If you own or manage an optometry practice, you may have heard the term “SEO” but aren’t sure what it’s all about. Learn about SEO and how it can help you be more effective in marketing your services to people in your area to increase appointments and revenue.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” It’s the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) to get more organic traffic. Organic traffic refers to the visitors that come to your website from unpaid sources. Depending on the competition in your area, you may need SEO to help potential patients find your practice online and to establish your practice as trustworthy and reputable.
Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in SERPs for local search queries. Local search queries are searches that include a location term, such as “optometrist in Denver” or “eye care near me.” It can help you attract people searching for your services from specific locations.
Google Business Profile
A Google business profile is a free, public profile that displays important information about your practice, such as your business hours, address, phone number, website, and services. Having a verified Google Business Profile for each location you own can help improve your practice’s visibility in local search results. Make sure to include accurate and up-to-date information about your practice. You should also include photos and any relevant business categories to help potential patients find your practice.
Citations Management
Local citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other websites. Examples of local citations include online directories, local chamber of commerce websites, and local news outlets. Building and optimizing your local citations can help improve your practice’s visibility in local search results.
Local Keywords
Including local keywords in your website’s content and metadata (such as the page titles and descriptions that appear in SERPs) can help search engines understand that your practice is relevant to users searching for eye care services in your area. For example, if you have a practice in Denver, you might include keywords like “optometrist in Denver” or “eye care in Denver” on your website.
Online Reviews
Your Google Business Profile provides a place for patients to leave reviews and ratings about your business. Patient and customer reviews can help improve your practice’s visibility in local search results, as well as increase the credibility of your business. Encourage your patients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile(s).
Structured Data
Structured data refers to a specific type of coding language that web developers use to organize and label the content on a website. Using structured data, such as schema markup, can help search engines understand the content of your website and improve the display of your website in search results. For eye doctors, this means that potential patients searching for services related to eye health and vision care can easily see relevant information about their practice.
The Bottom Line
If you own or manage an optometry practice in an area with competition, your website will benefit from SEO so that it appears high in search results for the services you provide. The expert team at Optometry Marketing Services can manage your SEO for you to ensure you have the visibility you need to compete and be successful in your community. Contact us today and learn how we can help you increase your site’s ranking in search engines and attract more potential patients to your website.
