In this post, you’ll discover the basic principles of how to promote your business locally through local SEO for hospitals, so you can provide healthcare to more patients in your city!
Whether it’s for emergency care, specialized treatments, or routine check-ups, hospitals are often the first choice for patients in need of comprehensive healthcare services. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), there are now more than 6,000 hospitals in the U.S., catering to millions of patients every year. The need for hospitals continues to grow, driven by an aging population and advancements in medical technology. If you’re a hospital owner, administrator, or marketer wondering how to promote your business locally to attract more patients into your healthcare facility, mastering local SEO for hospitals is essential.
Local search engine optimization (or simply Local SEO) enables potential patients to easily learn about your hospital on the web. Considering that at least 3 in every 4 patients use search engines like Google and Bing to find local healthcare facilities, having a robust local SEO strategy is crucial for your business.
Keep reading to learn the basic principles of effective local SEO for hospitals.
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Advantages of Doing Local SEO For Hospitals
Effective local SEO for hospitals can improve your search engine results page (SERP) ranking and boost traffic to your website. As a result, it can increase local residents’ awareness of your healthcare services and help your hospital gain the trust of people in your area.
Considering that at least 75 percent of local mobile searches lead to offline conversions, local SEO strategies can significantly increase your hospital’s patient base, and in turn, your revenue.
Moreover, being featured prominently in local search results and having a strong online presence can help hospitals earn the respect of local residents. When people see your hospital listed in the top search results, they become more familiar with your name and services, and would therefore be more likely to consider your facility for their (or their loved ones’) healthcare needs.
Knowing how to promote your business locally using local SEO can help your hospital boost your patient base.
Next, let’s explore the basic principles of local SEO for hospitals.
A Key Component of Local SEO For Hospitals
Many patients seek hospital care when facing acute health issues or need ongoing treatment for their chronic conditions, and they typically prefer to visit a hospital close to their home. Patients who require regular treatments or check-ups—such as those undergoing dialysis or chemotherapy—also tend to choose hospitals that are easily accessible to reduce their stress and travel time.
Because of those, local SEO for hospitals can be incredibly beneficial. If your website is optimized for the right local keywords, your website will be more likely to be seen by local patients who are looking for the medical services you offer.
Based on our SEO marketing agency’s decades of experience, the most essential action you should take to rank high in local searches is this: claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP).
Formerly known as Google My Business, the GBP is a crucial element of local SEO. Make sure that your hospital’s profile displays its complete name, address, and phone number (or NAP).
In addition, to further optimize your GBP, we advise that you add clear images of your hospital. We recommend showcasing its facade, state-of-the-art medical equipment, immaculate operating rooms, and even professional photos of your medical personnel.
Also, do your best to read and respond to all the reviews that users post on your GBP. Doing so can boost your hospital’s online visibility.
Taking ownership and optimizing one’s Google Business Profile is a core element of local SEO for hospitals.
How to Promote Your Business Locally Using Online Citations
Why Keyword Research is a Must
The primary way through which new patients can find your hospital online is by searching relevant keywords. For example, if your website is optimized for the keyword “dialysis in San Diego” and someone types in that keyword on Google, your hospital will be among the top search engine results they’ll see.
Keyword research is crucial for the success of local SEO efforts for hospitals.
Therefore, it’s important to conduct keyword research to understand what words patients are searching for online. When doing local SEO for hospitals purposes, we advise targeting local keywords that contain your hospital location and medical services (or medical conditions you’re treating). Additional examples are keywords like “nyc appendicitis,” “where to go heart attack in la,” “best hospital in chicago,” “chemotherapy in houston,” and so on.
If you’re unsure about what keywords to use, a basic tool you can use is Google Keyword Planner, which gives insights into search volumes, competition, and related keywords. If you’re looking for more in-depth data on keyword trends and competitive analysis, check out Ahrefs and Semrush. If you need expert guidance on how to promote your business locally using the right keywords, consider consulting a seasoned local SEO specialist.
How to Promote Your Business Locally Using On-Page Optimization
There are two main types of SEO: on-page optimization and off-page optimization.
The first type, on-page optimization, is done by effectively incorporating your target keywords into your website’s content, images, and meta tags.
Local SEO for hospitals typically relies on optimized content about patient care, disease prevention, and treatment options (including emergency care, surgical procedures, and other medical services you provide).
You can also improve your hospital’s search engine ranking by frequently publishing blogs that address common health conditions. Some examples of this are hypertension, diabetes, acid reflux, flu, common colds, and asthma). You can also publish wellness tips and descriptions of complex medical procedures. Finally, consider setting up a frequently asked questions (FAQs) page that covers common inquiries about your hospital and medical services.
Meta tags are crucial for on-page optimization. Your title tags, which are the titles of each of your pages, should include your targeted keyword and be concise, preferably no more than 60 characters long.
To maximize the effectiveness of your hospital’s local SEO campaign, remember to employ header tags (such as H1, H2, and H3) across your web content. These tags help search engines understand the structure of your site, enhancing SEO performance as well as readability.
Website images need optimization as well. Using detailed filenames and alt tags that contain your target keywords can significantly improve your site’s online visibility.
Every page on your website must come with a well-crafted meta description that includes your target keyword. Try to keep it within 155 to 160 characters to ensure it’s fully displayed in search results.
How to Promote Your Business Locally Using Off-Page Optimization
The other side of the optimization coin, off-page optimization, involves acquiring backlinks—links from other websites that lead users to your site. However, not all backlinks are created equal: search engines prefer high-quality backlinks—backlinks from websites that are highly relevant and highly reputable.
There are various ways to get backlinks, and content marketing is among the top methods you can use. When doing local SEO for hospitals, some popular content ideas we recommend are comprehensive guides or eBooks related to health and wellness, research-backed blog articles on weight loss, and infographics about health statistics or complex medical treatments.
By sharing useful health-related content, your hospital can build its authority as a healthcare provider, which boosts your reputation and also encourages other health-related websites to link back to yours, which can boost your local search engine rank. However, even with great content, getting backlinks can be challenging. If you need help with this, consider consulting a local SEO expert.
You may also leverage social media marketing for your off-page SEO efforts. You can publish informative and engaging posts on popular social networks that link to your website. In addition, just like with your GBP, it would be beneficial if you engage actively with your online audience by promptly addressing their questions and comments about your hospital.
Final Tip When Doing Local SEO For Hospitals
Knowing the basic principles of local SEO that we discussed above is the first step in knowing how to promote your business locally.
Keep in mind that doing SEO is not a one-off endeavor. You need to continuously track and adjust different parts of your campaign to ensure your hospital continues to be visible and accessible online, attracting more patients to your facility.
For support and guidance on your SEO efforts, you may reach out to the best local SEO agency in Orange County, California. Zero Company is a seasoned digital marketing agency with over 20 years of experience as a local SEO company. We’ve assisted numerous healthcare providers and hospitals in enhancing their online presence and forging lasting relationships with patients through digital marketing.
Book a free consultation with our experts in local SEO for hospitals and learn proven strategies on how to promote your business locally!
