Helping People Find You Online with SEO
How to effectively use Search Engine Optimisation to attract new clients as a holistic healthcare practitioner
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SEO, short for Search Engine Optimisation, is the art of structuring your website and creating content in such a way that search engines including Google and Bing rank your website at the top of the search list. With 1 in 19 Google searches being health related, and an increasing number of people self-managing their health by doing their own (online) research, this creates an important opportunity for you as holistic healthcare practitioners to make sure your website shows up when future clients are Googling for your services. SEO helps you connect with the right people and can be a game changer to your client growth.
Today’s newsletter edition serves as an introduction on how to make the most of this opportunity. And before kicking things off I do need to add a disclaimer here to say that firstly, SEO is based on the search engines’ algorithms which are a black box to anyone outside these companies and can change at any time, and secondly, online search trends are also always in flux. So it’s important to remember that SEO optimisation is not a one-hit wonder but requires some patience (it can take months for your SEO work to show up on search results), strategic action and ongoing updates (search engines love websites with fresh, new content and regularly updated web pages). With that out of the way, let’s dive into the steps you can take to improve your search rankings!
Set Your SEO Strategy
First things first, you want to decide what keywords you want to use to match with different search terms and the people using them. These keywords help search engines display your site as relevant to the people looking for those search terms. As an example, ‘Acupuncture in London’ is not going to be specific enough as there’s many other websites that include those words. So think strategically and go as niche as you can. Who is your ideal client and what makes your offering specific and different from others? Some examples: Five elements acupuncture for postnatal symptoms in Brighton. Online nutritional therapy for peri-menopause symptoms. Massage therapy in Dublin for female athletes. Functional medicine for teenagers with chronic fatigue. There’s plenty of options and room to play with, make sure the keywords you select match the services you offer, as well as the clients you can help and want to work with.
Your SEO strategy depends on your website and the visitors you're trying to attract, and it's important to add keywords in a clear, natural way that makes sense to humans. Put yourself in the shoes of your clients, and think of the words they’d use to find the services you’re offering.
You can also search for recent trends related to your specialty on Google Trends and Bings’ Webmaster Tool, and use those keywords in your website content. As you add text to your website, include words and phrases that match the search terms people use to find sites like yours.
If SEO strategy isn’t in your Zone of Genius, or you simply don’t have the time - it’s worth working with an expert to do this work for you. With so many people searching online for holistic healthcare, there’s opportunities for all practitioners to stand out online and reach their audiences.
Your Website’s Architecture
Now on to the more technical bit of SEO work..
The way your website is built, and the content you include at specific places is what will drive your SEO results. Search engines typically prioritise the following content from your site:
Site title
SEO titles
Page titles
Blog post titles
Headings
Add Keywords Strategically
It matters where your keywords are placed, as search engines scan your website in specific places to find keywords that match the words people are searching for.
Structure your content - Structure your pages with headings to keep your text skim-friendly and help search engines navigate your content.
Add alt text to images - In addition to increasing accessibility for visitors who use assistive screen readers, alt text also helps search engines identify the content of a page.
Verify Your Website
To help surface your site and its content to search engines, it’s recommended you do the following as soon as your site is published:
Verify your site with Google Search Console - After you've verified your site with Google, you can manage your site’s presence in Google search results and review how visitors find you. This can then help you adjust your key word placement if needed.
Request that Google index your site - This asks Google's bots to review your site and update search results with your new content.
Verify your site with Bing Webmaster Tools - Verify your site with Bing to manage your site’s presence in Bing and Yahoo search results.
Keep Updating
Redirect broken links and contact information - When you make changes to your website design or your contact details, make sure all the links between your web pages and contact forms are still correct.
Continue updating and adding content - Updating your site often helps search engines view your site as an active site. One way to regularly add content to your site is to start blogging.
More help
As I shared at the start of this article, search engine technology frequently changes and everyone's marketing needs are unique. If you’re in need of expert help with your SEO strategy or implementing it onto your website - we offer SEO services at Circe Studio. For hands-on support, book your online presence review to receive advice on your SEO strategy or email us at info@circehealth.co to chat about (re)building your website on Squarespace with SEO as a priority.