My Solution: Optimizing for Local Search
In the first month, I started by researching and creating a keyword strategy that focused on local keywords and booking intent. For example, my client’s website ranks in the top spot for “dermatologist + location”.
Ranking for keywords that are based on geolocation is important for searches via mobile: 56% of searches are now made from smartphones and tablets. Up to half of all local searches resulted in inquiries and bookings via phone calls.
I then focused on setting up the practice on popular business review sites and data aggregators. Specifically, Google My Business, Bing Local, YellowPages.com, and Yelp plus up to 30 more sites that were healthcare-related.
Critical to the review site and local situation strategy was ensuring that the name, address, and phone number ( NAP ) were accurate and consistent across review sites, their Facebook profile and their website. Consistent NAP data is a ranking factor for Google’s local search results. 93% of search results with local intent see Google’s local results.
In the second month of the campaign and beyond, I continued building local citations which help give Google a clearer picture of my client's practice and their location.