In today’s world, most people get their information online. What this means for the medical community is that an understanding of how to reach people online is vital for new patient referrals. With people spending more time at their computers and on their smartphones than ever, a strong online presence can have a huge impact. Here are a few ways to make sure that your online presence is the best it can be.

SEO Strategy

SEO, or search engine optimization, is vitally important for getting your name on Google’s front page. However, this is easier said than done. SEO strategy is constantly changing due to new algorithms and criteria affecting what is seen as quality content. According to Google itself, 77 percent of patients search online to find a doctor. Getting yourself on page 1 puts you in the line of sight of those patients clicking on the first names they see during their search. However, how can your website get there? This is where skilled SEO strategists come in, to carefully choose keywords and create a plan for your site that will pay off in time, which brings us to:

Content Marketing

Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand, as well-written content with strategically placed keywords can do wonders for Google rankings. Blogs, website articles, and even social media can help reinforce a site’s authority and get it ranking. It’s important, though, not to overdo it with the keywords! Don’t saturate your content with a single keyword, and make sure that all posts are well-written. Spam will get you nowhere with Google! On the other hand, a quick and easy way to get your name on page 1 is:

PPC

Pay-per-click advertising is a widely used and generally effective means of getting people to click on your website. It can be a good way to gain visibility and visitors to your website, as your link will be at the very top of the search results for whichever keyword you’re paying for. The keyword research for a PPC ad needs to be done carefully, however, and the costs weighed against the benefits. Another, potentially more personal way to engage is through:

Social Media

Social media engagement is crucial in this age of interconnectedness. Utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more can help you to connect with both current and potential patients, and hopefully encourage positive interaction. Optimizing posts and responding to interactions are necessary for a good social media presence; while time-consuming, it ultimately pays off as word-of-mouth referrals. In addition, social media can be a boon for SEO purposes, as it can give your brand legitimacy in the eyes of Google through strong connections and shares. It can also help spread brand visibility and disperse links, which brings us to:

A Professional and Responsive Website

If a person clicks on a link that was shared on Facebook, the website that link took them to needs to be engaging, professional, and of course responsive. Optimizing websites for mobile and tablet viewing is an incredibly important step, as chances are very high that the person who just clicked that Facebook link did it from their smartphone. A professionally designed, responsive website can mean the difference between someone clicking, becoming frustrated, and leaving three seconds later, or that same person sticking around and discovering more about your practice. Anyone can create a website nowadays, so making yours stand out through consistent branding and professional quality is a step not to be overlooked.