The internet is full of tips and tricks about how to maximize SEO for your website. Even as a non-expert, you likely recognize which tactics are a bit too sketchy. But some tactics seem legitimate but actually harm your SEO strategy.
You also probably know that many, many factors contribute to SEO. Definitely too many to keep track of without it being your full-time job – like our Digital Marketing Specialists! That’s why we’ve put together the top three misunderstandings regarding good versus bad SEO tactics.
1. Utilizing Only One Content Marketing Method
Maybe you’ve found a content marketing method that’s easy to implement and works for your practice. But if we’ve learned anything over our years managing digital marketing strategies, it’s that best practices change constantly. What works for your business now won’t be the same in a year (or less).
We’ve also learned that when it comes to SEO, the entire strategy is greater than the sum of the parts. A dynamic approach to increasing your overall visibility is most effective.
If you’re only using one of the following content marketing methods, consider adding a few more to your strategy:
- Electronic newsletters
- Social media posts
- Website blog posts
- Case studies
- Infographics
- Videos and photos
- In-person events
2. Publishing Duplicate Content
For your website to perform well in organic search, search engines need to identify brand new content. Including content that already existing anywhere else on the internet is flagged as repetitive and doesn’t contribute to a positive user experience.
We understand that many of the trademarked products and procedures in your medical field use much of the same verbiage for descriptions. Even so, this is your opportunity to get creative! Highlight what makes your practice unique and your personal approach to patient treatment while incorporating some of the widely used terms.
If using the same content is completely unavoidable, applicable pages need to be marked “no index” and “no follow” to ensure that the duplicate content doesn’t negatively affect your SEO. We’ve got you covered on that front!
3. Using Keywords Too Much
Keywords are useful for many aspects of your SEO strategy. Stuffing your website content with them isn’t an acceptable tactic. There are two basic reasons NOT to keyword stuff: 1) potential patients won’t find your content readable and 2) search engines don’t like to be tricked.
Think about what it would be like to read this on every webpage you visit:
“Dr. Smith provides teeth whitening to patients in the Los Angeles area who are looking around the Los Angeles area for teeth whitening services.”
Exhausting, huh?! You’d probably stop reading, right? The last thing you want potential patients to do is leave your website due to unreadable content.
Even more importantly, search engines have caught onto keyword stuffing and know that it harms the user experience. So while some business believe that using an overabundance of keywords is boosting their SEO, their websites are appearing less in search results. Moving forward, be sure to use keywords naturally in your content.
Our Digital Marketing team implements these best practices for boosting SEO every day! And we’re always on the lookout for the latest updates. If you have any questions about your digital marketing strategy, contact your Customer Success Coordinator.
