Did you know that 77% of people searching for health information online start with a search engine like Google?
As more consumers turn to the web to look for local businesses, local SEO has never been more effective. In fact, nearly 4 out of 5 local mobile searches lead to offline purchases. The vast majority of these purchases occur on the same day of the search.
Is your healthcare business website optimized for local search? Read on to find out why you might need the help of a local SEO company.
How a Healthcare Business Benefits from Local SEO
The first 5 results on Google are responsible for nearly 70% of all clicks. If your business isn’t near the top of local search results, most potential clients won’t find you.
Some of the biggest local ranking factors include the following:
- Business proximity
- Consistent citations
- On-page signals (keywords, anchor texts, inbound links, etc.)
- Social media (Twitter follows, Facebook likes, Google+ authority, etc.)
- Online reviews
- Click-through rate
A local SEO company can audit your site in order to uncover any issues. They offer guest post services for link building, and they provide keyword research to help you rank for local long-tail keywords. Also, they check your listings to make sure your citations are consistent across the web.
As a result, your business can sneak into the first page of Google, bringing in a steady stream of new clients.
Signs That You Need a Local SEO Company
Are you one of the 80% of small businesses that aren’t investing in SEO?
Simply having a website isn’t enough to stand out from your competitors. Let’s take a step back and look at a few of the biggest signs that your healthcare business needs local SEO services.
1. Your Business Ranks Poorly on Search Engines
Type the name of the service you provide into Google. After you hit enter, you’ll notice a short list of local businesses at the top. If your competitors are outranking you, consider revamping your local SEO strategy. Sometimes, there are some quick fixes to help boost your search ranking. Your site may, however, have some issues that are doing damage. If you are unfamiliar with technical (on-page) SEO, look to an agency for help.
2. Your Business Lacks a Strong Online Presence
Aside from Google Business Profile, you should also claim your listing on other local directories such as Yelp and Yellow Pages. If you already claimed them, make sure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent. There are literally dozens of ‘citation’ sites across the web. Some of these have picked up your information from aggregators and may be displaying inaccurate information about your business. If you have moved or changed a phone number, there is a good chance that some sites never updated your information. In Google’s eyes, this information needs to be consistent across all sites.
3. Your Site Isn’t Optimized for Mobile
Over half of all Google searches now come from mobile devices. A mobile optimized site could significantly boost your website’s local rankings. There are many aspects to creating a mobile optimized site, but first and foremost, your site needs to be responsive. What that means is that it needs to render well on all devices, including phones and tablets.
Consider using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). Google is really pushing AMP markup, in order to make for a better page viewing experience by increasing the speed of pages. A simpler design, which loads faster = better experience for the site visitor.
4. You Don’t Have Time to Focus on Local SEO
SEO is not something you do once and forget about. It’s not just a plugin for your site either. Google rolls out hundreds of algorithm changes per year, so it can be difficult to stay informed about the subject without the help of an expert. SEO takes a lot of time to implement and maintain, so if you’re not in the business of SEO, you should look for help.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t already, claim your Google My Business listing as soon as possible. But don’t forget to verify your business as well. Click the “Verify Now” button and request a postcard, which should arrive within 2 weeks.
Before developing content for your website, focus on researching local keywords. Doing so will help you figure out what potential clients near you are searching for when trying to find healthcare services in the area.
Contact us today so we can help you maximize the online visibility of your business!
