Since internet consumers trust Google to deliver accurate and reliable information about health and the medical business, it is critical to publish only well-researched content. This informs Google that your website is trustworthy, which raises your ranking on SERPs.
Make High-Quality Websites and Content
Many medical practitioners believe investing in PPC (pay-per-click) marketing is the only way to create web traffic. Unfortunately, overspending on PPC is a band-aid solution.
So, rather than looking for short-term solutions, search for long-term ones. As a healthcare company, your digital marketing strategy should continuously and long-term lead potential patients to your website.
It is important to understand that Google does not favor low-quality websites and content. If you ignore your website and the information you provide, the algorithm will work against you, and your visibility in search results will decrease.
When it comes to quality in healthcare, there are two acronyms that you should remember: E.A.T. and Y.M.Y.L.
E.A.T.
The abbreviation E.A.T. stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. This idea was created to help third-party raters grade Google’s search results.
Although E.A.T. is not a direct ranking criterion, it can assist Google in identifying what is essential. And this is what websites must demonstrate for Google to reward them with more prominence.
As a result, it is reasonable to state that E.A.T. is an important component of healthcare SEO.
And, because the content and information you put on your website have an immediate influence on your audience, who are also potential patients, everything you provide on your website should be based on the E.A.T. factor.
Understand that consumers will look at your website to see if you are a trustworthy healthcare expert. This is why you should always provide high-quality information that adheres to E.A.T. Then, you may improve your ranking and increase your chances of appearing at the top of Google SERPs.
Y.M.Y.L.
Another idea to consider is Y.M.Y.L., which stands for Your Money Your Life. It simply implies that any content you post directly impacts your audience’s health, money, or safety, which Google takes very seriously.
And, for health-related websites, Y.M.L.Y. is an important element to consider while developing your SEO strategy. If your content does not fit the Y.M.Y.L. website criteria, such as containing factual mistakes or misleading information, your site’s rating will decrease. Worse, it has the potential to devastate people’s lives.
Examine Various Aspects of Your Website
It may be hard to outrank well-established healthcare or medical websites, but it does not imply you cannot rank higher.
Higher rankings are attainable if you enhance specific areas of your website, such as concentrating more on long-tail keywords and location-based content.
When you use the appropriate form of SEO, you may successfully put your medical practice in front of your target audience’s eyes. Then Google will rank you higher or, even better, outrank other pages.
Here are some factors to consider to boost your site’s rating.
Make Use of the Correct Medical Keywords.
Keywords are one of the most important aspects of SEO. Indeed, these are the keywords that drive targeted visitors to your website. As a result, it is critical that you choose the appropriate keywords for your sector.
But Which Keywords Should You Use?
The first keywords you should consider are the medical services you provide – terms people often enter first into the search field. However, you may also utilize tools to assist you in determining the appropriate keyword for your content. Among these tools is Google Keyword Planner, which provides the best keywords for your sector and compares them to what your target audience is searching for.
In any event, avoid stuffing keywords into your article. The Google algorithm would easily detect any spamming behavior emanating from your website. When this occurs, a penalty is imposed. This is why you should use precise, long-tail keywords that are both relevant and natural.
This method can help you differentiate yourself from more popular SEO healthcare websites while attracting new patients, particularly those in your area.
Utilize Eye-Catching Visual Elements.
Video content is a popular approach to delivering information that is engaging, fascinating, and simple to comprehend. As a result, the usage of videos has expanded dramatically. 96% of internet users expect to view more videos in 2020, and nearly all expect to watch more videos from brands and enterprises in the coming years.
No matter how long your video content is, there is no doubt that it causes users to spend a longer time on your website. And Google takes this time into account when ranking since it represents something useful that people like on your page.
You cannot, however, utilize any video. Along with your content, you’ll need high-quality, relevant videos. You may, for example, provide a virtual tour of your clinics, which people prefer to reading a 600-word essay about your clinic.
You may also include photos or infographics on your website. The more aesthetically appealing and dynamic your website is, the more people will be interested in visiting it.
However, you should also take precautions to ensure that the photos on your site have appropriate alt text. It makes it easier for visually challenged people and Google crawlers to access and comprehend what is presented on your website.
Increase your website’s speed, security, and usability on mobile devices.
You should pay attention to your site’s speed, security, and mobile usability, as these criteria influence your ranking.
When your website takes more than three seconds to load, you risk losing site visitors – prospective patients who will move to a rival with a better page speed. However, slow-loading web sites might score highly for specialized queries. Furthermore, there is no punishment even if a site has superb content but is sluggish.
However, boosting your website’s performance would not require much effort in exchange for a better user experience.
It should take up to two seconds for your website to load, and the optimal time is half a second or less. Regarding website performance, Google’s PageSpeed Insights feature comes in handy. It can also offer you points for where you should perform fixes to increase your speed score.
Another important aspect of SEO is security. You may encrypt your website with an SSL certificate to keep your data and users’ data safe from hackers.
If you overlook SSL security, Google will penalize your ranks. Because the SSL certificate is required when you accept your patients’ sensitive information, there is no justification for not acquiring it.
Another consideration is that your website is mobile-friendly.
People are increasingly using their phones to conduct searches. As a result, if your content is not mobile-friendly, your visitors will opt to visit other sites that can better handle their mobile queries.
You must have a responsive site design that works on desktop and mobile devices to avoid bad user experience across many platforms.
Consider Additional Off-Site Factors.
Social media traffic and connections to your website are off-site indications that can help your search rankings.
Although social networking is not a direct ranking component, it should be one of your top goals for off-site SEO. As a result, make effective use of social media marketing and upload information that may greatly impact a patient’s choice of a treatment center or hospital.
You should be aware that many people read social media reviews before visiting a clinic or making an appointment. This is why you must keep your social media profiles up to date and relevant information provided regularly. After all, social media is a great way to build future patient engagement.
In SEO, make use of your location.
Patients prefer local providers that are easy to reach, such as those displayed by Google My Business during searches.
So, if you don’t already have a Google My Business profile, now is the time to get one. When you do, make sure it is constantly updated and optimized.
You may also attempt to appear in Google’s local pack. Four or five businesses show the above organic search results. It is sometimes the only item that mobile users see while searching.
And the information that shows on these listings is the information on your company page, so make sure it is correct and easily accessible. These statistics include the following:
• Business Category
• Primary Phone Number
• Business Description
• Operating Hours and Seasonal Hours
• Address and Service Areas
Local citations are equally important for local SEO. These are internet references of your company that include contact information. Business directories, blog entries, social media accounts, newspaper websites, and other sources can all be used.
As a result, it is important to obtain business citations to improve your rating.