How Using a Local SEO Keyword Strategy in Healthcare Matters

All digital marketing campaigns start with selecting the right keywords. Healthcare local SEO, for one, entails using health-related keywords that your target audience often uses to search for services like yours in their area.

Let's find out how local SEO keyword strategies promote websites with the following:

• Using “Near Me” keywords to narrow down search results
• Considering top local keywords to help your site compete
• Placing keywords correctly in your content

Let’s go!

3 Reasons Why Healthcare Local SEO Keyword Strategy Matters

Local keyword strategies matter because they optimize your healthcare website for local search. As people grow dependent on Google to find localized health information, your optimized website will be there to provide answers.

Google remains the most popular search engine in the world. As of July 2022, it had a share of about 84% of the world’s internet searches, while its closest competitor Bing has around 9%. This means you cannot overlook the power of local search using Google.

The following keyword strategies will help you create better, more optimized local content. These are also essential strategies to help you develop high-converting healthcare websites for your prospects.

     1. Narrows Down Search Results With “Near Me” Keywords

Patients looking for nearby clinics and doctors use the phrase "near me" in their search queries. Persons using this phrase in their search queries are more likely ready to buy or book a service.

Ranking high for "near me" searches promotes market visibility. It is a valuable strategy, especially for new and small-scale businesses. It improves return on investment (ROI) because you'll increase sales as you do business with more clients.

For a pediatrician in Chicago, using “pediatrician near me” or “pediatrician in Chicago” makes it very clear that the practice caters to customers in the Chicago area. Every time someone looks for a pediatrician using these keywords, the results page will include your business on the list.

Location-specific keywords should be in your content and in various places in your website. They should also be a part of your local profile. Take note of these tips:

• Update your Google Business Profile (GBP). The GBP is an accessible business listing on Google search and Maps. Claim and update your listing with your correct business name, address, and phone number. Include location-specific keywords in your GBP business description.
• Research your keywords well. Optimize for ‘near me’ searches by finding the best keywords using tools like Ahrefs or Moz. Be service specific. For example, use "nose lift near me" instead of "plastic surgery near me."
• Monitor keyword rankings. Take time to monitor your keyword ranking using tools like Ahrefs and Semrush. Optimization is a continuous strategy, so each time you update keywords, monitor their performance.
• Use social media platforms. Optimize for “near me” also on social media sites. Use your location-specific keywords to create posts, updates, and announcements.
• Try top healthcare search terms. Across the US, patients use search terms like “urgent care near me,” “hospital near me,” and “doctors near me” to find local providers and specialists.
• Get healthcare SEO help. A professional SEO company can help you optimize your site for local searches by using effective keyword research techniques using data and analytics to improve your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

     2. Helps Improve Competitiveness

Competing with big-name healthcare centers, clinics, and hospitals is hard when you're still a small local business. People would naturally go to well-known doctors and hospitals, but now there's a new trend.

Telehealth and retail clinics have democratized healthcare access and provide comfortable locations for patient visits. A 2022 survey of US healthcare consumers showed that people are flocking to local urgent care clinics and retail health clinics. Ten percent of the people surveyed had been to a clinic in the past year.

This survey means your patients are out there waiting. Get a good start with local healthcare SEO using these keyword optimization tips:

• Start with keyword performance audits. As mentioned in the previous section, use tools to gather insights into keyword performance, opportunities, and gaps. After the audit, replace poorly performing keywords and keep those that drive more conversions.
• Check competitor keywords. Doing so will give you valuable insights into why your competitor pages are doing better than yours in SERPs. Using keywords similar to theirs helps improve your chance of ranking in the SERP as high as they do, if not better.  
• Create content that focuses on improving ranking. Publish relevant and authoritative content. Look for and target a particular keyword phrase for each authoritative healthcare content page, such as “how to reduce fever in babies” or “measles symptoms in school age children.” Improve written content to show your authority on the topic.

     3. Enhances Local SEO With Correct Keyword Placement

It’s not enough to find the right local keywords. You also need to place them correctly and naturally in your content and website. Search engines check keywords not to rank your website but to get to know what your site is about.

Avoid keyword stuffing or overusing keywords. This hurts your SERP rankings because it makes your content sound unnatural to readers and search engines.

Correct keyword placement can go a long way. Below are where your keywords should appear.

• Title tags. This is the title users will see and can click on in SERPs. Optimize it for ‘near me’ searches by adding your location-specific keyword. For example. “Welcome to Healthy Smiles Pediatric Dentistry of Chicago.”
• Headings. Create clear, concise, and interesting headings that would make sense when scanned. Add your keyword variations in as well. A pediatric dentist may use “Preschool Dental Check Ups in Chicago” for its heading, which usually appears as the title on the page itself.
• Content body. Place your primary location-specific keyword on certain parts of your text body, such as the introduction and conclusion. Sprinkle keyword variations across the text, but don’t overdo it! It needs to sound natural. One keyword per 200 words will do.
• Video and photo descriptions. This will help your sites rank higher in an image search. Local keywords help describe services and facilities of local health clinics.

Summing Up

Digital marketing for healthcare helps maintain your clinic’s online presence and improves awareness and branding. In particular, leverage local SEO to reach local clients and establish your presence as a key authority in the healthcare industry. Optimize for ‘near me’ searches, use top local keywords, and place them correctly to succeed in your strategy.

Whether you’re a healthcare provider or a practitioner, the right keywords will pave the way for online and local marketing success. If you want to find out how an expert keyword strategy can help your healthcare business, contact Digital Authority Partners today.