Everyone these days is talking about Search Engine Optimization. And to top it all, local SEO is playing a major role. Why is this so? Because people want to know the address and phone numbers instantly of whatever they are searching. When it comes to local SEO strategies for doctors, it is a crucial thing. Healthcare sector is such that people want to keep the phone numbers with them. Therefore it is vital to do a local SEO for a clinic and local SEO for hospitals.
There was no such thing called local SEO for healthcare a few years ago. But with the changes in technology, growth in the number of multi-specialty hospitals and evolution of digital marketing, it has become a necessity in every sector. Doctors really have to keep a tab on local SEO to stay ahead in their business.
If a patient already knows the name of the hospital or clinic but unaware of how it is and how is the treatment. So what he or she will do is immediately type the name of the hospital on Google and find it out how it is. But if your hospital or clinic is not there online then you are not even in the race of getting ahead of everyone? Therefore, having a powerful local SEO is the key to participate in the race of digital marketing.
How to do local SEO for your hospital or clinic
1. Use proper title and meta description
Keyword research is crucial and once done make sure to include in the title of the blog or website. Also, it is important to have a proper meta description that includes all the keywords. Google has also increased the characters of the meta description from 50 to 60 characters to 160 to 200 characters.
This limit gives a pretty much ease to give a sufficient explanation of the product or a service, in your case, the hospital.
2. Google My Business Page
Registering your clinic or hospital on Google My Business Page is a biggie for local SEO. If you have filled in all the detail then your name will appear at the top of Google search or maps. It is easy to create a page on Google My Business as you can update it anytime.
It comes for free and gives your business an extreme exposure if it is optimized enough. Add all your information, right from the name, address, phone number, website, pictures etc and you are good to go. Reviews and rating also do matter a lot for local SEO.
3. Online reviews
People prefer to read reviews before taking any action. And when it comes to visiting a doctor, people do want to take multiple opinions. I had a meniscus injury a few years ago. The doctor who I was planning to visit was online. I asked for his reviews to more than 10 of his patients and when I was assured, I visited him.
The patients are very critical when they have to consult a doctor. So make sure that you have reviews on Google My Business Page and also on Facebook. People these days are a lot of social media. So they will definitely check for reviews there as well. So make sure the reviews are there on Facebook and that too positive.
4. Directory listings
It is vital to list your business on directories like Justdial, Sulekha to name a few. Also if you are able to list your hospital in local directories then it is well and good. Also if possible you can put the name, phone number and address of your hospital or clinic on major citation data aggregators that include Bright Local, Vendasta, Advise local etc. Always check the name, phone number and address is correct or not. Any error will affect the local SEO and your names will slide down.
5. Sponsor local events
There are many local events taking place in the city like blood donation camps or any other social work. So try to sponsor those events for a good cause. This will make people aware of your brand and they will start recognizing it. Provide a QR code on the banners that will be kept during the event. This will enable the people to scan the code and visit the website of the hospital.
Also, as part of the corporate social responsibility, you can organize free health checkup camps for the people so that it will help in creating a goodwill in the market.
Using such tactics to build the local SEO of your hospital will help a lot. Local SEO strategies for doctors and clinics are important and whatever mentioned in the above blog is just the tip of the iceberg, there a lot when it comes to local SEO for hospitals and healthcare. But to get things streamlined you can start with this as this is going to give you a positive outcome.
