It is no secret that audiology businesses depend on local business. While you may occasionally treat a patient from out of town who has an emergency need while visiting your city, the huge majority of your patients are from your local area.
So, the way your business’s website performs in Google’s local algorithm is going to have an impact on how many new patients find and choose your practice when they are looking for an audiologist. The local algorithm is what determines which businesses are shown in the “three-pack.” The three-pack comprises the three businesses listed with the map at the top of the results page when you perform a Google search for a local business, like a plumber, a dentist, or yes, an audiologist. You want your practice to appear in that three-pack, prominently displayed as a top result for local Google users.
Three main factors play a role in getting your business into the three-pack.
- Proximity
First, is your business actually located in the area where the Google user is searching? It may seem a little “big brother”-like, but Google pretty much always knows where you are. If you are using a computer, Google can usually tell which zip code you are located in. if you are using a phone to perform your search, Google can typically pinpoint your exact location fairly accurately.
The closer your business is to where the person is located when they search, the greater your chances of appearing in the three-pack. Be sure your address is listed on your website and your Google My Business listing so Google can accurately determine your proximity in local searches.
- Prominence
Prominence, simply put, is how important Google thinks you are. They determine this based on a few factors that help them see that you are a real business with real customers. To improve your prominence, you should focus on links, reviews, citations, and store visits.
Reviews are a big part of determining prominence. If you have a good number of reviews, especially dating back a couple of years (to show that you are not a brand-new business and that you have established customers), this will boost your prominence.
- Relevance
Relevance measures whether Google thinks your business and your website match what the user is searching for. This means that the content on your website needs to fit the query the user has typed into the search window. To show Google that your business is relevant, you should pay attention to factors like:
- Your website content (making sure you have content that answers questions users will search for)
- Onsite SEO (like meta tags, title tags, etc.)
- Citations (to prove you are actually located in the city where the person is searching)
- Categories (part of your Google My Business listing)
- Your business name (your relevance ranking may improve if certain keywords are included in your business name)
- Review content (keywords in reviews also play a role in improving relevance)
As you work to improve these three factors in your business’s online presence, you will increase your likelihood of being included in the coveted three-pack. To learn more about the local algorithm and how you can gain more new patients online, please contact us today at AudiologyPlus. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, we are ready to help you grow your business.
