Search Engine Optimization for Veterinarians

While the technical aspects are important, one of the most crucial elements of SEO is content, because content is what brings pet owners to your website. However, not just any content will do. Today’s web users are looking for relevant, educational, interesting, or engaging content that fills a need or offers a solution. The content can come in a number of popular content types, such as:

• Blogs
• Web page copy
• Videos
• Infographics
• Podcasts
• Whitepapers
• EBooks
• Interviews
• Case studies
• Original research
• Reviews
• Instructional articles
• Quizzes and poles

It’s also important that any content you produce and share is original (unless you state that on the piece). Be sure to ALWAYS use licensed photos or videos (no photos downloaded from Google).

We live in a mobile world. At present, mobile devices generate 70% of web traffic worldwide.  

A mobile-friendly website–one that is designed and optimized for smartphones and tablet–is essential to rank with Google. And another 70% number:  70% percent of websites displayed in the Google search results are already being ranked based on this mobile-first indexing algorithm by Google.  So if your website is not optimized for mobile (user experience, speed to load, graphic sizes, etc.), your website will fall in ranking until it simply will not be shown.  Mobile user experience of your website is important, from the size of the buttons (optimized for mobile, of course) to the speed of load on a mobile device, because it impacts how long a mobile user will wait for your site to load, stay on your website and ultimately purchase from you.  This is why Google is now ranking websites based on a mobile-first approach.

Keywords are an important part of your content marketing and SEO strategy. Using the right keywords align your website content to relevant online searches so that it is seen in organic searches.  This is why keyword research is crucial. It will ensure that you use keywords that will attract your audience and increase the online visibility of your brand and content.

High-quality backlinks can improve your SEO ranking: content with more backlinks ranks higher on Google.  Link building comes in many forms, but the easiest way for a practice to drive pet owners to your website is through social media marketing with links back to your website.  This way, a friend of one of your followers sees your monthly blog post and can visit your website easily through the provided backlink. The sweet spot in a digital marketing campaign is ensuring that your social media, content marketing, and SEO strategies complement each other.

Your practice should have a listing on local listings and internet directories, like Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other local listings. Local SEO means we add your practice to all the local directories in your area, fix any inaccurate or incomplete listings, and monitor the listings over time so that your hours and services are promoted to pet owners in your area at exactly the time they are looking for a veterinary practice.