How SEO for Surgeons Can Help You Stand Out and Attract More Patients Today!

Did you know? Nearly 80% of patients now use online searches to find a new doctor or surgeon. That’s right – that’s why in today’s digital era, having a strong online presence is essential for attracting new patients and growing your surgical practice. 

But with so many other surgeons and medical practices vying for attention online, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd.  And that’s where this exclusive guide on “SEO for surgeons” can help! 😉

In this guide, you’ll learn everything from generating leads and increasing profits to ranking higher on Google and finding new surgical opportunities. Whether you’re a seasoned surgeon looking to take your practice to the next level or a young surgeon just starting out, this guide has something for everyone.

So why wait? Let’s dive in and discover how SEO can help you grow your practice and reach new heights of success!

What Is SEO and Why do you need it for your Surgical Practice?

Having an online presence is essential for attracting new clients or audiences to your business. But even before that, it’s important to understand how you can make the most out of your website and what you can do to make it more visible.

With almost 90% of patients searching online before deciding on their healthcare provider, it’s no wonder why surgeons and other medical practitioners are investing in digital marketing strategies to increase their online visibility.

With this in mind, one of the main ways to improve your visibility online is through search engine optimization (SEO). And being a surgeon who wants to increase their online presence, and reach new patients, SEO for surgeons can be an effective way for many good reasons. But what exactly is SEO, and why is it so important for your surgical practice? In simple terms, SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). By improving your website’s visibility in search results, you can attract more traffic to your site and ultimately convert more visitors into patients.

Moreover, the benefits you can gain from SEO for surgeons are far-reaching and can help you grow your surgical practice.

Want to witness the advantage of these benefits for your surgical practice? Stay tuned for more in the next section.

Next up, I am going to share some tried and tested SEO strategies that you can implement to improve your website’s visibility and attract more patients to your website.

Self-Tested Techniques & Result-Driven SEO Strategies for Surgeons

1. Build a Visually Appealing and User-Friendly Website Design

Your website is often the first point of contact between you and potential patients. Therefore, it is crucial to make a good first impression by having a visually appealing and user-friendly website design for a positive user experience.

And here are a few elements that every surgeon should keep in mind while designing their website.

• Simple and Easy to Navigate Website Design
• Clear and Concise Messaging
• High-quality and Engaging Images/Videos
• Accurate Surgical Information Delivery 
• Helpful and Informative Content for Patients
• Client Testimonials and Reviews
• Clickable Calls-to-Action (Most important for conversion)

That’s how you can improve your website’s appearance which will have a positive impact on your patients to smoothly navigate through your website and get their appointments booked. With this have a look at a real-life example of a website that has all these elements 👇

Keeping in mind the above-listed elements, now it’s your turn to create a visually appealing and user-friendly website design for your website and turn it into a conversion machine. And if you need any help in building your website design, then watch this video consisting “Best Free Website Builder Tools: Top Picks for 2023” or feel free to fill out the contact form running ↘️

2. Get your hands on the Right Keywords to rank on Google

Imagine having the right search terms throughout your website that your potential patients are typing in Google to find a surgeon or surgical services… By understanding what people are searching for, you can create content that is optimized for those keywords, increasing your website’s visibility in search engine results.

Therefore, it is crucial to have the right keywords in your website content and throughout your website to get your website to rank higher on Google and attract more potential patients.

But here you might ask, how do I identify the search terms or keywords that potential patients might be searching for? Well… for this, you can conduct thorough keyword research to get a good idea of what terms you should be targeting on your website.

And to do that, here’s what all you need to do:

1. Visit – How To Perform Keyword Research For SEO: In-Depth Guide 

2. Brainstorm potential keywords: Begin by brainstorming a list of keywords related to your services. This can include specific procedures or treatments, as well as broader terms related to your specialty.

3. Use keyword research tools: There are several keyword research tools available, such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush. These tools allow you to identify popular keywords related to your specialty and analyze the competition for those keywords.

4. Consider search intent: When identifying the best keywords, it’s necessary to consider the search intent of your target audience. For example, someone searching for “breast augmentation surgery” may be looking for information on the procedure and not seeking a surgeon to perform the surgery. Therefore, understanding the search intent can help you construct content that meets the needs of your target audience.

5. Use long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases that often have less competition. For example, instead of targeting the broad keyword “breast augmentation surgery,” you might target the long-tail keyword “cosmetic surgeon for breast augmentation near me.” By targeting these more specific keywords, you can attract highly targeted traffic to your website.

