BENEFITS OF MEDICAL SEO
Before we start off the topic I would like to explain what is SEO and why is it so important in today’s digital marketing. SEO is an acronym that stands for search engine optimization. In simple terms, SEO simply refers to the process of improving your website pages rank in search engines such as Google and Bing. Recent studies show that 73% of the patients turn to Google when they are looking for a local health practitioner such as reviews and the doctor’s profile, and 89% of the people turn to Google when they’re looking to solve their personal healthcare queries before they decided to visit a doctor. And Since 55% of searchers click on one of the first three entries, if your hospital or treatment center isn’t in the top three, you’re losing patients to your competitors and this is one of the many reasons why search engine optimization is such a benefit for those in the medical practice. In a bid to achieve such a result, there are several healthcare SEO techniques that can be employed to that effect.
MEDICAL SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
Information about symptoms, medical conditions, procedures, and medications are frequently searched on the internet before a prospective patient pays a hospital or medical practice a visit. Hence, the importance of Medical search engine optimization cannot be overemphasized. Medical SEO is a cost-effective marketing strategy to promote your medical practice. It serves to drive targeted patients, who seek the medical services offered by your facility, to your website. The goal of every medical facility is for their website to be visited by users on a regular basis. Adopting search engine optimization techniques makes this possible. Medical SEO that specifically targets potential patients can help the website of any medical practice to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). To edge out competitors and place your hospital or medical practice in good standing with potential patients, it is imperative that your website appears on the first page of a search result. The higher your ranking on search engine result pages, the more patients you’ll receive at your medical facility. With the ever-increasing notoriety of medical searches in search engines, hospital SEO is proving to be an indispensable tool in present times. Doctors and other Heath practitioners need to key into the various advantages afforded by implementing various search engine optimization techniques in the Medical field. Through the creation of quality content on medically oriented websites, doctors can best serve their patients better.
BENEFITS OF MEDICAL SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION IN THE MEDICAL FIELD
Medical SEO is the new trend of finding new clients through the age of the internet. Besides the obvious reason that ranking on top of Google gets you more traffic here are the advantages and benefits attributed to its use in Medical SEO:
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION BOOSTS CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE IN YOUR FACILITY
Medical search engine optimization is one of the most effective ways to establish a level of authority in a particular medical field, as well as garner the trust and confidence of patients. In general, people view the web content that appears on the first page, following a Google search, as relatively more authentic and credible. In an actual sense, ranking first, second, or third in google searches is an indicator of a well written and informative content. It gives people the impression that you are one of the top players in the medical field or that you’re of no relevance in the industry when your content is at the bottom of the search engine results. In other words, Google rewards quality content by giving them a high ranking on Google searches. A very important aspect of Search engine optimization is the creation of consistent content, which can help health practitioners gain a reputation as an authority in their respective areas of expertise.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION SERVE TO PROMOTE AWARENESS
As previously mentioned, 73% of patients use search engine results before they go ahead to book a hospital appointment. It’s only vital that various medical practices take advantage of these searches by implementing medical search engine optimization techniques. Patients will only approach you when you are as credible as the internet says it to them. Users can only know about you and the healthcare services you render when your website ranks high on search engine result pages. Search engine optimization plays a very important role to help you rise up the ranking. Search engine optimization is instrumental in ensuring that medical services and products are easily found following regular and organic searches by individuals seeking such services. With the use of search engine optimization, businesses in the medical field can build a strong web presence. When you’re ensconced at the very top of the ranking, it promotes the exposure and visibility of your brand. The higher your hospital’s link appears in search results, the more traffic their website would receive. The more traffic their websites receives, the more likely they are to receive patients through the doors of their medical facility. Consequently, this serves to drive prospective patients to your website. Brands associated with websites that appear on the first page of search engines would most likely earn the confidence and trust of potential customers rather than those that rank lower. The importance of search engine optimization in creating brand awareness, in the medical field, cannot be overemphasized.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION INCREASES MARKET SHARE
There is a high tendency for website ranking high search lists to be found by internet users. These users, upon finding the required information they seek from your site, could turn into potential customers in the future. Hence there is an increase in market share. Medical practitioners can leverage this benefit to increase their patient numbers by staggering numbers.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION PUTS YOU AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Beyond every doubt, there is an ever-increasing competition in the medical field. Therefore, it is important that you are ranking higher than your competitors for certain targeted keywords. To stay ahead of the competition, utilizing a marketing strategy such as search engine optimization is a game-changer. When your medical practice or Hospital ranks high in search engine result pages, it helps them contend with the competition. The integration of search engine optimization with other marketing strategies can help medical practitioners take the lead amidst competition from their colleagues in the same field of expertise. Search engine optimization is undoubtedly one of the means through which medical practitioners or hospitals can stay ahead of their competition. Adopting search engine optimization methods ensures that patients find you and choose you, in preference to others, for medically related services.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION ALLOWS FOR THE CREATION OF USER-FRIENDLY WEBSITES
Search engine optimization allows for the creation of websites that are user-friendly and run seamlessly. Search engine optimization goes beyond mere optimizing for search engines, it also entails improving the experience of users when they visit your website. Having a user-friendly website is worthy of consideration as part of your website optimization, especially in the medical field where users require urgent information that relates to a particular condition. A user-friendly website that is easy to navigate attracts a considerable number of visitors and helps them find exactly what they’re looking for on your site.
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BETTER CONVERSION RATE
search engine optimized websites relatively loads more swiftly with easier readability and ease of navigation. They are bound to be displayed properly in virtually all types of devices. Such websites tend to garner the attention of its visitors and there’s every likelihood that they become loyal customers and patients. Consequently, doctors can improve on the profitability of their medical practice.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION ACTS AS A COST-EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGY
It is very beneficial to leverage the powers of search engine optimation tools in the medical field when one is looking to get as many patients through their hospital doors. Search engine optimization serves to increase patronage without a proportionate increase in marketing costs, consequently leading to an exponential increase in profits over time. By utilizing Search engine optimization techniques, businesses in the medical field can achieve their business goals at relatively lower costs when compared to other forms of online marketing. Search engine optimization basically serves as a long term marketing strategy. It takes patience and time to reach the top ranks and in the same vein, usurping your position at the top doesn’t come easy.
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SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION HELP MEDICAL FACILITIES LAND LOCAL PATIENTS
Patients often seek treatment or purchase drugs from nearby hospitals or pharmacy stores. Therefore, local searches are very important to those in the medical field due to the fact that majority of medical services are rendered to those within the vicinity of a medical facility. Local SEO can help potential patients to find relevant information quickly for their respective locations. Therefore, Medical search engine optimization can serve as a means of attracting local visitors to your website.
Conclusion
If You Want to rank better in Google to build your business awareness, You Need A Healthy Medical SEO Strategy
However, SEO isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of solution. You need a complete diagnosis to get the full picture. That’s why I recommend you start your SEO journey with a digital competitive analysis. It will compare your web presence to the web presences of your top competitors and figure out opportunities you’re missing and where your digital marketing priorities should lie.
You can learn more about medical SEO by contacting me today, and I can’t wait to help transform your hospital or treatment center into the new industry leader!