What? Google has Made Changes to Their Algorithm Again?...
Times are a changin’....and so are Google’s algorithms. I won’t bore you with details on Google’s latest with “Hummingbird” or “Penguin”. The bottom line is you can’t afford to fall behind on your local SEO. Nowadays you need to be informed as to what changes and when. What worked last year (or in sometimes last month) doesn’t mean it’s going to work now.
1. Lonnnnnger Keywords = Better Ranking
A few years ago Google throttled back on how heavily they weigh keywords. However, that lead to a lot of people thinking they don’t matter. NOT the case. Just because they aren’t relied upon as much they are still one of the very most important factors in your ranking.
The “Long Tail” and the “Short Tail” of It
Any SEO expert will tell you that there is simply zero reason to target keywords that are only a few words. Newsflash...those “short tailed keywords” are already taken over by large and established brands, websites and a variety of reference sources.
Short Tailed Keyword - Sports Injury Chiropractor
Long-tailed Keyword - Charlottesville Sports Injury Chiropractic and Wellness Center
Clearly, the Long-tailed Keyword wins in terms of conveying who, what and where you are. The big players can’t possibly collect every keyword combination, so go for it! Think of what a potential patient would type into Google to find a practice in your local area. Better yet, ask some of your current patients what they would type into Google to find you. There is a very good chance that’s exactly what they did in the first place. Use those searches as your keyword phrases. Use them as your keyword targets and find yourself with high-quality leads (aka new patients)!
2. Don’t Go Overboard with Chiropractic Keywords!
Just because keywords should be long tail doesn’t mean you need to scoop up piles of them. It’s better to simply rank well for a handful. Cap it at 5 and focus on them. There are some great DIY tools available from Google such as, Google Keyword Planner. Choose 3-5 and then test to see if they work for you. Perhaps you find yourself at the top spot or a few are not working. The name of the game is test, test, test and tweak when necessary. Clearly, this takes patience. Patience in SEO is necessary...and does pay off. If you find this to be overwhelming or time-consuming we can certainly help you with some or all of this process. Never underestimate having a dedicated SEO Expert at your disposal. Our experts can be the difference of your practice ranking pages and pages deep or on the first page...and ideally in the top 3 of local search.
3. You say “GEO” I say “TARGETING”. GEOTARGETING! It’s not going anywhere...
Depending upon your location a decent (perhaps overwhelming) percentage of your patients probably found you because they searched for a chiropractor on mobile. Their device knows where they are...and fed them results based upon that local area. From that list they chose where to go. Many of your patients might have been initially searching for a chiropractor because they were in pain. Clearly they want to find a practice that is close in proximity. That practice should...and could...be you if you have a good SEO strategy for ranking in place. Refer to your local area often...don’t list a laundry list of areas. Stay focused. If you have multiple locations it would be very helpful to speak to one of our SEO Experts about a game plan. You might be able to tackle it yourself with some helpful insight or leave the heavy lifting to us.
Good - Chambers Chiropractic proudly serves the Olympia and all of Thurston County.
Not So Good - Chambers Chiropractic proudly serves, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Chehalis, Tacoma, Shelton, Yelm and many more.
Again, don’t get carried away. The chance of someone traveling very far to get to your practice is slim. Focus on where you are and how far someone will really travel. When searching on Google or on Yelp many people type in or are prompted to type in “nearby”. If your practice isn’t nearby...forget about it. Garner patients from your local area...they are also a part of your community, which will bode well for reviews and word of mouth. Having this said every case could be different as to what geolocation keywords make sense. Perhaps people do travel from city to city in your geographical area. This is especially true is smaller locales. The best thing to do is to schedule a 1-on-1 with us. We will make some great suggestions specifically for your practice.
CONCLUSION
We know you’re are busy...and SEO and Google algorithm changes are not in many chiropractor's wheelhouses. We can help.
If you would like to speak to us about your website, SEO suggestions and/or discuss our results based and Chiropractic Marketing Plans please feel free to schedule a 1-on-1 call with us to discuss. We do not have a dedicated sales team. Whether you are a client or not we are always happy to answer your questions and offer suggestions to help you meet and exceed your goals.
Thanks!
ChiroHosting Team
