VMD July Newsletter

Most people are at least familiar with the term SEO, which is short for search engine optimization, and have a basic understanding that it refers to a set of tactics that digital marketers use to improve how high a website (or individual webpage) shows up in search results.

But one thing you might not be aware of is that SEO is a very broad field, and even has two major “disciplines”—Organic SEO and Local SEO. As a podiatry practice that primarily provides on-site services at brick-and-mortar locations, it’s really critical to understand that both types of SEO are essential for your long-term success.

What Is Organic SEO?

Organic SEO primarily deals with how you optimize your website itself to catch search traffic. An organic SEO specialist might be focused on building internal and external hyperlinks, making sure your site’s metatags are optimized, improving load times, performing keyword research, and making sure on-page content is properly targeted toward your perfect patients and the kinds of terms they search for. 

Good organic SEO takes time, but it ultimately helps you direct more and more of those perfect patients you really want to fight for to your site.

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO is all about boosting the visibility of your practice when users perform a search that Google understands as having a “geographical” component. When someone in your neighborhood searches “podiatrist near me” or even just “podiatrist,” Google is going to show them a map with listings of local practices, and the organic results below the map will show websites of podiatrists in the area. Local SEO is all about making sure you show up when potential patients nearby are making those searches.

A local SEO specialist might be focused on making sure your practice and doctor listings on Google My Business and other relevant third-party sites (Yelp, RateMDs, Healthgrades, etc.) are claimed, verified, and have accurate and detailed profiles (especially name, address, and phone number). Helping you build a solid review strategy for those listings is also an important component.

How It All Ties Together

While organic and local SEO use very different kinds of tactics, both are essential for podiatry practices, and working hard at both will produce much better results than focusing on just one or the other—both in terms of your search rank, as well as your bottom line.

When potential patients first encounter you online, they may be at many different stages of the “buyer’s journey.” Some are just trying to learn more about a strange sensation they’re feeling, and see what their options are. Others may be ready to book an appointment with someone, anyone, now. By focusing on both organic and local SEO, you are helping Google understand that your practice is a trusted resource for many kinds of search queries, which in turn helps you generate more traffic, more leads, and more appointment bookings—especially in your targeted demographics.

Hire the Experts to Keep You On Top of the Search Engines

As with everything else in the world of digital marketing, the best practices for organic and local SEO are always changing. When any new algorithm update has the potential to dramatically shift your spot on the rankings page—and with it, your fortunes—having an expert hand on the SEO wheel has never been more important.

If you’re not showing up where you want to be in the organic search results or in the local “3 pack,” reach out to your account manager today or request a consultation. Our dedicated team is always working hard to get our patients to the top of the rankings—and keep them there!