Content Marketing for Your Family Practice Website

Studies show 90% of patients look up reviews of local doctors online, and 41% claim social media guided their decision toward a particular medical facility. Finding medical care is a much more digitized process than it used to be, and family practices of all sizes need to keep pace with these changes.

Patients are often willing to travel further for care if they believe there will be better medical attention. They're no longer auto-choosing the closest practice in their neighborhood.

Content helps you firmly establish your practice online, which can grant you the following perks:

Most healthcare professionals know they need an online presence, but the real question is how to go about it.

There is a multitude of ways to gain traction online, but family practices should home in on a few techniques they can commit to. With consistent practice of these techniques, you'll notice the phones ringing more often.

To increase organic traffic to your website, you'll need to take a multi-pronged approach. Here are some examples of how medical professionals are expanding their online visibility and boosting their reputation.

Plenty of healthcare practices are thriving as a result of keyword research and SEO strategies. While it takes a bit of know-how and patience, there are many free resources online that teach you how to do this. Here's an example of how it worked for one health facility.

An acupuncture clinic increased organic traffic by 310% after implementing a simple SEO strategy. After conducting keyword research and adding relevant pages to their website, they ranked on the first page of Google search results for dozens of long-tail keywords. They included lower competition keywords on specific web pages and added their location to those same pages. As a result, people in their area began stumbling upon their website.

As they specialized in treating a condition called temporomandibular joint dysfunction, they made sure to set up a page and try to rank for a few related search terms. This brought a flood of new visitors with high intent to reach out.

Even if your family practice doesn't specialize in certain conditions, you may notice an influx of patients coming in with the same issues. This is a great indication that you may want to research related keywords and talk about this on your website. Not only does this give you more visibility, it can drastically reduce the need to run paid advertisements.

While not every patient will want to share their personal health journey with your audience, some will jump at the chance to give back to a practice that has helped them feel better. Case studies are a great way to document the real work you are doing and the results patients are receiving.

One nerve surgeon garnered 21,000 views of a surgery he performed to resolve Piriformis Syndrome in a patient. His website, now flooded with visitors seeking information on nerve conditions, has put him on the map as a top specialist in his field.

Another example is Kids Plus Pediatric, which opted for a case study detailing what sets this practice apart from other providers. The study also delves into wider societal trends and community problems, establishing KPP as a thought leader in its corner of medical care.

You may not have the time to produce highly in-depth content, but even brief client case studies in written form can inspire website visitors to contact you. Share the before and after story of your patient's symptoms, quality of life, and how you helped them treat or cure an issue.

While not every patient will want to share their personal health journey with your audience, some will jump at the chance to give back to a practice that has helped them feel better. Case studies are a great way to document the real work you are doing and the results patients are receiving.

One nerve surgeon garnered 21,000 views of a surgery he performed to resolve Piriformis Syndrome in a patient. His website, now flooded with visitors seeking information on nerve conditions, has put him on the map as a top specialist in his field.

Another example is Kids Plus Pediatric, which opted for a case study detailing what sets this practice apart from other providers. The study also delves into wider societal trends and community problems, establishing KPP as a thought leader in its corner of medical care.

You may not have the time to produce highly in-depth content, but even brief client case studies in written form can inspire website visitors to contact you. Share the before and after story of your patient's symptoms, quality of life, and how you helped them treat or cure an issue.

Many busy practices make the mistake of using stock images on their website and social media accounts. And while an upscale stock photo here and there won't diminish your success, it also won't provide much insight into your practice. Laura Maly of Wonderist Agency recommends practices use actual photos of their locations - whether it's a stylish display in the waiting room, a clean checkup room, the exterior of the building, or any other photos that give an actual glimpse into your practice. If your practice sponsors events or participates in your community in some way, add photos of your staff in action. This will help build your brand and introduce potential patients to the people behind your business.

Dr. Kevin Pho is a great example of medical content done right on social media. His online presence has grown leaps and bounds since he began publishing blog posts back in 2004. His articles address the concerns of both medical professionals and the general health-seeking public. Conducting interviews with specialists in a variety of medical professions, he's known for eliminating information silos and boldly addressing issues that many medical professionals shy away from. Now at 160k Twitter followers, Dr. Pho demonstrates how publishing timely, thought-provoking articles about health can propel your influence and reputation.

While not every medical professional wants to be an author and public speaker like Pho, there is much to glean from his online presence. Has your practice taken a firm stand on a timely health topic recently? Is there an issue slipping through the cracks that you can comment on? How would this extra effort impact patients' trust and interest in your practice?

Businesses in every industry are bombarded with the message that content marketing is everything. But confusion usually sets in when business owners try to launch a strategy that truly gets them results.

For family practices, things can get even more muddled because you're not selling a concrete product. In a sense, you are selling wellbeing. Pinpointing a target audience is usually harder for healthcare practices than it is for other businesses. You may feel like your target market is anyone and everyone—so how do you communicate efficiently?

Local SEO tactics are by far the most effective way for family practices to increase their visibility online. The idea is simple: Patients are using Google search (including voice search) more than ever before. A Google study in 2018 showed a whopping 900% increase in "near me" searches, reinforcing how heavily people rely on the internet to find local businesses. There are a few basic steps healthcare facilities can take to optimize their site for local traffic.

Be sure to list your business details in the exact same way on each page (e.g. always use either "blvd" or "boulevard"). This consistency helps Google's algorithm rank your pages more quickly. It also gives your site a more polished, professional appearance.

If you run a multi-location practice, have a separate, SEO-optimized page for each location. This will ensure those who search from each area don't have to go looking around your website for the closest location. This also ensures that the right page pops up in Google searches instead of your general homepage.

Google My Business (GMB) is another major factor in increasing organic traffic to your site. Setting up a free account helps you appear accurately in Google Search and Google Maps - the two most important places for snagging local website traffic.

While not as effective as direct website SEO, adding your practice to popular medical directories is another way to increase visibility and link to your site.