.
With 73% of people turning to search engines when looking for a health practitioner and 89% using search engines to solve their healthcare queries, showing up at the top of search results should be a priority of yours.
So, Where Do You Begin?
While SEO might sound a bit complicated for newbies like you, it’s far from rocket science. You can actually execute some of the simplest tactics on your own, as long as you take time learning how.
As for the advanced and complex steps, you can always turn to an SEO agency to get the work done for you. Since we know you’re just starting out, we’ll only be focusing on the basics of healthcare and medical SEO that will help you boost your visibility and drive more patients to your door.
Ready to get started? Let’s!
Pick Relevant Keywords
Source: digitalmenta.com
Keywords are one of the most critical elements in the SEO landscape, although they vary depending on the industry you’re in. In your case, you should be concentrating on healthcare- or medical-related keywords.
Think of the search terms or phrases people normally use when hunting for medical specialists. A parent whose child is suffering from asthma might Google “allergy and asthma center nearby,” whereas someone with a skin problem will likely type in “best dermatologist in (city).”
Since search engines use keywords to connect users and their searches with valuable information, it’s crucial to pepper the right keywords to your website. A surefire way to identify the best keywords for your medical content is by doing keyword research. Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Keyword Planner can help you find the perfect keywords to boost your ranking.
People tend to stick around longer on a website that provides seamless navigation. By that, we mean navigation that makes it incredibly easy for them to find whatever it is they’re looking for – whether it’s your service or product listings, pricing, contact info, blog, or FAQ page. Poor website navigation, on the other hand, does nothing but confuses visitors. It tests their patience and creates fiction, oftentimes leading them to leave and never return.
- Streamline your navigation bar. Look at your navigation menu. Is it a little too cluttered? If so, organize it by using a main heading, followed by a sub-menu containing clickable links categorized below it.
- Keep your sidebars separate. A sidebar should always stand out. One way to accomplish this is by formatting it with a different background color than the body copy. Another is by using white space.
- Make everything convenient for your visitors. Since your goal is to keep people on your site to explore further, pick the clearest design and text possible so they’ll understand what you mean right away. Use the word “About” to direct users to your “about us” page, and “Contact” for those who wish to get in touch.
If you think this is too much for you, hiring a web design company is probably your best option. We recommend you www.yourdigitalresource.com.
Post Quality Content
Source: mediaboom.com
If you’re wondering what qualifies as quality content, it should be one that helps make your audience’s lives better or easier. In short, it’s any content that provides the solution to their problem. To grow your brand and engage your audience, you must create content that doesn’t only build trust, but also teaches them in the process.
Content like case studies, patient testimonials, current news in the medical field, infographics, blogs, best practices, and medical breakthroughs will definitely pique your visitors’ interest and give them a reason to take your desired action.
What’s more, Google cites medical pages as Your Money Your Life (YMYL) pages, which means standards are higher for you since such pages could “potentially impact the future happiness, health, or financial stability of users.”
Create a Google My Business (GMB) Page
Healthcare and medical SEO isn’t just limited to your website; you can do it offsite, too. Completing a GMB profile is one of the simplest ways to make it possible. Having a well-optimized GMB page will increase your visibility in your local area, as it puts you in Google’s local pack.
A local pack is a group of four to five business listings you see above the organic search results – and it’s how local patients can find you. Make sure you fill out everything and double check your provided details before submitting. Provide a brief description of your business, reviews, and add photos as well.
Pick the Right URLs
Source: at-languagesolutions.com
Not many realize that URLs can make a difference in the success of their SEO efforts. It’s such a small task that can be easily overlooked. The truth is, your URL structure will influence your site’s rankings. Though it’s not a direct ranking signal, it carries significant qualities that can affect your rankings.
The shorter your URLs are, the better. Long URLs, especially those filled with weird characters, can look spammy and off-putting. With a short and clean medical URL, however, your site will appear more trustworthy and authoritative.
Including your keyword in your URL is another idea to consider. It can give your audience and Google a better idea of what your page is about. Instead of stuffing your URL with all sorts of keywords, use your target keyword and keep your URL short and sweet. With most top-ranking pages having their keyword within their URLs, it makes sense you’d want to follow suit.
Grow Your Medical Business with SEO Now
While there are tons of other ways to build a solid medical and healthcare SEO strategy that will help you secure great rankings and put you ahead of your competitors, what we just provided are the simplest ones. Teaming up with SEO professionals is the surest way to see your desired results.
