6 Top Trends In Medical SEO

SEO, or search engine optimization, is essential for any business to succeed online. In the vast world of search engine results, SEO is a set of practices that work to make your website or business rank higher and become more visible. True for any online business, medical SEO is becoming a critical component for healthcare providers looking to grow their business, attract more patients, and maintain a robust online presence.

What can’t you find online these days? With a simple Google search, you can find a new restaurant in town, build a new wardrobe, or even find a new doctor. Users know that the digital marketplace will have anything they need—which is why your medical website needs to be visible in search engine results. Back in the day, having the right real estate was vital for a business’s success. Now, however, this real estate has gone digital.

How important is SEO? Ranking on the first page of Google is incredibly valuable. Reports show that 94 percent of search query clicks land on Google’s first page. These websites on the first page reach countless more potential patients. Here, we look at the top trends in medical SEO to help your healthcare organization reach more patients.

1. Search Engine Intent

Primarily, SEO rankings used to be based on keywords and links. These metrics showed a website’s quality and usefulness for a search for Google and other search engines. However, as the internet has grown and evolved, so has Google’s search algorithm. The internet giant strives to make people’s search results as effective and precise as possible. Recently, determining a user’s search intent has become a critical factor in SEO and a site’s ranking. You’ll want to understand how your potential patients are searching online to better respond to these queries.

2. Local Search

If you have a smartphone (which is true for 3.5 billion people around the world), you’re also carrying around a portable GPS system. Your GPS is able to track your location through satellites and can do much more than provide driving directions. People are using their phones to perform local searches for almost anything—including healthcare providers. These types of searches can be even more valuable than a conventional search because they show intent. Just think—you’re probably not searching for “restaurants near me” unless you’re hungry. This holds true for people looking for a specific healthcare provider or doctor in their area.

3. Role Of Reviews

Conventionally, word of mouth has been one of the most effective ways for a business to grow and a reputation to develop. We trust our friends, families, and coworkers’ opinions, so it makes sense that their feedback is valued. For businesses online, this is exactly what reviews can do.

Positive reviews on your medical website can improve your search engine ranking—and the more reviews, the better. It doesn’t take much time, just a matter of minutes, for a patient to leave a review on your website and the impact can be substantial. Not only do online reviews help boost your ranking, but they can also help potential patients understand your practice on a more personal and detailed level. Consider asking patients to leave reviews or even offer some type of benefit for their time.

4. Voice Assistant

Alexa, can you find me a doctor? Many people are turning to voice assistant devices, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, to fulfill their search queries. Whether asking about the weather, where to find those new shoes you’ve been after, or settling a debate, voice assistant devices can provide quick and accurate answers for users in real time.

To better design your content to respond to voice assistant devices, think about how people are using this technology. Similar to using a search engine, users are usually asking questions. Think about how your website can answer common questions for your medical field or practice. For example, people using voice assistant devices would be more interested in content that answers questions, like “what are the symptoms of coronavirus?” over content that simply defines the topic or issue.

5. Reputation

Reviews, of course, can go both ways. While positive reviews can bring credibility to your office, negative ones can leave a lasting impression and make potential patients hesitant to choose you. If someone does leave a negative review, it’s important to reach out and attempt to remedy the situation—often, these negative reviews come down to a simple misunderstanding.

In addition to reviews, you need to ensure that your overall brand reputation is solid and credible in the digital world. Since anyone can publish just about anything with the click of a button, a business’s reputation can easily be altered online—even when there’s no justification. An experienced digital marketing company can help maintain your brand reputation and even work to improve it via various online channels and tools.

6. Medical SEO Content

While the web is constantly evolving, some rules of the game remain the same. It’s important to stay on top of new SEO trends, but at the end of the day, content is still your most important asset. To rank well on Google and other search engines, you need consistent and high-quality content.

But what does this high-quality content look like? While quality will always be subjective to a degree, Google is looking for certain standards in web content, such as the length, organization, and authority of the content. For length, aim for your articles and blogs to be longer than 1,000 words—this tells Google that your content is comprehensive. It’s also beneficial to use headers, smaller paragraphs of texts, and lists and numbers to tell Google that your content is clear and well-organized.

Conclusion

It’s hard to deny the importance of search engines. From helping us learn about the world around us, find the products we love, and even locating the healthcare we need, this digital tool makes our lives easier and more convenient.

However, the sheer scale of the internet is a double-edged sword in that it can be difficult for a user to find exactly what they’re looking for. That’s why it’s essential to tailor your website and content to perform well on search engines. Healthcare is all about matching the right doctors to the right patients. By improving your medical SEO, you can reach more patients than ever before.