Where do patients look when they need local healthcare providers? While it is always an option to ask friends and family for referrals, many people search online for medical services in their local area.
Whether you have a private practice or a large healthcare clinic, digital marketing is a great way to ensure that your services are showing up in the relevant search results. Investing in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services can increase your visibility and bring more patients through the door.
The reality is that traditional advertising and patient referrals aren’t enough to keep your healthcare business busy. The medical industry can be quite competitive, which is why it’s worth the investment to implement a digital marketing campaign to connect with patients who are searching for your services.
Digital Marketing 101: PPC and SEO for Healthcare Providers
If someone is searching online for the type of medical services you offer, will your website show up in the search engines? The reality is that the medical industry can be quite competitive, which means that you are missing out on potential clients if you aren’t being proactive with your digital marketing campaign.
As you are working to increase your online visibility, it makes sense to invest in both Pay-Per-Click marketing and Search Engine Optimization:
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing: One of the benefits of PPC is that you only pay when people click on the ads. If someone is searching for medical services related to your practice, they will see the ad displayed in the search engines, which increases the likelihood that they will click through to see your website.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): With Search Engine Optimization, you don’t have to pay for every click coming through. This strategy requires more time before you will see results, but can be a great investment in the long run.
Will Digital Marketing Be a Good Investment for Your Medical Practice?
PPC and SEO can be effective for many clients in the medical industry, including:
- Family physicians
- General practitioners
- Urgent care centers
- Dentists
- Orthodontists
- Optometrists
- Physical therapists
- Mental health providers
- Hospitals
- Home care services
- Nursing homes
- Pharmacies
- Healthcare specialists
- Alternative medicine providers
Maximizing Your Results with Both PPC and SEO
Both PPC and SEO campaigns are keyword-based strategies, which means that you choose specific phrases relating to the healthcare services you provide. Additionally, there are strategies to target certain demographics and geographic locations to get the ideal results from your marketing campaign.
If you want to see immediate results, then PPC is beneficial because you can turn on the leads as soon as the ads are live. On the other hand, SEO is a long-term strategy that helps you get organic traffic. Once you achieve and maintain high search engine rankings, you will have a steady stream of leads coming in for your medical clinic.
Since PPC and SEO are different strategies, utilizing both methods to maximize your results is a good idea. This two-fold method makes it possible to be discovered by clients at different stages in the search process. As a result, you can tap into immediate traffic and also build a long-term strategy that will allow you to enjoy a steady stream of leads without paying for every click.
The best strategy is to use PPC to test the market and find the highest-performing keywords. Then, these keywords can be integrated to optimize your SEO strategy.
Why Healthcare Providers Need SEO Services
The benefits of Search Engine Optimization are undeniable for healthcare providers. Here are a few of the advantages you gain when investing in a strong SEO campaign:
- Visibility Over the Competition: If a potential patient is searching online for the type of services you offer, you want to make sure that your site shows up ahead of the competition. SEO improves your visibility and increases the likelihood that potential patients will find you.
- Local Searches: You can leverage geographical strategies in your SEO campaigns to increase the possibility of your clinic showing up in the local search results. For example, you might target phrases such as “urgent care center near me” or “urgent care center in [city name].”
- Online Credibility: If your healthcare clinic is showing high in the organic search results, then it’s likely that website visitors will view your clinic as a trusted and reputable resource.
- Long-Term Traffic: SEO is definitely a long-term investment. It takes time to gain traction in search engines. But once your site is ranked, you can enjoy the benefits of sustained traffic in the future.
Why Medical Clinics Need PPC Services
There are also many reasons why it makes sense for medical clinics to invest in Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. PPC ads give you the benefit of turning on a stream of leads from the moment the ads start running. Benefits of PPC for healthcare providers include:
- Immediate Visibility: The results are instant… as soon as the ad is live, then potential clients will start visiting your website. PPC ads make it possible to claim a spot at the top of the search engine results immediately.
- Targeted Advertising: You can choose the specific geographical locations and demographic details for ad targeting. These filters ensure that your ads only show to relevant patients who meet your demographic requirements.
- Cost Management: Paid ads give you full flexibility to decide how much you want to spend on the campaigns. You set a budget, then only pay when people are clicking on the ads.
- Remarketing Strategies: If a patient has already visited your website, then PPC advertising can show your ad in other digital locations. As a result, you can build your brand, even if the patient doesn’t convert on their first visit to your site.
FAQ
How much time does it take to see SEO results?
Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy, so you won’t likely see your site high in the search engines for 3 – 6 months. But the initial investment is worth it because of the ongoing leads you will receive in the future.
Which is more expensive: SEO or PPC for medical clinics?
You’ll need to pay an upfront investment for both SEO and PPC, and your out-of-pocket costs will depend on how competitive and aggressive you want to be with the campaign. SEO requires an initial investment that won’t start paying off for a few months. PPC requires immediate payment every time a click goes through.
Is it a good idea to use both PPC and SEO simultaneously?
Yes, we often recommend that you combine both PPC and SEO. For example, PPC brings in the immediate traffic you need, while SEO builds your long-term strategy through organic rankings.
Talk to the PPC and SEO Experts at ARYU
If you are ready to implement an effective digital marketing strategy for your medical clinic, then our experienced team here at ARYU Advertising is just a phone call away. We bring years of experience to your campaign and offer both PPC and SEO services for healthcare providers. Contact us to schedule a consultation to learn more about the service that we offer.
