A strong online presence is essential for the success of any healthcare business. With more people turning to the internet for healthcare services and information, increasing online visibility is crucial to attracting potential patients and staying ahead of the competition. There used to be a time when businesses thrived without a strong internet presence, but that is untrue.
Your online business identity is quickly becoming the most crucial way people find you and patronize your services, and even the healthcare sector is included. This was further heightened during the pandemic, with millions needing direct access to healthcare and almost everything being done remotely. A survey further showed how important a strong online presence was, as it came back with these findings:
- 80% of respondents used the internet in doing healthcare-related searches in the past year.
- 63% of respondents will choose one provider because of its strong online presence.
- 60% of respondents have chosen one provider over another based on a positive online reputation.
Without a strong online presence, it’s tough, if not impossible, to run a thriving business regardless of what industry you are operating in. However, you need digital marketing to build an online presence, reach the targeted audience and convert leads into paying customers.
Here are the Strategies to Increase Your Healthcare Online Visibility:
Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
Think of your professional website as your primary online business presence. Not only is a website a helpful communication tool, but it’s also a forum where patients can navigate and find answers to lingering health issues they might have and need clarification on. Your business website should be a hub of information, attracting future patients and pointing current patients to their most pressing needs (i.e., patient portal, contact information for their care providers, breakdown of how to pay medical bills, etc.).
When building your “professional” website, consider what your target audience is interested in seeing. Include keywords related to your healthcare business that people might search for when looking for services like yours. Employing the right search engine optimization (SEO), techniques can help you stand out in Google search results and give your business a leg up on the competition.
Leverage Social Media
Social media is a very important tool for building trust and brand awareness. Taking the time as a healthcare provider to grow and maintain your online presence helps in:
- Marketing your products and services
- Improves your visibility locally or nationally.
- Helps your audience get to know the providers available to them.
- Provides evidence-based medical information to combat all of the misinformation being spread on social media.
When building a social media presence, consider how to best use each platform based on how beneficial it would be to your healthcare business. For example, make sure you are very conversant with the platforms (ranging from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that are easily accessible and have the highest traffic of prospective patients. Search for hashtags, groups, and conversations relevant to your healthcare field and engage people. Post sharable content or run a blog where you write and ask for people’s thoughts. The more you share and engage with people online, the more visible you and your healthcare organization become.
Invest In Content Marketing
Creating content is one of the easiest, cheapest, and most effective ways to increase your online business’s visibility. Good content will help inform potential clients about what you do, showcase your medical expertise, and build trust among your subject area community. Some ways of engaging your potential clients are by running a podcast or medically-based talk shows where people can call to interact and get answers to their medical needs.
Consider Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Advertising and pay-per-click are essential tools that boost brand visibility and increase website inquiries, leads, and sales. In the early days of building your online presence, it’s vital to experiment, run search ad campaigns and shopping campaigns for e-commerce sites, build brand awareness, and split test. Take cues from competitors; if it wasn’t working, they wouldn’t do it.
Build an Email Marketing Campaign
Developing an email marketing campaign involves creating a regular newsletter or informative emails that provide valuable health-related content, updates on your services, and special offers. By encouraging visitors to subscribe to your email list, here are the advantages:
- Keeps your audience interested and informed about your healthcare business.
- Increases brand awareness and visibility through regular communication.
- Drives traffic to your website and promotes your services.
- Builds trust and credibility with personalized and valuable content.
Collaborate with Influencers and Industry Experts
Partnering with influencers and industry experts in the healthcare field can significantly expand your reach and credibility. By collaborating with them through guest blogging, webinars, or interviews, you can leverage their existing audience to promote your services and establish your business as a trusted authority.
Implement Local SEO Strategies
Implementing local search engine optimization (SEO) strategies is crucial if your healthcare business serves a specific geographic area. It involves optimizing your online that:
- Target specific geographical areas, attracting local customers to your healthcare business.
- Improves visibility in local search results, increasing website traffic and conversions.
- Enhances online reputation through positive reviews and ratings.
- Helps potential patients find and contact your business easily.
Offer Valuable Resources and Tools
Providing valuable resources and tools on your website demonstrates your expertise and helps users with their health-related needs. By offering informative articles, interactive tools, or downloadable guides, you can attract visitors to your website and establish your company as a trustworthy source of information.
Enhancing the online visibility of your healthcare business is crucial in today’s digital landscape. By adopting effective digital marketing techniques, you can gain a competitive edge, attract more patients, and foster practice growth. Building a strong digital presence allows you to reach a wider audience, establish trust and credibility, and drive meaningful engagement with potential patients. Embrace the power of digital marketing to elevate your healthcare business and unlock new opportunities for success in the online realm.
Danny Shepherd
Danny Shepherd is co-CEO of Intero Digital, a 350-person St. Louis digital marketing agency that offers comprehensive, results-driven marketing solutions. Danny has more than 20 years of experience directing paid media strategies, optimizing SEO, and building solutions-oriented content and PR. He leads a team of experts in web design and development, Amazon marketing, social media, video, and graphic design.