Local SEO and Why It’s Important for Your Rehabilitation Center

Drug abuse is a genuine concern in the United States, with around 28 million people1 ages 12 and up misusing substances. ^[1]Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators In the United States:Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. (2018). … Continue reading When these people are looking for rehab options, you want your facility to stand out from the pack. By employing local search engine optimization (SEO), you can help them get their care quicker and give them more access when they’re seeking help, all while boosting your own business.

Those suffering from substance abuse issues may have trouble reaching out, mostly fearing the attached stigma of drug abuse or not fully recognizing those symptoms in themselves. ^[2]Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M. (2013). The impact of substance use disorders on families and children: from theory to practice. Social work in public health, 28(3-4), 194–205. … Continue reading By targeting this market, you’ll be more visible to this demographic. Using local SEO means that your business will be more accessible, even for those who don’t know where to turn for help. First, it’s important to understand what local SEO is so you can better grasp why it’s so important.

What Is Local SEO?

With effective SEO strategies, you can make sure that when a target audience is searching for something relating to your website, your website has a much higher likelihood of being one of the first that shows up in their search. This is important because internet users are more likely to click on some of the first pages that pop up versus scrolling and slogging through pages of search results. ^[3]Apuke, O. D., & Iyendo, T. O. (2018). University students’ usage of the internet resources for research and learning: forms of access and perceptions of utility. Heliyon, 4(12), e01052. … Continue reading

Local SEO then is meant to make you more visible to local users. And when you’re operating a small business, often the majority of your clients will be local, so you want to make sure your name is among the first that pop up in those many web searches being made.

SEO Ranking Factors

Three factors rank the importance of your facility online. The first is relevance; specifically, how relevant are you to their search? This is why SEO is so important. Properly managing your SEO bumps you up the line for searches, making you more visible.

Another is reputation, or how well-known the searched business is, based on information that the search engine has from across the internet. The more relevant content you have and the more reviews you have, the more prominent your rehabilitation facility will be.

The final factor is distance. The physical distance between you and the searcher factors greatly to your SEO ranking. With proper SEO, your facility will show for a number of search term locations. If the user doesn’t specifically enter a location term, the search engine will calculate it based on location services.

What Are the Benefits of Local SEO for Rehab Facilities?

As mentioned before, so many web searches are for local businesses, and since this is the case, having your name pop up first means you’ll get the most exposure and be more likely to be the primary option for whoever is looking. ^[4]P.J. Benoit, W.L. Benoit, J. Milyo, G.J. Hansen. The effects of traditional versus web-assisted instruction on learning and student satisfaction. University ofMissouri, Missouri (2006). Google Scholar

Local SEO is important because it helps highlight your business, making you stand out among your competitors. And when people in your area are searching for your service, of course, you want to be at the top of the list.

Also, if there is more information available to those searching for your rehabilitation center, it may make the searcher feel more confident. They can trust their care to you and feel more comfortable with your business. ^[5]Warren, A., Brunner, D., Mair P., & Barnet, L. (1998). Technology in Teaching and Learning: An Introductory Guide. London: Kogan Page. Google Scholar

5 Local SEO Tactics to Boost Your Treatment Facility

Now that you’ve learned the benefits of local SEO for rehab facilities, let’s talk about some tactics you can use to improve your own brand visibility.

1. Learn What People Search For

The first, and maybe most important thing, is to learn what people are searching for in your area. Using web analytics tools, you can learn what terms people search for that leads them to your website. You can also use Google AdWords tools and other free Google tools, such as Trends, to discover how people are searching for your services online.

2. Optimize Your Site for Local SEO

Making your website mobile-friendly is extremely important, as a majority of people who use a local mobile search will visit or even call a business that same day. Make sure that your meta description, URL, headers, title tags, and content contain your important keywords, especially those local key phrases people are using to find you.

3. Make Your Content Location-Based

When your content points directly to the area that your rehabilitation center services, it makes you easier to find. Case studies, blog posts, and success stories from past clients will all make your page pop up quicker in a search. Including an About Us page and a map with your location highlighted are even better.

4. Regularly Optimize Your Listing

By frequently checking optimization for your website, you can stay ahead of the game. Adding or changing keywords, making sure keywords are complete and/or correct, and watching for consistency are important ways to keep your website ahead of the others. Keep in mind that there are ways to get help with this type of optimization.

5. Manage Your Social Media More Successfully

Today, it is so important for any business to have active social media pages. Being able to manage these and keep content relevant increases your visibility. While that can be difficult in-patient care industries, it’s not impossible. Show off what you do while respecting patient confidentiality or share relevant industry news or other fun posts. This all helps to enhance your SEO and keeps your company name fresh in the mind of your target market. ^[6]Mujahid, M. S., & Mubarik, M. S. (2021). The Bright Side of Social Media: Social Media Platforms Adoption and Start-Up Sustainability. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 661649. … Continue reading

Asking for reviews and testimonials may very well positively affect your prominence and show those who follow you or are curious what you’re all about that your approach creates many positive experiences and progressive outcomes. Create social media posts that encourage interaction from our audience to improve SEO even further.

Brand Awareness

Brand awareness may sound like a frivolous thing for something like a rehabilitation center, but it’s actually a great tool that helps draw people to you. ^[7]Zhang X. (2020). The Influences of Brand Awareness on Consumers’ Cognitive Process: An Event-Related Potentials Study. Frontiers in neuroscience, 14, 549. … Continue reading Think about the Band-Aid brand. It’s recognizable and memorable, so much so that that’s what most people call all adhesive bandages. Band-Aid’s branding is so ingrained in societal consciousness that it’s become more than just a brand and has become its own category.

While your rehabilitation center might not see this level of public notoriety, it can certainly achieve that on the local level. Having your business at the forefront of people’s minds will prove to be a benefit, and by using the right online marketing and SEO, you’ll see a much higher level of brand recognition.

The benefits of local SEO for rehab facilities are quite clear. When used correctly, local SEO will bring you more client interest and business in the future. By targeting those underserved in your area, you’ll open up your rehab facility to a variety of people who may have never had the opportunity to see you before.

While providing excellent care is the most important step for success, making your rehabilitation center more visible to the online community is surely second. Simply put, making your rehabilitation facility more visible opens you up to a wider range of clientele and leads to the ultimate success of your mission. ^[8]Wegmann, E., & Brand, M. (2016). Internet-Communication Disorder: It’s a Matter of Social Aspects, Coping, and Internet-Use Expectancies. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1747. … Continue reading

Ready to Market Your rehab? Request More Information From Apogee

As a long time addiction professional and interventionist, I’ve seen my fair share of struggles and journeys when it comes to substance abuse, and I know that the stigma that surrounds help is real. Sometimes the most important thing is being able to find a facility that can and will help.

Contact me for more information or if you would like to get in touch about how Apogee can help you grow your recovery facility.

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