Healthcare marketing can be very challenging. In fact, many healthcare facilities share the notion that new patient acquisition should mainly stem from referrals. While this certainly can be an effective method, it’s not a sustainable or very trackable method to gage success. To truly grow and expand your facility or practice, you’ll need to invest in additional marketing tactics, such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Attract New Patients With Optimized Content
So your healthcare facility has a website. That’s enough, right? Wrong! A non-optimized website is about as good as outdated or broken medical equipment. Sure, you have it, but it’s not really helping.
According to Google, 1 in 20 searches in Google are for health-related information. To ensure your website is capturing this audience, you need to have the appropriate content. Your content needs to:
Contain relevant, high-traffic driving, and trending keywords.
– The medical terminology you use, might not be the terms your patients are using. Do your research!
Answer popular questions
– When people search for healthcare related information, a lot of their searches are question based. Whether they are trying to find where you are, or what medical condition they have, you want to have that information on your site.
Discuss relevant and popular procedures/conditions
– Give users the background information they need so that they don’t have to look elsewhere.
Be The First Found When an Emergency Happens
When people have a medical emergency or issue they’ll often look for immediate help within their area online. If you’re not listed locally and your site isn’t locally optimized, you’re allowing you competitors to capture patients in need. To combat this, you’ll need to ensure the following:
NAP Consistency On Your Website
– Your business name, address, and phone number need to be listed accurately and consistently throughout your website on every page.
Your Local Listings are optimized
– Along with your website, your healthcare facility needs to be listed across the top local listings. Similarly to your website, the contact information needs to be consistent and accurate, too. However, just being listed isn’t quite enough. You’ll need to:
– Select relevant categories
– Add images
– Fill out descriptions
– Encourage Reviews
– Aside from the fact that 90% of users read online reviews before visiting a business, reviews have also been discussed as a ranking factor. Although it has not been announced officially by Google, there have been studies (like the one done by Darren Shaw) that show a direct correlation amongst reviews and rankings. Reviews will also help to build trust before the first encounter.
Make It Easy To Schedule an Appointment or Contact You
According to KoMarketing, 51% of people think “thorough contact information” is the most important element missing from many company websites. To ensure your healthcare facility is providing the best user experience, your website should include:
– Your phone number, prominently placed towards both the top of the page, and within the footer. If you can make this number click-to-call, even better.
– A simple schedule an appointment and/or a contact form that asks for the least amount of information needed. According to Accenture, 66% of US health systems will offer digital self-scheduling by the end of 2019. Don’t get left behind!
– Your hours of operation/availability.
Connect Through Various Forms of Media
It’s 2017, people aren’t just reading text anymore. Most users want to see images and videos. It provides a good user experience and reaches users who are searching on other platforms such as Youtube. These images and videos allow you to show off your office, show your personality, and put a face to your practice. Often times, many people are hesitant or just downright scared to go to a healthcare facility. These will help create a relationship before it really begins.
In fact, users are becoming so comfortable with video that 64% of Americans would be willing to have a video visit with a doctor.
Final Diagnosis:
There’s a huge opportunity for your practice or office to grow and expand with healthcare marketing tactics such as SEO. With search interest and competition continuing to rise, you need to make sure your healthcare facility is out-in-front.
What marketing challenges has your Healthcare facility faced? Let us know in the comments below!
By: David McDowell