You’ve probably heard of SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation. But what, exactly is SEO, and how will it help your medical practice? Here’s what you need to know about the methods and tools used to optimise your website for search engines, the vital contributions made by Doctify, and why they matter.
What is SEO? A Definition:
In an ideal world, when a person searching for services like yours uses Google, you want your website to pop up on page one of the search results. On-site Search Engine Optimisation involves making sure your website meets the requirements of search engine algorithms. When you give the algorithm what it needs, Google will reward you with better natural search visibility, with the goal being on the top of page one search results.
SEO also works off-site to improve your website’s visibility. If your web pages load slower than a competitor, for example, the search engine algorithm will give them priority over you in the search results. If they collect patient reviews and you don’t, their site will probably beat yours in the search results.
Your online reputation, the number of visitors you get, how long people stay on your web pages before clicking away, it all makes a difference to how many people will ultimately find your site on Google.
Mobile First and Page Loading Speed
Like all the efforts you make to optimise your content, mobile first taps into what internet users most want. Google prioritises the mobile search results simply because more people use their mobile devices to access the internet than desktops, laptops or tablets.
If you want good visibility, you’ll need to make certain your mobile site works just as well, contains just as much vital information, and looks just as good as your desktop site. If not better.
Because people like things to happen fast, the loading time of your web pages also makes a significant difference to online visibility. When your pages load a lot slower than your competitors’, guess who Google rewards?
About Review Schema for SEO
You’ll have noticed review snippets online. A review snippet is an excerpt of a review. It usually averages out the combined scores of all the people who have reviewed a business, and snippets often feature a line of stars. They’re very eye-catching, which is why SEO experts always do their best to mark-up reviews properly, using the right kind of code.
While you can’t force a search engine to feature your snippet, you can make it more likely that they will. To make it happen, you need to mark up your reviews in a certain way so Google knows for sure it’s looking at a review. You’re making Google’s life easier, so they can in turn make their users’ lives easier.
Doctify is all about reviews. Our clever system automatically marks up reviews so your Clinic or Individual profile has the best chance of being featured in the search results.
How Doctify Improves SEO with Backlinks
Doctify widgets are revolutionary. Thanks to an SEO-optimised profile on the Doctify website, you enjoy access to a site that’s visited by more than seventy thousand potential patients every month.
Your reviews are displayed on your site thanks to a powerful widget. As a Doctify member you can tap into powerful PR and Social Media Campaigns, and there’s every chance you’ll be featured on the Doctify blog with inspiring guest articles, and social media posts.
This helps supplement your existing website via backlinks.
Links from a respected, trusted website prove to Google that you’re a popular clinic that people enjoy interacting with. Google rewards you with another little improvement in your website’s visibility.
An Introduction to Google My Business for SEO
If you want your website to have a visible presence on Google, it makes a lot of sense to create an attractive Google My Business profile. It’s free, simple, and delivers a proven way to manage your online presence right across Google, including Google Search and Maps.
When you verify your information, you help patients find your clinic. As a clinic or individual on Google My Business you are twice as likely to be thought of as ‘reputable’. When you add photos to your profile you get 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps, and 35% more clicks to your site than those who don’t use Google My Business.
You can also connect your Doctify profile directly through Google My Business to boost your profile’s visibility
Best of all, at Doctify we’re perfectly happy to help you set everything up. Just get in touch with us at hello@doctify.co.uk
Social Media Signals for SEO
Social signals help reflect your site’s off-site SEO authority. The term ‘social signals’ describes all the ways in which your website or Doctify profile has been shared on Social Media.
Search engines notice when you’re getting a lot of social attention and clicks from social media referrals to your website or Doctify profile. This helps boost your SEO visibility.
The Power of Patient Reviews for SEO
The last ten years has seen the online market change beyond recognition thanks to the sheer, awesome power of online reviews. It might surprise you how many people refuse to make a buying decision without reading online reviews to check other people’s experiences.
Online reviews are incredibly powerful mini-marketing tools. A great review can seal an excellent online reputation.
Good reviews help you create a positive feedback loop with patients, boost your user-generated content, and improve your sales conversion rate. But the most important reason of all for getting into reviews is they help Google’s algorithm understand the authority your clinic or individual profile carries. This means reviews can ultimately deliver better website visibility, and more visitors, without expensive marketing campaigns.
