When you have a question about something you probably go to Google or another search engine to try to find the answer. Have you ever been overwhelmed with a myriad of unrelated web links you receive in your search results? You then adjust your search by changing your query hoping that will bring better results. This…

This doesn’t always work.

Search engines often make looking for the “right” information a grueling process, yet they are a first-line resource for the majority of Internet users. They will likely be the first-line resource for potential patients of yours, as well.

It’s important to understand that one of the key elements to online medical marketing is a healthcare practice website. Your website is pivotal to your inbound marketing strategy because it is the first meeting between you and your patient. First impressions matter, especially in the competitive world of page ranks and Google searches. Like other business owners, you want your practice’s website to be the patient’s final destination in the often tiring and treacherous act of Google searching. You want it to be aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate, and rich with information.

But most importantly, you want it to be found. In particular, you want to be found by your target audience and not by those who will pass on in disinterest. How do you make this happen? For starters, don’t sit back and hope your potential patients will pick the “right” search query. The obligation to grow your practice’s website by optimizing it for a Google search falls on you. The copy you use in your website or blog should be full of keywords – that is, words commonly used by patients in a search engine query.

Keywords work best when they are weaved into website copy naturally. Broad or one-word terms, such as “doctor” or “medical practice,” will likely not be enough to garner the interest of your target audience and will be highly competitive, so it’s important to make your keywords as specific as possible. Using different keywords in combination will often net more narrow results for the searcher. The more keywords you use, the higher your chances are of being found. So you do not always need to use the “right” or “perfect” keyword in your copy. Oftentimes, just adding the location of your target audience will make a significant difference in your search engine results (i.e.: Tampa LASIK surgeon).

Take the time to optimize the content on your website so you are more easily found by prospective patients. Want bonus points? Add a blog and write original content regularly using keywords that target your specialty. Blogs not only make search engines happy by providing them with new content, but also provide you with the ability to be found more easily by potential patients. Need help? Give us a call today.