SEO Tips for Your Dermatology Practice in 2022
Want to Get SEO up and Running in Your Practice?
Search engine optimization [SEO] seems mysterious and a bit confusing. You hear about it but you’re not sure exactly what it is. Your colleagues talk about implementing it but the explanations on how it works sound fuzzy and vague.
SEO is the technique you use to become more recognizable by the search engine.
SEO encompasses just about everything you can do on your website (minus paid ads) to pop up in local listings, increase search visibility and increase web traffic. It’s an organic growth approach and a long term strategy for gaining more leads.
Google ranking algorithms have regular updates to ensure the search engine is always at the forefront of maximizing the user experience. Delivering value.
When you improve website and local SEO you become more visible to your potential patients. When they want to locate a local physician to book an appointment or gather information on a skin condition, treatments, and/or products, your website is the one you want them to find.
It is true this article is about ways you can implement SEO to look good for Google (because that is important for rankings, visibility, and increased traffic).
However, the true benefit of creating great content and being Google-worthy is attracting the right patient/clients.
When you focus on the best interest of your reader, just as you would your patient, you know you’re doing the right thing.
While the weight that Google places on all these metrics continuously changes the goal is to put your visitor first. If you do, you’ll ultimately come out on top.
User-Friendly, DIY, SEO Tips to Get You Started
Check Analytics
Running an analysis on your site gives you an idea of how it ranks, what seems to be working (popular pages), and any areas that need improvement (incomplete, duplicate, or missing information or website errors, etc...). Ubersuggest is a free resource for this type of analysis. You can use it to tackle many areas where SEO could be improved on your site. There are many others out there as well.
Technical adjustments to increase the load speed of your site improves user experience off the get-go. Image size is just one variable that affects site speed.
In general, people don’t wait more than 3 seconds for a page to load. If your site is slow, you are losing traffic in that instant.
Bounce rate —how quickly they leave and dwell time —how long they stay, are ranking measures according to Google. Google Analytics can show you this information for your site. It’s assumed, if a visitor leaves your site quickly, there’s a reason and it has to do with the relevance of your content as it relates to the search intent. That’s a ding to your ranking.
Acknowledge which pages bring the most traffic. If they need improvement —better links, content, formatting, images, etc..., hop on it because that is your low hanging fruit.
Keep an eye out for duplicate or missing content. Redundancy hurts more than it helps.
Local SEO
Where’s your city or town? Will patients find you when they enter Atlanta dermatologist? If not, direct your attention to updating all business directories. Google My Business is a great place to start. Other directories include Bing, Yelp etc…
Update contact information, descriptions, areas of expertise, photos, FAQs and reviews. This helps your next patient find you easily and before they find your competition.
Mobile Friendly Website
Another techy thing but high priority.
Most people initiate searches from their mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly or has poor representation on mobile it’s time to update that. Remember, website and page stickiness is rankable and important for the user experience.
If it is hard to read and navigate then your visitor will turn and click the other way.
Page Titles
Check for duplicate or missing titles. When a person searches for information, the page name is vital for recognition. When page titles are too long, they may be truncated on the search engine results page [SERP]. 70 characters or so seems just about right. This is what your patient sees when your search results pop up.
Content
Take a deep dive into your website’s content. Google constantly updates algorithms to identify high-quality content that will likely elicit a positive user experience.
Web pages with thorough content that relates directly to the search keywords and long-tail keywords receive a higher score than ones with outdated, incorrect, duplicated material. If a page or article on the site is full of fluff it lowers credibility.
What Google thinks is important for recognition in the SERP, but ultimately it’s about the value you are bringing to the reader. You must write for them and cater to their needs with the utmost intent of providing truthful value.
Is your material in-depth? Long-form content works because that often means it offers solid answers in great detail.
Does it answer common questions that potential patients have about treatments and conditions?
Is your website more than just proof of existence? Does it have personality? Aesthetically pleasing? Resourceful?
There is loads of information on the web about which type of content is best for the reader and Google. Long-form generally wins but it has to be for the right reasons —meaning there’s no need to belabor a point just to make it long. If the topic is worthy of extensive explanation then by all means take that opportunity. Google sees it as robust and valuable and it increases your authority on the subject. Details are important to the reader. They want to feel educated after consuming your content.
The impression you make with the content on your site sets the tone for how your reader views you, your practice and your credibility. It’s a shining moment opportunity.
Headlines & Formatting
Fresh, flowing, captivating headlines make a difference to Google and your reader. Keep them short, sweet, and to the point but juicy enough to grab a reader’s attention.
Most people only read the first few words and the last few words of a headline when scanning for information. Front load the good stuff if possible.
Use emotion and power words. FREE. TESTED. ULTIMATE. DEADLINE. INSTANTLY. Those are just a few.
Review headline and body formatting. Are you using the proper heading style, H1, H2, H3, or normal text? Headline tags tell Google what information is most important and they guide your reader on a smooth ride through the content.
Keywords are important but don’t be greedy. It’s a common myth to want to stuff them all over so Google notices them. That practice actually has ill effects when abused.
Break up large paragraphs because it makes it easier for the reader to scan through easily.
Product Descriptions
Refresh product descriptions. Remove duplicate content.
Features are important but what about the benefits? That’s the “what’s in it for me” factor that prompts a purchase. The more compelling the description the stronger the draw.
Categorize and improve search filters. An attractive and user-friendly products and services page improves your interaction with the patient/customer.
Have a chatbot on the page. Chatbots help answer any immediate questions and initiate an interaction.
Image Name
When naming an image call it exactly what it is. Don’t send a mixed message with the image name. Separate with hyphens, i.e. womens-blue-summer-spf-hat. It makes the image name readable and searchable.
Meta Descriptions
This is the description of what each page is about. While it seems Google isn’t ranking based on meta descriptions, it’s best to err on the side of caution and have them completed. It doesn’t hurt you to do so and if an algorithm change should occur that includes ranking for meta, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Links
Make sure all of your links are viable. Websites become discontinued or pages get renamed. Your user will feel the brunt of the dead-end, bad link.
Link out to reputable sites only.
Identify from your analytics which sites are backlinking to you. Perhaps you are providing content that is making you an authority on a subject or condition and you weren’t aware of it.
You can strengthen relationships through linking (with other specialties) and it is good to acknowledge where your information is being valued. It could also give you another idea of a target market you were unaware of.
HTPPS
S stands for secure. Is your webpage up to date and secure? When the words NOT SECURE are plastered in the url bar, it casts a slightly negative shadow on your site.
At the end of the day, SEO is an easy opportunity to shine. Most of the tips mentioned are quick and easy to implement.
This is not an exhaustive list but a great starting point for anyone that is ready to understand and incorporate it into their strategy.
As a copywriter at heart, SEO and sales are the foundation that my content framework is built. It takes time, effort, and consistency.
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