SEO for Dermatologists
Dermatology is in high demand. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, over 85 million people across the United States suffer from a number of skin diseases. Those include but are not limited to skin cancer, psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema. Acne by itself is the number one skin condition in the U.S., impacting over 50 million Americans every year.
There is obviously a market for skin care, but it’s a competitive one. You may have noticed that your office is seeing fewer baby boomers and more millennials. That may be a result of the fact that millennials have passed boomers as the largest living generation in the U.S.
The reason the dermatology field has gotten so competitive isn’t because patients can find dermatologists. Rather, it’s because they can find so many and have to narrow their options. Approximately 85% of all patients go online to find dermatologists, and over half of millennials will use only information they find online.
For all intents and purposes, your website is the skin of your dermatology office. It’s the first thing many people see, so it better be healthy and beautiful. To optimize it for your users, you’ll also need the help of dermatology SEO experts who can delve into technical digital marketing strategies such as keyword research and competitive analysis.
What Is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It refers to various techniques intended to make your website rank higher in relevant search engine results for phrases or keywords related to your dermatology office. It can also involve some reputation management. For instance, you might strategically place keywords in these areas of your website:
- Meta descriptions
- Page headings
- Title tags
In addition, you could create customized content that emphasizes phrases and keywords that connect with your medical practice
Why SEO for Dermatologists is so Important
Patients and consumers needing or wanting dermatological services aren’t going to spend a lot of time looking for them. They’re used to the Internet giving them information quickly and easily, and if they’re younger they’ve grown up with that convenience.
Your website has to be something they can:
- Find fast
- Navigate easily
- Trust quickly
SEO strategy, when properly implemented, launches your website to the top of Google’s rankings for search engine users looking for a dermatologist. Your goal is to offer a reliable online presence for people who decide they need your services.
How Can Dermatology SEO Services Boost Sales?
SEO can boost your dermatology website’s visibility in the results pages of search engines. That’s key because ranking higher matters since most users only look at the links on the first page provided to them. For that matter, most stay “above the fold” and only look at the top three links.
You can get there by taking advantage of marketing services that optimize:
- Content
- User experience
- Keywords
- Local search
- Lead generation
It starts with drawing in more visitors, but SEO and brand awareness help you convert them into new patients.
5 Benefits of SEO for Dermatologists
Dermatology SEO has many benefits, but here are five of which you should take note:
1. Improved Rankings in Search Results
If you rank in the top three Google search results for your healthcare industry, then you’ll garner over half of the clicks that all sites receive. Ranking higher translates to more attention, more visitors, and more revenue.
2. More Website Traffic
SEO won’t just give you more visitors, but also more traffic. You might think that those are one and the same, but there’s actually a distinction to be made. Drawing visitors to your site is nothing to sniff at, but you don’t just want one-time visitors. You need people to come to your website and interact with your content. That’s why traffic is more valuable than visitor count in dermatology marketing.
3. Increased Awareness
Getting to the top of the link mountain doesn’t just give you prominent visibility–it means you’re winning the attention war with your competitors. You’ll get more attention than dermatologists whose links are lower on the search results page, and the sites on pages two and three won’t stand a chance.
4. Heightened Credibility
Google used to just be a popularity contest of sorts. Whoever had the most backlinks simply won. The search engine giant changed that a decade ago because they knew their users wanted very accurate results. People trust the search engines they use, Google or otherwise, so they trust the top links to be credible sources with useful and accurate information.
When you appear at the top of the first search results page, you automatically command authority and trustworthiness.
5. More Patients
Getting more website traffic should lead to more people engaging your business online. If your website reflects your practice’s admirable reputation, visitors will eventually come to trust you as a provider who can help them with their skincare needs. Developing that robust online reputation as a medical practice is more valuable than simply booking more billable patients.
5 SEO Tips for Dermatologists
Prospective patients looking for dermatologist offices can quickly become inundated with information, which is why yours has to stand out. Want to know what that’s like? Research some SEO tips you can use to get there.
You’ll get buried pretty fast, so consider experimenting with these:
1. Start With Keyword Research
In healthcare marketing, everything starts with the right keyword research. You need to figure out what phrases or words people are using to try to find local dermatologists such as yourself. Knowing those words helps you customize your content so it appears in related search queries.
2. Create Helpful Content
If you want to encourage visitors to return to your site often, then you need to give them a reason to do so. A marketing campaign that delivers content that caters to their frequently-asked questions is a great way to do just that. A blog dispensing medical advice is another effective way to keep things fresh so people return on a regular basis.
3. Streamline Your Website’s Navigation
Visitors to your website are looking for specific deliverables, and it’s your job to make them accessible and apparent. A navigation menu is crucial, and you should also link to information sub-categories and incorporate a search function.
4. Optimize for Local Searches
Nearly everyone looks for a dermatologist in their local area from time to time. Since so many of your patients will discover you through local searches, you must ensure that your geographic location is on display throughout your website copy, page titles, and URLs. Also make sure you take advantage of Google Maps, Google My Business, and local directories operated by other search engines like Bing in order to maximize your local SEO.
5. Optimize for Mobile
Over half of all Internet searches take place on mobile devices. To take advantage of that, optimize your website for smartphones and tablets. That way, you can capture mobile traffic and enhance their individual user experiences with your dermatology practice website.
Conclusion
As you can see, SEO marketing is an invaluable aspect of any dermatology practice’s business plan. Not only can SEO marketing experts help you attract potential patients, but they can establish a foolproof plan to promote your practice online and construct a rock-solid brand.
If you’re looking to take your practice to the next level, then it’s time to invest in a digital marketing agency that specializes in SEO.