Will Keywords Be an Important Ranking Factor?

As a doctor, you know how important it is to find new patients. Sometimes, though, patients are looking for you. Finding the right target audience in the plastic surgery world is critical, especially as websites become more and more of a means for gaining new patients.

When patients are looking for a new doctor or surgeon, they often do so by conducting a quick Google search around phrases like “plastic surgeon near me”, “Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon” or “Surgeons in New York City”. Those phrases are considered keywords, and, when used correctly, they help your sites get into the number one spot on Google’s search engine results pages. Many doctors even use established digital marketing agencies to help them acquire patients with their search engine optimization (commonly known as SEO). So, what are SEO keywords, and how are they important to help potential new patients find your business? Follow our guide to find out all the information you need to create a strong web presence using SEO.

All About Keywords

A “keyword” is more or less a targeted term that gives Google context around a specific web page. For example, if you create a page discussing liposuction, the main “keyword” for that page would be “liposuction” or “liposuction procedure.” The page could also contain keyword variations, which helps Google understand what the page is about even more. These keyword variations could include phrases discussing related procedures, such as “tummy tucks,” “cellulite treatments,” and more.

Tips for Keyword Usage on Your Website
Here are some tips to help you make the most of SEO.

1. Identify your biggest areas of business.
   To get started optimizing your website, you’ll first need to pick out your biggest keyword opportunities. Start by examining what services you offer and which ones you’d like to market the most. For example, if you’d like to increase visits to your site for breast augmentations, try using a keyword such as “breast augmentation,” “breast lift” or “breast augmentation.”
2. Think local.
   Now that you’ve identified which keyword you need to use for your website copy, you may want to include the city and state as well. This gives you a more targeted, competitive edge on the local level. Now, when someone searches for “breast augmentation (your city),” you will a higher chance of showing up in that search results page.
3. Don’t overuse a keyword.
   Now that you know what an SEO keyword is, you may be tempted to repeatedly use it throughout the pages of your website. However, this is commonly referred to as “keyword stuffing” in the SEO world and it is not a best practice. When keyword stuffing, people repeatedly use the same keyword or phrase in an unnatural way that is difficult to read. Google especially frowns upon this, as it is now getting sophisticated enough that it can identify these pages and mark them as spam. They may even penalize your site for this, lowering your rankings or removing them entirely. To avoid this, stick to using your main keyword two to three times throughout your post and any related phrases a few times.
4. When in doubt, contact a digital marketing agency.
   Sometimes it can be hard to identify which keyword(s) will help drive the most visitors to your website. A professional agency has the expertise to help you do the research and advise you on how to best optimize your website for success.

To learn more about what are SEO keywords, how they are important for your website and how that can translate into new patients for you, check out Surgeons Advisor today.