Local SEO

• Build out a target customer profile and use keyword language relevant to their local searches as they would write or speak to perform a search.
  • Poll potential customers to gauge desire for offerings
  • Make a listing of rivals that are succeeding and failing in your community
  • Assess how potential customers historically tried to solve what your solution resolves
  • Map out how you relate to essentials of a community
• Assess keywords and search volume.
• Ensure your address maps to Google’s location mapping algorithms.
• Discern where local and non-local firms rank with your various keywords and notate your wins overtime as your try different strategies.

• A GMB profile must be thorough, complete, and active. Accuracy is critical for name, address, phone number, office hours, etc.  Inconsistencies in your business profile data will destroy your local SEO capacity.
• Take control of business photos, videos, map markers, exterior photos, business name, URL, directions, reviews, summary, address, hours, and phone number.
• Regular post images and short videos for up-to-date relevancy and activity.
• Harness FAQs to answer common questions.
• Acquire reviews from a variety of platforms and respond to reviews.
• Write a concise description of your business with keywords, location, and unique value propositions mentioned.
• Ensure proper category selection, especially the primary category.
• Ensure other data is properly addressed and use Google Messaging if you want customers to be able to message you.

• Website must be technically and on-page optimized
• UVP should relay affinity, uniqueness, authority, quality, and convenience.
• Website should possess basic pages and correct contact information
• Create a unique page for each business location, especially if the content regarding the service offerings will be different, and create linked GMB profiles.

• Audit website and GMB, and accurately enter your business data/NAP on:
  • Search Engines
  • Primary Data Aggregators
  • Directories
  • GPS and navigators

• Train employees to proactively ask customers about customer satisfaction
• Post physical signage telling customers how to deliver a complaint to the business rather than online
• Use a paid review management system to invite feedback and surveys
• If a trend of complaints is occurring, fix your operations
• Proactively gather real reviews on:
  • General platforms – Google, Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, City Search
  • Industry platforms – e.g. Healthcare: Healthgrades, Vitals, RateMDs
  • Hows?
    • Directly ask
    • Have signage to ask
    • Have website content/widget requesting reviews
    • Email/text asking for reviews after a visit
    • Use review software
  • Proactively respond to positive reviews (with a non-generic thank you incorporating what the reviewer discussed) and negative reviews (demonstrate responsiveness and professionalism and see if rectification can occur privately to transform the negative review).
  • Never engage in review spam (positive for yourself or negative for rival firms). This can destroy your online presence and potentially create legal trouble.
  • Create affinity with value propositions upon asking yourself:
    • What do I believe a good life looks like for every member of this community?
    • How much time do I need to set aside to listen to diverse community members expressing what a good life looks like to them, and what steps need to be taken to effect change?
    • What is preventing every member of my community from experiencing a good life?
    • What time do I need to set aside to reflect on the pain people feel when a good life is denied them?
    • What level of empathy, what resources, skills, gifts, and determination can I bring to this community to help more people achieve their hopes of a better life?
    • How can I communicate my readiness to help while avoiding tokenism?

• Create web content, digital assets, social channels, one-on-one outreach (email, chat box, SMS, phone), and blog posts.
  • Write for both your audience and for linkers (bloggers, journalists, publishers, fellow business owners, strategic business partners, etc.).
  • Get mentions (unstructured citations) and linktations by engaging with community ventures, philanthropy, scholarships, donations, local B2B alliances, press releases, guest posts, guest interviews, contests, hosting events, etc.

• When a medical practice is not organically ranking, it must benchmark against rivals with respect to:
  • Page Authority, Domain Authority, On-page SEO, Internal Link Structure, Backlinks, Linktations, Unstructured Citations, Content Quality, E-A-T, and Publication Rate
  • Automated tools can be harnessed to discern keywords, direct and indirect competitors, keyword rankings of rivals, domain authority of rivals, what displays on SERPs, audience and demographic reports, search queries, traffic channels, conversions, and much more.

Some prime considerations that a medical practice can include to enhance their Local SEO strategy:

• During a pandemic (such as COVID-19), or other such event ubiquitously impacting your community, have a Practice Policy Disclaimer on your medical practice’s website and social channels
• Deliver empathetic acts of kindness to gain community currency during crises