How to Use Local SEO To Boost Website Traffic

Did you know? Over 69% of all online searches are organic and local. 

Optimizing your website for local searches is one of the most important things you can do for your business. More patients are looking online for doctors in our post-pandemic world than ever. An effective local SEO strategy will drive more high-quality patients to your practice’s website and office.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a strategy that helps your business appear in more local Google searches. A local search is when a person uses a search engine to find local businesses in their current geographical area. These searches typically include location modifiers like “near me” or specific locations like “pain specialist in Baton Rouge.”

97% of search engine users search online to find a local business. Implementing a regional SEO strategy will give your business a better chance of appearing in those searches. Local searches on mobile devices that include “near me” or “close by” have increased by over 200% in the last two years.

Why Is It Important?

Optimizing your website with local keywords and phrases means more website traffic, more potential patients and more appointments booked. This strategy means creating relevant content for your local demographic and target audience.

Healthcare practices serve a particular region and geographic location. Honing in on a local SEO strategy gives you an advantage over large hospital systems or other competing local businesses. The goal of your website should be to attract people nationwide rather than from your neighborhood – local people who require your services and are more likely to click on your website. Bring valuable, relevant traffic to your website through local searches.

Optimizing using local and specific keywords will also increase the chances of your business getting listed on Google’s map pack. This is the most prominent position in Google’s local search results. It’s where companies are listed, and their location is marked on the map with an icon. The map pack gets 44% of all clicks on Google. The map has become very important in consumer decisions on where they go for services.

Local SEO is an excellent start when considering marketing efforts to help grow your practice.

Local SEO Statistics in 2022

Think about local SEO just like you would a traditional SEO strategy. It’s the only way to get found by your target audience. If you’re not sold yet, check out these statistics about local SEO in 2022. 

• 78% of consumers use the internet to find information about local businesses more than once a week
• Nearly 80% of all local searches online on mobile phone results in a conversion. 
• Over 50% of “near me” searches result in a physical visit to brick-and-mortar businesses
• 72% of consumers who do local searches visit a store within 5 miles

 How To Start a Local SEO Strategy

A local SEO plan of attack is needed to increase website traffic, get more potential patients, engage existing patients, and book more appointments to grow your practice. Need help figuring out how to get started? We can help.

Utilize Local Listings

Local listing profiles like Google Business Profiles (previously Google My Business), WebMD, and Healthgrades can all be optimized with local keywords. Once your practice listing is claimed, update all your business information like the address, hours of operation, web address, conditions & treatments, and any specific policies.

Medical-specific review sites get 150 million combined searches each month. Ensuring your practice information is correct will help you appear in relevant search results. 

Optimize Your Website

Your website is your business’s digital foundation. It is the most surefooted way to climb the search ranks on Google. A fully-optimized website that is also mobile-friendly makes it easy for your target audience to find your practice. This includes an explicit “click-to-call” button and a defined “contact” page with all vital information like a contact form, phone number, and interactive Google map.

Create Original Content

Unique, original content is king for boosting organic and local SEO. Having a blog that is hosted on your business’s domain is best. This means having the URL look like “www.yourbusiness.com/blog” instead of “blog.yourwebsite.com.” As people search for topics you cover on your blog and click on your posts, search engine rankings will increase, and so will overall traffic to your website.

Write topics about the conditions and treatments your practice focuses on, but be sure to include local nuances like local events & geographical landmarks. For example, if your town hosts a sizeable tree-lighting festival or holiday 5K, write articles about back safety while chopping down trees or how to run with the proper gait to prevent pain.

Not only are those topics trendy, but your local audience will enjoy reading about things that are incredibly relevant to their lives. 

We Can Help

Valet Health local listing management, full-service content marketing, and website design that are created specifically for your practice with local SEO strategies in place. Contact us today to get started.