9 Steps for a Higher-ranking Optometry SEO Strategy

Optometrists have a lot to gain from a well-crafted optometry SEO strategy. After all, ranking higher means greater visibility, which leads to new patients.

But researching SEO strategies can be time-consuming. That’s why we’ve done the heavy work for you. We’ve compiled and arranged nine simple steps to follow to create a good optometry SEO strategy.

In this guide, we’ll discuss how to:

1. Set Up Local Business Profiles
2. Make a Page for Each Service
3. Produce High-Quality Content
4. Offer Educational Resources
5. Use Good, Practical Keywords
6. Leverage the Power of Video
7. Build a Solid Internal Link Network
8. Design for Mobile-First Indexing
9. Learn How to Make Rich Snippets

If you’re already working on one or more of the steps above, don’t worry. You can read from the beginning or start at the step you’re currently on.

Let’s go!

1. Set Up Local Business Profiles

The first step to a good optometry search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is claiming your business on local listings. Controlling your listing profile ensures that people looking for an optometrist have the correct details.

However, remember that every online listing has its own way of setting up or claiming your business’s profile. Keep this in mind to avoid frustration.

For example:

• On Google Maps, preview your business’s location and click the ‘Claim this business’ button. This profile contains a list of relevant business information such as contact details, operating hours, and reviews and ratings.
• For Facebook, manually create an account first, then create your business page. A Facebook business page is more complex and allows for more interaction, such as direct messages, page posts, and user comments.

Google and Facebook aren’t the only platforms that offer local business listings. Review other search engines, like Bing, where you can list your business before someone else does.

2. Make a Page for Each Service

Search engines look for crucial information to know whether your content matches a search query. One such piece of information is called a "keyword" (more below).

Essentially, keywords signal what each web page is about and whether or not it’s a match to the search query. Creating separate web pages for each service you offer allows you to use keywords to their fullest.

The benefits of creating individual service pages include:

• Dedicated focused keywords for each page
• Shorter content, which creates a better user experience
• Highlighted services with no distractions

3. Produce High-Quality Content

High-quality content is probably the most cost-effective way to improve your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).

However, it’s not just the quality but also the quantity that boosts your ranking. In this case, content quality is measured in terms of expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).

Here are some reasons why content affects rankings:

• Regular posts, especially content updates, encourage website crawling.
• Medical SEO relies on having good E-A-T ratings to be effective.
• Content pages provide search engines with more information to use in search queries.

There are several ways to raise the quality of your content for your optometry SEO strategy. Here are some of the best ones you can do now:

• Simplify your language. Avoid technical or medical terms that may be confusing.
• Write using short sentences. Include breaks between paragraphs and sections.
• Use images, videos, or infographics. Visual aids can clarify complex topics.

4. Offer Educational Resources

Educational content is attractive to patients for many reasons.

For example:

• It helps patients understand their health concerns better.
• Patients can assess your knowledge and expertise.
• It encourages patients to browse your site for information.

Include this type of content in other facets of your optometry SEO strategy. It should be part of creating high-quality content. It’s flexible and has plenty of relevant applications.

Educational content isn’t just for blog posts, infographics, and video content on your website. You can also create leaflets, posters, and booklets available online and offline.

5. Use Good, Practical Keywords

Good keyword research should be part of any SEO strategy. As mentioned above, keywords act as a summary of the page. They serve as a quick way for search engines to know what users can expect.

Here are three practical types of keywords that you should use to your advantage:

• Long-tail SEO keywords as a combination of four or more words. The idea is that targeting specific words allows you to rank for specific searches.
• Customer-oriented SEO keywords aim to meet the needs of your target market. For example, if your optometry practice specializes in contact lenses, you will probably avoid using glasses as a keyword.
• Location-based SEO keywords serve optometrists well by catering to a precise location — this type of keyword pairs well with local business listings and local city pages.

Choosing effective medical SEO keywords greatly impacts your ranking, so take as much time as you need.

6. Leverage the Power of Video

Ironically, it’s actually difficult for people to visualize what proper eye care looks like. When dealing with an organ as sensitive as the eyes, it’s best to provide clear guidance.

Publishing short informational videos can break down and simplify complicated topics. If you’re wondering whether a subject is worth making a video about, don’t fret. Simply ask yourself if the topic is easier to explain with or without visual aids.

For example, which of the following is better suited to a visual than a verbal explanation?

• How to relieve and reduce eyestrain
• Why dry eye can damage your vision
• How LASIK eye surgery works

Video content can help fill in gaps in the patient’s understanding. It also leaves nothing to the imagination, reducing potential miscommunication.

7. Build a Solid Internal Link Network

The main benefit of internal links is that they increase website crawlability. This means that your website becomes easier to navigate for search engine bots.

Crawlability is vital because it’s the step before indexing, where search engines add your web pages to their archives. Some web pages may be left out of indexing if there are problems during crawling.

Do the following to build a strong internal network:

1. Add internal links only when necessary. Context matters when linking.
2. Ensure that your anchor text relates to the contents of the anchor link.
3. Use Google Search Console to review and address broken internal links.

8. Design for Mobile-First Indexing

If you want to rank high in search, design your website with mobile users in mind. Because 58% of search queries come from mobile devices, a number that is only going to increase, it’s important to design for mobile users.

This is why Google has shifted to “mobile-first indexing.” Desktop sites aren’t penalized per se, but mobile optimization earns you major SEO points.

Three simple ways to start incorporating mobile-first design into your optometry SEO strategy are:

• Cleaning up your website’s user interface. If your users don’t need it, it needs to go.
• Ensuring that your website is navigable. Use menus for quick and easy searching.
• Optimizing images on your website. A heavy website is a slow website, which is bad for user experience.

9. Learn How to Make Rich Snippets

OK, so your website has been crawled and indexed. It shows up on the SERPs. How do you set yourself apart from the competition? By using rich snippets, that’s how.

A web page’s snippet is like a book’s plot summary. It’s a preview of what’s inside. A  rich snippet is a more enticing version. This could mean adding photos, ratings, or any other additions that give searchers a better idea of your page’s contents.

How do you make a rich snippet? First, you need to add schema markup to your website. From there, you can make rich snippets using structured data. Learning to create rich snippets may take some time, but the benefits definitely outweigh the cost.

Summing Up

Now that you know how to improve your optometry SEO strategy, it’s time to get to work. There are still many other ways to rank higher in searches, however. Contact us to work with SEO experts who can craft effective advanced strategies for your practice.