By targeting these long-tail keywords in your website’s content and SEO strategy, you can draw highly targeted traffic from patients who are actively searching for the specific type of surgical assistance you provide.

3. Create High-Quality and Engaging Content

Simply knowing what keywords people are searching for isn’t enough; you need to create pages that specifically target those terms if you want to rank for them.

To achieve this, you have to create content that answers the questions your target audience is asking. For instance, let’s say the keyword “breast augmentation” has 38,000 monthly searches in the US. While your homepage may provide an overview of your services, it’s unlikely to rank for this specific term. Instead, you have to create targeted landing pages that focus on breast augmentation and use relevant keywords to increase your chances of ranking.

Similarly, answering commonly asked questions with blog posts can help you target long-tail keywords and improve your website’s visibility in search results. For example, if someone searches for “How long does Botox last,” you can create a blog post that answers that question and includes relevant keywords.

Let me make this easy for you…

To get started, create landing pages that target your specific services, such as liposuction, rhinoplasty, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, and Brazilian butt lift. Additionally, create blog posts that answer common questions about these procedures, such as “How long does Botox last?” or “What is a tummy tuck?” 

See how a well-known surgical website (AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLASTIC SURGEONS) does this and ranks on Google’s #1 page for relevant keywords.

Therefore, by consistently creating targeted content, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your site.
But do you know how to create this content? Or how to optimize it for search engines? If not, just dive into “SEO Content Optimization: Tips & Tools To Enhance Your Content Quality.”

4. Optimize your website for Local Search

Having a strong presence in local search can be a great way to attract more local patients to your practice. For this, you need to create a strong local SEO strategy. And did you know? A whopping 77% of patients now use online searches to find a new doctor or surgeon.

If you desire to get that top spot on Google, or even in the local map pack, you need to consider local SEO for doctors to gain a better online presence. 

With this, here are some essential elements to consider:

1. Use local keywords: Including local keywords in your website’s content can help you rank higher in local search results. For example, if you’re a surgeon in Los Angeles, you might include keywords like “Los Angeles plastic surgeon” or “plastic surgery in LA” to improve your visibility for local searches.

2. Claim your Google My Business listing: Google My Business is a free listing service that allows businesses to manage their online presence on Google. By claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing, you can improve your chances of showing up in local search results and provide important information to potential patients, such as your hours of operation, address, and reviews.

3. Get listed in online directories: Online directories like Yelp and Healthgrades can also improve your local search visibility. Be sure to claim your listing and ensure that your information is accurate and up-to-date.

4. Use location-specific content: Creating content that is specific to your location can also help you rank higher in local search results. For example, you might create blog posts that highlight local events or attractions, or provide information about the specific neighborhoods or communities you serve.5. Reviews: Positive reviews on Google, Yelp, and other review platforms can improve your local search rankings and attract more patients to your practice. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews, and respond promptly and professionally to any negative reviews.

By optimizing your website on these local SEO elements, you can improve your search engine rankings, attract more traffic to your site, and ultimately, attract more on-foot patients to your practice.

5. Acquire High Quality Backlinks 

Backlinks are the links from other websites that lead to your site. they are important because search engines use backlinks as a crucial factor in determining a website’s ranking. 

In simple words, when search engines like Google see that other websites link to your site, they view it as a sign of trust and authority. This helps your website rank higher in search results, which can bring more people to your site. Basically, the more quality backlinks you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in search results.

However, getting high-quality backlinks is not an easy task, especially in a competitive niche like surgery. But with some tried and tested tactics, you can achieve this feat.

One is to analyze the top 10 ranking pages for your target keyword. For this, what you can do is search for your target keyword on Google or use a tool like Keywords Explorer to check the SERP overview. Once you have identified the top-ranking pages, use a tool like Site Explorer to check their backlinks report. This will give you an idea of the kind of backlinks your competitors have (as shown in the below image).

Next, look for replicable backlinks that you can easily incorporate into your website. For example, if a competitor has a backlink from a reputable health website, you could reach out to that website and request a similar backlink. 

Additionally, think about how you can get more links like the ones your competitors have. This could involve guest posting on relevant websites, creating valuable content that others are likely to link to, or even sponsoring events or charities.

By implementing these tactics and focusing on building high-quality backlinks, you can improve your website’s SEO and increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages.

Some More Crucial Factors You Must Look For

6. Have A Mobile Friendly Website

With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website has become more important than ever before.

