SEO for Pediatricians

SEO for pediatricians involves the same skills and strategies as SEO for doctors in general, but there are some special things about pediatrics websites that are worth keeping in mind.

What do prospective patients call you?

Pediatricians are sometimes surprised to learn what people search for when they’re looking for a doctor for their children. Google Trends shows us that “pediatrics” is actually the most popular search term, followed by “pediatrician.”

When we look closer, we find that “pediatrics” usually shows up in searches for specific medical practices — it goes with “Holyoke Pediatrics,” for example, rather than being a stand-alone search.

If we remove that term, we can see that “pediatrician” is way ahead of the other options.

We tried a number of other terms as well, and the only other standouts are “baby doctor” and “pediatric doctor.”

Looking closer, we see that “baby doctor” includes searches like, “When should I take my baby to a doctor for a fever.” This means that “baby doctor” should be on your medical keywords list even if your patients don’t use that term in conversation. You’ll show up for lots of searches that you might not predict, if you show up for “baby doctor.”

“Board certified pediatrician”? That’s first choice for some of our clients, but in fact it’s not showing up in enough searches for Google to provide any more detail. “Infant doctor” does better. Among specialists, pediatricians have the advantage of being a fairly well-known term. Medical virtualists and endocrinologists have nowhere near the name recognition.

New parents spend a lot of time on Google

Healthcare searches are among the most popular Google searches; 1 in 20 searches is related to health. But new parents spend hours looking for answers to basic questions. Unfortunately, they are often very frustrated in their search. One study found that three quarters of new mothers relied on the internet as a primary source of information about caring for their babies, but also determined that the experience was “overwhelming and confusing.”

For one thing, parents searching for basic parenting help are likely to find that more than half of the information they see on the first page of the SERPs is inaccurate. Usually, they won’t know which half they should trust, either. When your website provides parents with clear, trustworthy answers to their questions, they will love you. Sight unseen.

Providing that kind of value for current patients can also increase loyalty and reduce no-shows for wellness appointments.

For pediatricians, having a website that serves as a valuable resource for parents is not only an important service, but also a good marketing decision. SEO for pediatricians should focus not only on turning up for “pediatrician near me” but also for “safe baby sleeping position” and “when to call a doctor for a fever.”

Don’t skip social media

From busy working moms to lonely stay at home parents, new parents also spend a lot of time on social media. Meet them where they are by being active on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

You must make sure that you don’t get into social media trouble. This means you have to be sure that your social media is HIPAA compliant. Click through to read more about these issues.

Assuming that you are keeping out of trouble, consider this type of social media posting:

• Information about parenting and child health. Link to accurate, accessible articles — preferably on your website. Other online resources are great, too. Parents will appreciate your help in curating information for them.
• Opportunities to connect with other parents. Loneliness is a real issue, especially for parents who have been working and had lively social lives… but now spend most of their time with young children. Be sure to moderate comments to avoid HIPAA issues and uncomfortable situations. Many topics that concern parents bring up strong emotional reactions, so you should have a designated person who will keep an eye on those Facebook discussions and step in if needed.
• Community and behind-the-scenes news. Your social media is definitely the place to talk about your book drive, fun run, scholarships, and new art work in the waiting room. It’s not the place to talk about your patients, of course. In our experience, patients love hearing about doctors and nurses. Share birthdays and other milestones and give your visitors a chance to brag on your team.

Remember, social media now affects SEO, and social posts can turn up in Google’s search results, too.

These points, along with best practices for SEO and content marketing, will make your website show up when people who need you are looking. Contact us if you need support or strategy.