Plastic surgeons require extensive knowledge and immense skill to be able to serve their clients well. However, due to so much competition within the industry, it’s also necessary that today’s plastic surgeons effectively know how to attract clients through digital means. Search engine optimization (SEO) is, hands-down, one of the best ways to do this.
By implementing a well-orchestrated SEO campaign, a plastic surgeon can stand out in a crowded market to reach potential clients and convert them into patients.
So, how does SEO work? This blog breaks down exactly what SEO is and why having a smart SEO strategy will attract your ideal clients and, in turn, allow you to help more people meet their aesthetic goals.
The Importance of Online Presence for Plastic Surgeons
When seeking information about plastic surgery procedures, prospective patients tend to rely heavily on the Internet.
According to studies published at the National Library of Medicine in 2018, 56.9% of people exploring plastic surgery identified “internet searches” as the most popular information sources prior to appointments. Furthermore, 36.2% identified the Internet as the most useful source even after meeting with a plastic surgeon, and 73.5% still “sought outside information” after their first appointment.
These numbers emphasize the need for plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles. Due to the sheer size of the market coupled with trends in human behavior, it’s safe to say that the majority of potential clients within LA are seeking information online. It’s your SEO strategy that will help draw them to you rather than to one of your competitors.
Understanding the Basics of SEO
Generally speaking, SEO is the practice of optimizing online pages to appear higher in search results in an effort to attract target audiences. With an advanced SEO strategy, your plastic surgery practice in Los Angeles can be the most digitally visible in the area.
When thinking about an effective SEO strategy for plastic surgeons in Los Angeles, one of the first steps is to ensure the following are all optimized correctly:
- Website Content
- Meta Tags
- Headers
- URLs
Each of these should include strategic keywords relevant to what a potential client might search for when seeking a plastic surgery treatment that you offer.
Meanwhile, the following are also important aspects of a comprehensive SEO effort that should not be overlooked:
- Backlinks: Links to your plastic surgery website from other relevant online pages.
- Site Speed: The speed and smoothness with which your site operates.
- Mobile-Friendliness: How accessible your site is in mobile formats.
- User Experience: How easily visitors can navigate your website.
Benefits of SEO for Plastic Surgeons
Increased Online Visibility
Increased online visibility is a significant benefit of SEO for plastic surgeons in Los Angeles. By utilizing SEO, you are effectively teaching search engines to recognize your website as one that is relevant and helpful to potential clients. This directly leads to higher placement in search results.
This essentially means that when people are exploring their plastic surgery options in your area and input related search terms, they become much more likely to come across your business rather than all the others. This results in organic search traffic and increases the size of your online audience.
Targeted Traffic and Qualified Leads
Effective SEO also involves targeting specific audiences. While it’s possible to achieve a strong search ranking in a broad or overarching sense, the goal for most businesses, including plastic surgeons in Los Angeles, is to reach their ideal clients.
This is primarily achieved via target demographic research to help determine qualified leads. Thorough research allows you to determine your ideal, qualified client, and keyword implementation helps you reach those potential ideal clients based on the keywords they are likely inputting into search engines. For example, suppose you are practicing plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles and determine that the bulk of your clients are interested in natural-looking facelifts. In that case, you can begin threading phrases like “natural facelifts in Los Angeles” into your content.
By conducting specific targeting like this, you increase the potential to convert targets into qualified leads and, eventually, actual patients who are ready to set up an appointment.
Establishing Credibility and Trust
Another benefit of SEO is to establish credibility and trust. As mentioned, plastic surgery in Los Angeles is an extremely competitive market, and clients have many options from which to choose.
So why would they trust your practice based on an SEO strategy? This, in part, is due to a psychological factor that is at play. People are conditioned to believe that trusted authorities appear highest in search results. Thus, the higher your practice ranks, the more you’ll be perceived as a reliable authority that people can trust for their plastic surgery needs.
Cost-Effectiveness and Long-Term Results
Traditional marketing strategies can be expensive. Paying for TV or transit ads costs a lot and may not drive business as you might expect. This is because today’s consumers spend much more time online than in years past. Therefore, working with a digital marketing team to help you implement an effective SEO strategy can give you quite a bit of bang for your buck and is much more likely to deliver.
A high-impact SEO campaign can also have long-term benefits in the form of a snowball effect. The more precise and deliberate your SEO efforts, the more traffic and engagement you generate. The more activity you generate online, the better positioned you are to become an authority. Finally, the more authoritative you are, the better your rankings.
In this way, plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles can set you up for long-term visibility within an overly crowded market.
SEO Best Practices for Plastic Surgeons
Keyword Research and Optimization
Keyword research is a process by which you determine what words or phrases your prospective clients are typing into search fields. By surveying existing clients and researching keyword popularity, you can discover which words, phrases, and types of inquiries are most relevant to your target audience.
From there, it’s important to plug keywords into website content, meta tags, headers, and URLs, as all of these, remember, are valued in rankings. The more time you spend on search engine optimization details like these, the more likely potential clients will find your website.
Content Creation and Optimization
In addition, effective plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles will also depend on content creation and optimization. Search engines reward content that is useful and authoritative on the topic at hand. Thus, your plastic surgery practice should seek to create and optimize high-quality content such as:
- Blog posts
- Social media posts
- Infographics
- Video
Where applicable, these forms of content should always include your relevant keywords. However, they should also go further and in more detail to answer common questions, address patient concerns, and convey trust and expertise.
Local SEO and Google Business Profile
As a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles, it’s also important to recognize that most potential patients will be searching for options in the area. Rather than using SEO to position yourself as a general authority, you will also need to utilize local SEO strategies to stand out to people searching for care specifically in the LA vicinity.
The best way to do this is through “Google Business Profile” tool. This tool allows you to gain control over your business profile as it appears in searches, and you’ll appreciate being able to ensure that the following information is up-to-date and effective in attracting patients:
- Business name
- Business location
- Hours of operation
- Photos of facilities
- Patient reviews
By ensuring that accurate information in these categories is readily available, you will establish further legitimacy with potential patients in your specific geographical area.
User/Patient Experience and Mobile Optimization
Another aspect of plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles is to ensure your website visitors have a positive experience when learning about your services online. First impressions are so important, and if your website is the public’s first look into your business, you need everything they see to be professional, informative, and visually appealing. Furthermore, consider the following features for a seamless website:
- Design: Make sure your website is warm and welcoming.
- Intuitive Navigation: Make it easy for visitors to click through offerings, select services, book appointments, and generally navigate the site.
- Fast Loading Speeds: Ensure that your site is responding to commands quickly and without lag time.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure that your site is just as intuitive and appealing when accessed via mobile devices. Some estimates suggest that close to 70% of all web visits now occur via mobile, so it’s crucial your mobile site is also user-friendly.
Conclusion
No doubt, plastic surgery is a competitive field, particularly in a market like Los Angeles. This makes plastic surgery SEO in Los Angeles essential for surgeons hoping to attract clients and grow their practices.
A comprehensive SEO strategy can help your business be more visible online. It can also help you to generate targeted traffic, establish credibility and expertise, and generate long-term benefits.
If you are looking to compete and attract patients, reach out to Digital Standout today. We have a team of SEO experts who not only know the best SEO practices, but also the specific challenges plastic surgeons face in attracting clients.