When it comes to finding a medical clinic, more and more patients are going online. Even as of 2012, Google reported that 77% of patients used search engines before making an appointment. If you’re looking to bring new patients to your clinic, this result is important. First, it means if you don’t have an optimized website, patients won’t be able to find your clinic online and that means they’re less likely to come in. Second, if your website isn’t compelling or informative enough, patients may find you but they likely won’t make an appointment.

Below are seven tactics you can implement for your website so that more patients can find you and book an appointment easily.

Use Relevant, Local Keywords

The more specific your keywords, the more easily you’ll be found. After all, there are a lot of doctors in New York City, but how many orthopedists are there in Queens? Be specific about your location—mention smaller areas of a larger city if possible—and your services. When you provide specific details, potential patients have an easier time finding you through search rankings.

Get a Google My Business Page

Google My Business provides key information for people searching for local businesses. So if someone in your area looks for an orthopedist, they can find your clinic through Google Search and Maps. Check out the key takeaways from our Google My Business Webinar to help get you started.

Publish a Regular Blog

Blogs are a great way to boost traffic to your website and improve your search rankings. Even better, they’re a fantastic way to educate the public about health issues. Set up a regular blogging schedule and make sure you use new, relevant content to engage your readers.

Make Your Site Mobile Friendly

According to Think With Google, 18% of patients use a mobile phone or tablet to research hospitals, and 44% of patients who research hospitals on a mobile device schedule an appointment. If your website isn’t mobile friendly, you’re missing out on many new patients.

Include Contact Information on Every Page

Contact information serves two purposes: it improves your SEO and it makes life easier for your patients. Ever given up on a website because the contact information was too difficult to find? Including your address and phone number in a consistent spot on each web page helps potential patients immensely.

Ensure Your Listings Are Correct

Correct listings for your medical practice lead to a better reputation online and improve your SEO. This is key because multiple clinics are often housed in the same building, so it’s important to differentiate your practice from others, particularly so that you are associated with proper reviews and your online reputation isn’t skewed by reviews for other clinics in the same building (whether positive or negative). Look for effective digital tools to help claim your correct listings and generate reviews. After all, Google says 94% of prospective patients consider the reputation of the facility before making a decision.

Include Information for New Patients

Finding a new doctor can be nerve-wracking for patients, especially if they’re not sure what they need to do prior to an appointment. Having a page for new patients that answers common questions (such as “what should I bring to my first appointment?”, “how long is a typical appointment?”, “what type of payment do you accept?”) puts your new patients at ease and offers vital information and opportunities to use strategic keywords at the same time.

Check out Google’s digital wellness report for more relevant information about how patients use online searches to make medical decisions. By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be able to capitalize on both SEO and patient behavior to attract new patients for your practice.

Alex is Connectivity’s VP of Marketing.