How to make your practice visible online with 4 easy steps!
Published on 22/08/2024
Whether it’s to obtain information on treatments, symptoms or simply to book an appointment with a doctor, a patient’s journey usually begins with a search on search engines such as Google or Bing.
As a healthcare professional, it’s important to optimize your online presence and e-reputation so that your patients and future patients can easily find important information about you. Here are a few tips for managing your online presence as a doctor, dentist or therapist!
Tip #1 – Create a Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free listing service for all professionals who want to highlight their profile and website in Google search and on Google Maps.
When a search is performed on Google, the corresponding Google Business Profile is displayed first, enabling your patients to find important information about your practice without having to click on a link. Creating a Google Business Profile also enables effective referencing when a patient searches Google Maps for a point of interest (for example: “General practitioner Geneva”).
Our article dedicated to 10 tips for your Google Business Profile gives you all the keys to optimizing and updating your profile.
Tip #2 – Present your business on your website
A large number of Swiss practices and medical centers have websites that present their activities, teams, services and specialties, enabling future patients to better prepare for their consultations. Having a website for your practice is therefore essential if you want to be visible to your patients and provide them with all the important contact information.
The process of creating a website can seem long and costly. However, today there are affordable options that allow you to have a website that reflects your image. Thanks to freelancers or simple tools, you can create a professional website for your business without requiring any particular computer knowledge. Tools like WordPress or Wix are really intuitive, for example.
Tip #3 – Master the codes of the social networks
Social networks have an essential role to play in the healthcare sector. Healthcare professionals and patients can exchange and obtain information rapidly on those platforms. On the other hand, a line needs to be drawn between your public and professional profiles. In search engine results, when a patient types in your name, for example, links to your personal social network accounts may appear. Make sure that the visibility of the latter is restricted, i.e. that their content is only visible to your close relations (“Friends” or “Followers”). Patients don’t need to know what you do in your spare time.
Tip #4: Opt for an online appointment booking platform for a strong online presence
According to a study conducted by the Swiss Medical Association FMH in fall 2019, 87% of patients consider online appointment bookings to be an added benefit. Healthcare professionals who offer online appointment booking options are generally ranked higher in search engines and therefore appear more prominently in search results.
To achieve this effect, a customizable profile page on OneDoc with your expertises is a good idea. In this way, your visibility on the Internet is improved and you also benefit from ideal search engine optimization.
The benefits for your patients are also clear: they can book, reschedule and cancel their appointments quickly and easily without having to call your practice. Online appointment bookings optimize and refine a series of processes in practice administration. This is because you no longer need to worry about administrative matters, but gain more time for your patients and your practice.
Online visibility: a combination of factors
The Swiss patient journey generally begins on search engines. That’s why it’s so important for you to be listed and for the information you display to be up-to-date! We therefore recommend that you:
