3 Easy Ways Doctors Can Boost Their Online Presence
In the modern age, if your medical practice doesn’t have an online presence, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to attract new patients. In fact, 77% of patients rely on online reviews as their first method of finding a new doctor.
With so many different channels available to choose from (including social media, Google, and your own website) it can be difficult to know where to begin when it comes to fine-tuning your online persona. Here are the basics that all medical practitioners should be utilizing.
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Blogging
Did you know that 80% of Internet users turn to the internet in order to research a health-related topic? To harness some of this online traffic, it’s smart to spend some time blogging about the topics that your patients (or potential patients) are curious about.
Use a keyword search tool like Ahrefs, BuzzSumo, or Google Keyword Planner to discover what topics your target audience is searching for. Online forums like Reddit and Quora are also helpful ways to learn about what topics your patients care about. This could include trending new diets, medical procedures, or diseases that they’re worried about.
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Mobile Optimization
Is your website optimized for mobile? Nearly 62% of Americans use their mobile devices to look up health-related information, and more than half of Google’s health-related searches are conducted on a smartphone or tablet. In response, Google updated its algorithm in 2015 to give preference to medical websites that are mobile-optimized.
Speak with your web developer about making your website friendlier for use on mobile devices. They will enable your website to load faster on smartphones and tablets, make sure content auto-formats to the size of the mobile screen, and more. If you’re unsure whether or not your website is friendly for smartphones, use this mobile-friendly test provided by Google.
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Online Reviews
When it comes to finding a doctor or health information, many Internet users turn to their peers. While the actual online reviews might be out of your hands, there are still several things that physicians can do in order to boost their positive ratings.
If you haven’t already, claim your profile on popular review websites like Healthgrades, Yelp, Vitals, ZocDoc, and Google Reviews. Make sure all of your listed information is accurate, including your contact information and list of services.
Whenever possible, try to respond to negative reviews in a constructive way. Sixty percent of respondents to a Software Advice survey believe that it’s important for doctors to post a response to reviews, and pay close attention to how the doctor responds.
Though there’s no end to the ways that doctors can improve their online presence, three great ways to get started including blogging, making sure your online reviews are up-to-par, and ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly. With these three basics covered, you’ll be well on your way to securing new patients and maintaining current ones. Get in touch Top Ranking Media and schedule a complimentary analysis of your practice’s web presence and we can help you maximize your efforts for optimal results.