Do you have a bad toothache or earache? Is it time to take your toddler to a paediatric dentist? Or do you need a second opinion on your recent tests?
Not long ago, finding the best doctor meant asking around and making your way to what you thought was the best medical expert in town. But things have changed!
Patients are going online to seek medical help. To keep up with the changing times, it’s important to build a website. Not sure what your website’s online presence is like? Let’s check. Do a quick Google search of your practice. Key in your name, your practice’s name, and keywords of your speciality in your city or area.
Does your information come up in the first pages of the results? Do you show up in searches of your speciality and location?
If you don’t, it’s time to work on building a digital presence – this can help build powerful human connections, help prospective patients can easily find your practice, regardless of where they are or what kind of device they’re using, and help grow your business.
1. Ensure visibility on every online channel
A robust online presence needs all-round visibility of your medical practice on all important online platforms – such as search engines, review websites, and social media.
This visibility can build your trustworthiness and your practice’s credibility, and can encourage prospective patients to make that call or book an appointment. A strong online presence means that your name/practice shows up in the top search results every time a patient searches on Google or any other search engine. Work to make that possible.
Ensure your website and social media pages communicate your message and standing in the medical community, and that all review websites have shining reviews from patients.
Your social media posts should be plentiful so that you gain influencer-like recognition for your subject of expertise. Gaining trust and recognition is half the battle won.
2. Try different techniques
It is important to know how targeting with keywords can help your website shoot up to the top of search results. A website with poor design but quality content and the right set of keywords will draw more traffic than one with great design but poor keywords.
Identify the right keywords and use them on your website and other content, be it blogs, articles, tags, and others. While finding the best keywords for you, remember that search engines, particularly Google, has shifted focus from keywords to “user intent”.
So, they show results after using keywords to understand why a user is searching a particular keyword. Putting your information on online business directories can help your users find you more easily. Most of them are free, and it’s ideal to focus on doctor-specific directories. You can also list yourself on apps that offer medical services.
3. Focus on the mobile-using population
Google says 60% of all healthcare-related searches are now happening on mobile devices. This means that it’s not enough to have an attractive website; it needs to be mobile-responsive or mobile-optimised. Why are mobile searches so important?
- They often lead to better conversions because of the last-minute angle.
- They let potential patients find nearby doctors and clinics for the treatment they want.
- The map feature/GPS system helps patients reach the doctor without delay.
- The tap-to-call feature allows immediate phone calls.
- It lets patients share information with friends, family, and colleagues – via chatting or social media apps.
4. Use social media to your advantage
Information on social media can have a direct influence on a prospective patient’s decisions to choose a specific doctor or seek a second opinion. The buzz created by ‘likes’, ‘shares’, and ‘retweets’ can also affect your site’s rating in Google searches.
Make sure you use your social media network to add to your credibility and post relevant content – regularly. Consistency is the keyword when it comes to gaining from the power of social media so make regular posts on all major social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and LinkedIn.
Regular posts and updates will increase engagement and improve your online presence. You can also become an expert in your field by posting short, informative videos about ailments, solutions, and more.
It is expected that video content will drive 70-80% of total online traffic soon, and it makes sense to make your content strategy video-centric.
5. Gain from the power of online reviews
A doctor’s online presence is incomplete without a stellar online reputation. It means that prospective patients are most likely to believe the reviews out there, and it’s extremely important for you to work on garnering positive feedback.
Adding reviews is the best way to continuously generate fresh content for your website, and climb up the search rankings. Reviews encourage patient interaction with your site so make sure you ask happy, satisfied customers to visit your website/reviews site and leave their feedback. Make sure that you make them happier by responding to every review.
1 in 20 searches that happen on Google every day is related to healthcare. And, these people are more likely to go to sites with high ratings. Reason enough for you to focus on building a robust digital presence? Boost 360 can help you do this and more.
