Medical practice administrators often overlook marketing in favor of RCM and other ongoing concerns. However, unless you have all of the patients you will ever need, you will have to get noticed by prospective patients and others looking for someone in your specialty. For new physicians and other providers, this is especially critical to growing your practice. We will give several proven tips you can use immediately to optimize your online presence and attract new patients and business.

1. Geotag Your Location With Google Maps and Other Directories

You may not know that if your website (and you should have one) does not rank in the top three results on Google or other search engines, you could be missing new patients.

Your practice’s location should be one of the first things to be optimized: most new and prospective patients search by the city when searching for their area’s specialty-specific providers.

One good strategy is “geotagging” your office photos to pinpoint your location. (Geotagging refers to attaching latitude and longitude coordinates to a JPG photo file.) Be sure to mention your city at least once in every page title, URLs, and within your blogs. Don’t forget to register and update your practice’s location and contact information on Google Maps and other directory websites. Doing so will go a long way to improving your online visibility for prospective patients searching for your specialty.

2. Research and Update Industry SEO Keywords Frequently

It would help if you did this at least once every three months to stay current with healthcare topic trends and buzzwords. Check your competitors’ use of keywords – are they getting responses and increased viewership? If so, you know what to do.

Producing relevant blog posts on your website, such as some of the possible risks of telemedicine treatment, may help bring new patients into your office if research shows that people in your area are looking for telemedicine alternatives or options. Other potential patients may be searching for a practitioner who is participating in telemedicine. Know the angle to use with the audience you’re trying to reach and what topics they’re looking for.

The healthcare industry is undergoing tremendous changes and upheavals mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so keeping your website content as current as possible is essential to attract (and keep) patients.

3. Use Keywords With Low Competition and High Specialty-Search Volumes

One of the best ways to stay on top of the competition in SEO rankings and trends is to use low-competition keywords not yet in widespread use on other physicians’ websites. Words that are just beginning to have traction among viewers can boost your practice to the top of search results while enhancing your professional reputation as a leader and influencer in a specific healthcare trend.

Within this context, publish content, such as a blog, featuring these exact keywords or emerging hot-button topics before other competitors have a chance to grab them. Using low-competition keywords can also result in having a more significant amount of fresher, organic content on your website, something that is generally favored by Google’s algorithms and more likely to reach a broader range of viewers.

While it can be a challenge to achieve a top-tier ranking with Google, you should see your pages rise in rankings over your competition with a bit of well-spent research and implementing the suggestions above.

4. Email Campaigns Can Boost Awareness

Finally, consider using well-designed email marketing campaigns to reach out to existing patients and help position yourself as a knowledgeable leader in your field.

Unfortunately, even the best-run campaign can wind up in patients’ spam folders, so here are some tips to avoid increasing your spam scores and automatically sending unread emails to spam folders.

• Remove bounced email addresses.
• Do ask subscribers to add you to their address book.
• Never use a no-reply email address.
• Avoid using large images or many images, which almost guarantees a one-way trip to the spam folder.
• Avoid using all caps as well as exclamation points.
• Avoid spam trigger words, such as “free,” “no obligation,” or other “salesy” language.
• Use standard, readable fonts, and colors.
• Watch out for spelling, punctuation, and other errors.
• Utilize varying campaigns, such as seasonal messages (skincare tips for summer, wintertime skincare) to keep content relevant and fresh.

There are a few caveats to be aware of with any commercial email campaign: know the regulations of the CAN-SPAM Act, which sets requirements for all commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop sending, and establishes strict penalties for violations. Among things to avoid are:

• Deceptive subject lines
• False or misleading header information
• Failure to disclose the message as advertising
• Not giving location information, including a physical address

Finally, as with any correspondence between your office and patients, keep it HIPAA-compliant.

Remember that many physicians and other healthcare providers have successfully used the above tips and tactics to boost their online standing and ultimately increase organic traffic, increasing new-patient appointments and a more successful growing practice. A solid SEO strategy that is frequently evaluated and updated as needed can pay off with increased patient traffic through your doors.

Partner With M-Scribe – An Industry Leader for RCM

If you’re searching for more ways to grow your practice, M-Scribe’s services can help you take control over your billing, RCM, and other practice management tasks. Many medical practices face challenges keeping up with the latest RCM technological advancements, including correct coding and billing.

Since 2002, we have helped thousands of practices of all specialties and sizes to thrive in the recent economic headwinds while keeping fully compliant with federal, state, and industry regulations.

Contact M-Scribe at 770-666-0470 or email: info@m-scribe.com for a complimentary, confidential consultation with one of our experienced practice consultants to learn how to save your practice money, increase revenues and help you maintain the highest levels of patient satisfaction.

{{cta(‘6523d9cb-b3a1-473c-a2d4-8e190678ea6e’,’justifycenter’)}}