In fact, Google now considers mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor in its search algorithm. This means that if your website is not optimized for mobile devices, it may not rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs) and you may be losing out on potential traffic.

Here’s an example to help illustrate the importance of having a mobile-friendly website for a surgeon:

“Let’s say a patient is looking for a surgeon who specializes in LASIK eye surgery. He/she quickly turn down to their mobile phone and searches for “LASIK surgeon near me.” They come across two websites: one that is mobile-friendly and one that is not.

The mobile-friendly website is easy to navigate on their phone, with clear and concise information about LASIK surgery and the surgeon’s qualifications. The website loads quickly, with no issues or delays.

Whereas, the non-mobile-friendly website is difficult to navigate on their phone. The text is too small to read, the links are too close together, and the images take a long time to load. The patient quickly becomes frustrated and decides to look for another surgeon.In this scenario, the surgeon with the mobile-friendly website is more likely to attract and retain the patient. Thus, by ensuring that your website is optimized for mobile devices, you can provide a better user experience and improve the chances of converting website visitors into actual patients.” After all, a highly responsive website can lead to higher engagement, longer visit durations, and lower bounce rates.

7. Optimize for Voice Search 

With the rise of digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant, voice search has become increasingly popular. In fact, according to a study by ComScore, by 2020, it’s estimated that 50% of all searches will be conducted via voice.

As a surgeon, optimizing your website for voice search can help you stand out from your competition and attract more patients today.

Here are some tips to help you get started With Voice Search:

1. Focus on long-tail keywords: When people use voice search, they tend to use longer, more conversational phrases. 

For example, instead of typing “best surgeon in New York,” someone might ask, “Who is the best surgeon for breast augmentation in New York?” By focusing on long-tail keywords, you can better match the language people use in voice search.

2. Use natural language: Voice search is all about natural language, so it’s important to write your website content in a conversational tone. Use words and phrases that people commonly use when asking questions or searching for information.

3. Optimize for featured snippets: Featured snippets are the boxes that appear at the top of Google search results, providing users with quick answers to their questions. When optimizing for voice search, it’s important to focus on creating content that’s optimized for featured snippets. This will help you rank higher in voice search results and increase your chances of being featured.

4. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly: Many people use voice search on their mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. This means ensuring that your site is optimized for smaller screens and loads quickly on mobile devices.

By optimizing your website for voice search, you can improve your visibility in search results and attract more patients to your practice. So, make sure to incorporate these tips into your SEO strategy and start reaping the benefits today!

8. Check for Technical Issues

Having a website that’s optimized for search engines is crucial for attracting new patients to your practice. But even if you have great content and are using the right keywords, technical issues can prevent your site from ranking well in search results. 

Here are some technical issues you should check for:

1. Site Speed: One of the most important technical factors that can affect your site’s ranking is site speed. A slow loading site can negatively impact user experience and result in a high bounce rate. Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to check your site’s speed and identify areas that need improvement.

2. Mobile Responsiveness: With more and more people using their mobile devices to browse the internet, having a mobile-friendly website is essential. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check if your website is optimized for mobile devices.

3. Broken Links: Broken links can harm your website’s credibility and negatively affect your search engine rankings. Use a tool like Broken Link Checker to identify and fix any broken links on your website.

4. Duplicate Content: Having duplicate content on your website can result in search engine penalties and lower rankings. Use a tool like Copyscape to identify any duplicate content on your website and take steps to remove or rewrite it.

5. SSL Certificate: Having a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate installed on your website is important for protecting your patients’ data and improving your search engine rankings. Make sure your website has an SSL certificate and that it’s installed correctly.

By regularly checking for these technical issues and addressing them promptly, you can ensure that your website is optimized for search engines and providing a positive user experience for your patients. So, be sure to include a technical audit in your SEO strategy and keep your website running smoothly.

How Incrementors Can Help You?

SEO for surgeons is a crucial component of your online marketing strategy. By implementing the tips discussed in this article, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings, attract more patients, and ultimately grow your practice.

At Incrementors, we specialize in SEO for healthcare professionals, including surgeons, and can help you implement the best SEO practices for your website. Our team of experts has extensive experience in optimizing websites for search engines, and we can provide you with personalized guidance to help you achieve your business goals.

So, if you want to take your SEO to the next level and attract more patients to your practice, we encourage you to book a 30-minute strategy session with us. During this session, my team will discuss your specific needs and develop a customized SEO strategy to help you achieve your goals.