Sponsored content paid for and created by Officite.
While appearing in Google search results is essential for getting found online, Google is more than just a search engine, it’s a marketing machine with robust tools you can leverage to grow your practice.
These tips from Texas Medical Association-approved vendor Officite look at several of those tools and how you can make them work for you, beginning with one that you should start using right now.
Google My Business
When marketing to new patients, geography is a key consideration. The fact that Google My Business (GMB) is highly effective at targeting local searchers makes GMB perhaps the most essential of all Google’s tools.
When you claim your GMB listing, your practice will show up in local searches near the top of the page, in a list ranked by proximity to the searcher, in a prominent area called the “Local Pack.”
When the searcher clicks on your listing within the Local Pack, they will see
- Your address and phone number
- A link to your website
- Your hours
Patients can leave reviews, which help lend credibility to your practice. There is even a place where searchers can ask you questions, providing an excellent opportunity for you to win them over before they even set foot in your office.
Google Ads (PPC)
Pay Per Click (PPC) ads are a quick way to get to the top of Google search results and can be targeted at promoting your practice’s high-value services.
It works like this: anytime somebody searches for a keyword that you have targeted, Google places your ad in a premier spot. When somebody clicks on that ad, you pay Google an agreed-upon amount for the keyword or phrase you selected. Done correctly, the return on your investment is excellent, with most ads making back an average of $2 for every dollar spent.
And while your ads go away as soon as you stop paying, you can still use PPC as a part of your long-term strategy. Monitor individual keyword performance and use that data to inform your Organic SEO efforts. Incorporate the most successful keywords into website content, including blog topics. It’s a way to gain even more value from this already valuable tool.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console contains tools and reports to measure site traffic and site performance so you can fix issues to keep your site performing its best. It also has a way for you to submit content, such as sitemaps and individual URLs for crawling, to help with search results.
Summing it Up
More than just being just a hub to seek out and gather information, Google offers free tools that you can use to raise your profile and get found by the patients who are looking for a doctor just like you. Officite uses these tools along with several others to help practices connect with patients in their local area.
To learn more about Officite services for physician members, visit the TMA website.