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How can independent physicians leverage search engine optimization (SEO)?

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What exactly is search engine optimization (SEO) and why would an independent physician be concerned about it? Although physicians are focused on treating and ensuring the health of their patients, their practice is a business and that business must be promoted to entice new patients and, subsequently, to grow and be successful. SEO is, quite simply, a tool that enables new patients to find the practice when they search online.

Independent physicians typically have a web page for their practice. New patients who have just moved to the area or who want to find a new physician will typically first use a search engine such as Google to investigate their options. They may put in keywords for their search, such as “family practice,” “online appointments,” or “electronic health records.” If the physician’s website contains enough of those keywords for the search engine to find them, the practice will appear toward the top of the results for that new patient.

SEO seems simple but in many ways it is not. Search engines use algorithms to determine which sites rank in what position in their results. Keywords are one factor. Overloading the site with keywords will backfire, however. They should be used strategically and naturally in the description of the practice, the staff, and the provider. Refreshing content regularly will also improve search results.

Links are another factor in SEO. Internal links from blog posts back to the original site are helpful. External links to and from other sites also work well for SEO. The independent physician might have a business or community organization provide a link to the practice from their website.

SEO can also be key in social media posts, although the algorithms for social media platforms can change fairly often. Essentially, though, employing keywords relevant to the practice will rank the posts higher in a potential patient’s feed.

When considering SEO, the independent physician should think about the keywords that a potential patient might use to find the practice when searching online. Using those keywords appropriately, refreshing content regularly, and including links to and from other sites will boost the SEO and boost the number of new patients who find the practice in their search results.