Summary
SEO is the “scary monster under the bed” of marketing. It keeps marketers up at night, wondering if they’re doing enough … or if they’re doing it right … or if they’ll ever see the fruits of their labor on Google search results pages.
SEO is important in every industry. An optimized website brings in more leads, sales, and customers.
We’ll admit it — we’re biased — but we think SEO matters even more in healthcare. When it’s done right, SEO helps patients get the health info they need from a reputable source, and ultimately find the people with whom they can entrust their care. Emphasis on “when it’s done right.”
Explore the multidimensional nature of SEO with us, including the 4 types of SEO and our take on SEO as a healthcare marketing agency that specializes in these services.
Related: It takes more than SEO to create content your audience can find. Learn how we create findable content for health systems.
Truthfully, there are more than 4 ways to drive traffic and reach your audience (we’ll get into those later), but the 4 types of SEO are:
Read examples of all 4 types of SEO and learn how to you optimize your website for each.
On-page SEO is about the elements of your site that users can see. It’s called “on-page” — or “on-site” — because it involves the content that lives on your website.
Examples of on-page SEO:
To optimize your website’s on-page SEO, share high-quality content your audience needs and use keywords that help them find it. (Wondering how to choose the right keywords?)
It’s time to spy on your competitors: What keywords are they targeting on each page? Where are they ranking in search results?
Pay attention to search terms you could use on your site. Then use a keyword research tool to find more keywords and related terms your audience is searching for. There are many free and paid tools to choose from:
Target 1-2 primary keywords per page, plus some closely related terms (secondary keywords). For example, if you’re targeting “pediatric oncologist,” you could also target “children’s cancer hospital,” “pediatric oncology” and “oncologist for children.”
Sprinkle these keywords and phrases naturally into these parts of your content:
This is a given, of course. Content that’s surface-level, inaccurate, or simply a regurgitation of what already exists online isn’t helpful to readers and won’t keep them on your site very long.
Focus on answering a searcher’s query with accurate, original content that’s easy to read or skim. Great content is:
Google has more to say about content quality markers.
Sometimes, the marketing gods smile down on us and bestow a term that actually makes sense. This is an example.
Off-page SEO — or off-site SEO — includes elements outside of your website that help you rank. The major elements are backlinks and reviews mentioning your website. Both of these give your site an authority boost and show Google you’re a credible source.
Ask patients and former customers for reviews on third-party sites like Google or Yelp. The more your organization is mentioned positively, the more trust you’ll build with prospects (and Google).
Pro tip: Ask for reviews but never offer an incentive. Offering a reward for reviewing goes against Google’s and Yelp’s policies and can get your review (or your account) removed.
When another website links out to yours, it’s called a backlink. Backlinks are important to your healthcare SEO strategy because they build your site’s authority. When other credible sites link to your site as a reliable source, Google is more likely to recommend (rank) your pages.
How to build your healthcare backlink strategy:
Social media is an extension of your website. Your social accounts can rank below (or above) your site on search engines. Including your site URL on Instagram, LinkedIn, or other platforms helps drive more people to your website.
You can also share links to new website content, like blogs, on social media. While this won’t directly affect your search rankings, it can lead to people resharing your links, which helps your SEO.
Technical SEO accounts for the optimization you do in the background. Some of it includes things visitors will notice, like site load time and mobile usability. Other elements of technical SEO go under a user’s radar but are important to search engines.
Many healthcare organizations hire an SEO team for this level of maintenance, but there are things you can do for your technical SEO without getting too far in the weeds.
Waiting for a webpage to load can be frustrating for users. A long load time can lead to users bouncing off your site. Copy and paste your webpage URL into Google PageSpeed to check your load time and see specific recommendations.
Two-thirds of Google searches are done on a mobile device, so make sure your website is optimized for mobile users. Creating a mobile-friendly site requires a responsive design that makes your site easy to navigate, no matter the device. Read more about optimizing your website for mobile.
Publishing a new page isn’t enough for it to show up in search results. It needs to be indexed by Google (and that doesn’t always happen automatically).
For your pages to be indexed, they need to be crawlable by Google’s bots. Use Google Search Console to check which pages are indexed and work with an SEO team to solve crawling issues.
Local SEO in healthcare is crucial for organizations with brick-and-mortar locations (like hospitals). Optimizing your local SEO helps you rank for keywords in a specific city or state or show up in results based on a searcher’s location.
Creating a Google Business Profile is necessary to show up on Google Maps and “X near me” searches. To set up your Business Profile, follow Google’s guidelines and include your:
Local keywords include a location, such as “cardiologist in El Paso, Texas.” Target these keywords on main pages of your website:
Want a step-by-step guide to help you balance all 4 types of SEO and come out on top of search engines? We made this just for you.
Free download: SEO Cheatsheet for Healthcare Marketers
On-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO have a major impact on your website’s ability to rank. But they aren’t the only strategies you should use to drive website traffic.
Search behavior isn’t what it was in 2019. People don’t only search on Google now — they also use social media and AI platforms to find answers to their questions. (Think Instagram, TikTok, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.)
Your greater “search” strategy needs to include optimizing your website for AI search and optimizing your social media posts for those algorithms. (Keywords matter on social media, too!)
It’s a big undertaking, but you aren’t in it alone. Keep up with our content to build an informed search strategy for the modern age. Or jump ahead of your competitors by partnering with our SEO and content marketing strategies.
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SEO algorithms and best practices are always going to evolve. We keep up with the industry and drop you a line when there’s something you need to know.
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AUTHOR
Ahava Leibtag, Founder and CEO
Ahava is a leading expert in healthcare content strategy and is recognized for her ability to make complex medical information accessible. She has spent nearly two decades transforming how healthcare organizations communicate with their audiences. Ahava is trusted across the industry for her clarity, evidence-based approach, and thought leadership.
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