Any business, including a healthcare provider or medical practice, wants to shout about their work from the rooftops. Although expanding your patient base is important, healthcare practices see the greatest success when their marketing targets the nearby communities they support. That’s what local search engine optimization (SEO) is all about.
When a potential patient goes online and searches for “healthcare near me,” you want to be one of the first things that pop up. Local SEO is the process of getting your site to rank highly on search engine results pages (SERPs) and maps to appear for relevant searches in your served areas.
Without focusing on local SEO with your digital marketing efforts, it can be difficult to gain visibility and establish yourself as a trustworthy community resource.Local SEO can give you a competitive advantage over other providers in the area who may not be listed as highly.
We’re here to guide you through the local SEO services that you should be prioritizing in your marketing strategy to get the metrics you need to succeed and grow as healthcare practice.
Read on to learn what local SEO services are and why you should focus on them in your marketing efforts. Then we’ll dive into the specifics of the essential local SEO services and how BURG+CO. can help you make the most of them.
What are local SEO services?
We’ve defined what local SEO is, so now let’s explore what it means to focus on specific local SEO services.
When we talk about local SEO services, we’re referring to specific strategies and search engine features that can help you gain brand awareness, traffic and conversions in your targeted areas.
These services differ from general SEO because they have:
- Local intent for niche, location-based concerns
- Focus on Google Maps rankings
- Consideration of proximity
Google uses location data to figure out which sites are the most relevant for searches to ensure that people know what resources are in their area. With local SEO, you can be listed in the Google Map Pack, sometimes referred to as the Local Pack, which are the top three business listings for local queries.
Why local SEO is essential for medical providers
We already mentioned how local SEO can help with visibility and traffic from SERPs, and the benefits go a bit deeper than that for medical providers. It can help you get the best results possible from your digital marketing efforts for several reasons:
- More than three-fourths of people do online research before making a healthcare appointment.
- You can boost your credibility and establish yourself as a trusted authority in the community.
- You can protect patient privacy and uphold transparency by keeping your marketing HIPAA-compliant and free from review manipulation.
Core local SEO services every medical practice should use
By learning about the most important local SEO services, you can make sure that they are effectively incorporated into your digital marketing strategy. Here are the ones that deserve attention:
- Google Business Profile optimization
Your Google Business Profile (GBP), previously referred to as Google My Business, is the listing that comes up for your practice on relevant SERPs. It provides the rundown on the basics of your business, such as your phone number and provided services.
Your GBP is the cornerstone of local SEO success because it shows both the algorithm and potential patients that you’re a credible business. Your GBP is what comes up when you appear as a SERP or map result. It also gives you a way to engage directly with users by replying to reviews and making posts of announcements.
You can optimize your GBP to increase rankings, traffic and engagement by:
- Providing a comprehensive list of services
- Posting high-quality photos and videos
- Writing a patient-friendly, keyword-based business description
- Local keyword research
Keyword research is a pillar of all SEO efforts. By learning what keywords people are typing into the search engine, you can make sure those words are appropriately incorporated into your site and throughout your content.
For local SEO, keyword research tends to focus on queries that include “in my area,” “near me” or the specific city you serve. The intent for the keyword can vary depending on how immediate the concern is. For example, if someone is searching “general practitioner near me,” they’re likely experiencing urgency, leading to a higher chance of conversion if that’s what your site is targeting.
You can find local keywords using a variety of tools, including:
Even though you provide effective, high-quality treatment, potential patients aren’t quick to take your word for it. They want to hear about you from an external source who they can relate to and who has no stakes in your business. That’s why acquiring and managing your online reviews is an essential local SEO service.
Reviews not only boost trustworthiness between you and potential patients, but they also show the algorithm your relevance and positive reputation to the targeted areas. Respond to every review, whether it’s good or bad, to promote engagement and manage your online reputation.
If you’re trying to figure out how to gain more reviews from patients, here are some ways to approach it in an ethical way:
- Ask them to leave a review at the end of an appointment.
- Leave signage at the checkout desk.
- Put a reminder in follow-up emails or texts.
Incentivizing reviews based on a rating, such as offering a discount for a positive review, is seen as a red flag and goes against Google guidelines.
- Local link building
Using external links across your site and throughout your content help to increase your credibility while also showcasing your relevance to the algorithm. But what’s also important is having your own site listed as an external link on another source. This is what’s called a backlink.
You can build a network of backlinks with local organizations or publications to broaden your reach and enhance your online reputation. Backlinks essentially work as a “stamp of approval” by other local providers, giving users a vote of confidence to explore your site and see what you have to offer.
You can try a few different approaches, including:
- Writing guest posts
- Sponsoring local health events
- Suggesting replacements for broken links
Want to attract new patients to your website? BURG+CO. can help through local SEO services
Local SEO means getting your practice in front of the right people, and those right people are usually the people in your community. By making local SEO services significant pillars in your digital marketing strategy, you can boost your traffic, credibility and lead conversion rate to increase your patient acquisition.
At BURG+CO., we can help you figure out the ins and outs of local SEO. We can help you optimize everything from your Google Business Profile to your link network and everything in between. Our SEO team members are experts in understanding the algorithm and what it takes to rank highly on SERPs.
Our team has years of experience in helping healthcare brands improve their digital presence to attract new patients and retain existing ones. If you’re looking to perform better in search engine results and attract more potential patients to your site, we’re ready to talk to you to see how we can help.
Want expert support with your digital marketing? Connect with BURG+CO. today to explore how we can help your healthcare brand grow.