Use Search Engine Techniques To Build, Market Your Practice
By Margaret Mulligan

Jupiter Media Matrix, an Internet technology research and analysis firm in Florida, recently released a study indicating that 63% of patients would switch to a health-care provider who maintained a website with credible content, appointment scheduling capabilities or secure communication channels. However, they also found that most providers’ websites lacked the functional depth to engage patients and ultimately get them through the door.

Obviously, one way to address this problem is by offering substantial content on your website. But it takes more than that. When creating your website, remember that it must not only offer compelling information; its structure should also take advantage of how patients search for chiropractic information on the web.

For example, Jupiter also found that when searching for health information on-line, 86% of viewers look for specific information for their own health concerns. The researchers contrast this to off-line information-seeking behavior, where marketing and promotions targeted toward demographic groups (as opposed to individuals) are more effective.

Web surfers looking for specific information are probably using search engines. Therefore, it makes sense to include important information on your website that will attract the attention of search engines. You want to ensure that your site is easily found by major web-search engines. According to SearchEngineWatch.com (www.searchenginewatch.com), you should make sure that the two or three main terms that identify your practice appear in the title page, since search engines look at titles.

Here are some other design tips, from Terry Brainerd Chadwick (you can find many more at www.tbchad.com/findweb.html):

• Search engines read text, not graphics. It is important to have some text on your home page and all of your important link pages.

• Words in the title are ranked the highest in importance.

• The first 15 to 25 words are most often used in descriptions of search results.

• Don’t load your page with numerous mentions of any keyword (such as the name of your practice). This is a form of “spamming,” and will actually cause the search engine to ignore your page.

Finally, don’t forget to make use of existing websites. Links from other sites can increase your rank on search engines. Network to get your site listed on directories, city-based or community sites, and professional society sites. Doing so will further increase your visibility to patients.

Ms. Mulligan has more than 15 years of experience in medical and technical writing and marketing communications.