What No One Tells You About SEO for Doctors
Having great content isn’t enough to recruit new patients. It’s important to make sure that potential patients can find your content in Google and other search engine searches by implementing the best search engine optimization (SEO) practices that you can. SEO for doctors is a specialized area worth paying attention to. Here are four secrets about SEO for doctors that you probably don’t know.
Secret 1: SEO is more than keywords
The first thing that comes to most people’s mind when someone says SEO is keywords. Keywords are essentially categorized topics related to what your content is about. For SEO, keywords are words and phrases that users enter into search engines when they are looking up a topic. While using keywords people are searching for is important, it’s not the only factor Google takes into consideration when deciding which websites to show in search results. How long the user stays on your website, the website’s organizational structure, and more determine if you show up in searches.
Want to learn more about factors beyond keywords? Check out these 4 things your competitor doesn’t know about healthcare SEO.
Secret 2: It’s a constant process, not a one and done
SEO isn’t something you do once and your website is forever optimized for search results. In fact, Google’s algorithm changes multiple times a year, prioritizing different SEO considerations during each change. As a busy medical professional, you may not have time to stay on top of SEO, so working with a digital marketing agency like Fogg Media is one of the best ways to make sure your content is up to date with Google’s current SEO preferences.
Secret 3: You can use local SEO to target potential clients in your area
One of the great things about Google is that it will show search results for a user’s specific geographic location, especially when they search in-person services such as a pediatrician for their child’s back-to-school physical. Incorporate language about where you’re located so you show up in local searches – this can look like an ‘About Us’ page or page with individual office locations. Take advantage of online business listings like Yelp. Foursquare, and MapQuest. Updating your basic information is free and will help with local SEO, too. And, encourage regular reviews on online review sites from satisfied customers to make your business show up even more.
Secret 4: Photos and videos help with SEO
One of the biggest secrets of healthcare SEO companies is that SEO is more than just the words you use are important. Photos and videos help with SEO too! Google uses session duration, or how long users stay on your website, to help determine search engine rankings. By having photos and videos, visitors will most likely stay on your website longer. Make sure you add alt text tags to your photos and videos too as this will help search engine crawlers better classify them to be discovered.
Still unsure where to start? Check out our free beginners guide to SEO for doctors.
If you’re ready to take your SEO to the next level, reach out to discover how Fogg Media can elevate your healthcare marketing efforts.
Fogg Media offers comprehensive and sustainable SEO packages, as well as a suite of strategic marketing services. Check out our offerings to learn more about how to rank higher--and get more visibility--on your website.
Fogg Media has been helping medical practices in the Carolinas and throughout the US to increase their visibility and drive patient conversions. If you’re struggling to get search visibility, or if your patients struggle to use your website, we’ve created a simple, straight-forward package deal that gives you exactly what you need to get started in the world of digital marketing. We offer targeted, optimized digital advertising services for healthcare, including Pay-Per-Click (PPC), Google Ads, Search Engine Advertising, and more. Simply put, we’ll handle the behind-the-scenes digital marketing so you can get back to medicine.
