Getting your website to rank higher on search engines is one of the most important ways to reach more patients. For small businesses, however, getting in the top search results is easier said than done. Keywords implemented by a medical SEO strategy can help you rank better, but these are not a guarantee that your site will beat out well-known competitors. Instead of directly competing with these websites, you can use a tactic called barnacle SEO.
What is barnacle SEO?
This type of marketing strategy is aptly named because it mimics how barnacles in the ocean attach to whales to find nutrients more easily. The benefit of this relationship goes to the barnacle, but the whale is not harmed in any way. As a small website, you can become the barnacle to a larger, high-ranking business, allowing your site the opportunity to rank alongside that business on search engine results. You can boost your own site through content such as guest blogging, reviews, and brand mentions.
How can you implement it?
Barnacle SEO is largely about researching the competition, determining where your website falls in the ranks, and developing a strategy that optimizes competitive keywords. You should still utilize other SEO tactics for your practice, but becoming a barnacle can increase your chances of being noticed when other practices dominate the same keywords you need to use. These three tips can help you get started and bring more business to your practice.
1. Target competitive keywords
Healthcare keyword marketing is limited by the top keywords a patient might Google when searching for a specific service. For example, there are only so many keywords a dental practice can use in a post about teeth cleaning, and more well-known sites are likely to get all of the high ranks for using those terms. Your website will get left behind unless you ride off the success of those bigger businesses. Make a list of businesses to consider being a barnacle on and research the keywords each uses that match your own needs.
2. Research high-ranking sites
Some websites are easier than others to form a relationship with. Online publishing platforms and similar sites are designed as a third party to connect online users to smaller businesses. You can use Facebook, TripAdvisor, or Angie’s List, to name a few, to reach patients who might search for keywords through these platforms.
3. Invite guest blogging
Guest blogging is a fantastic way to get word out about your practice via a larger, reliable source. After a little research, you can pitch an article or blog post idea to a successful site that publishes topics related to your practice. That site gets great new content and you get publicity through the name, which creates a relationship based on mutualism rather than commensalism — a positive for everyone involved.
Start your barnacle SEO strategy today
Doctor Genius can help you create a successful marketing strategy to boost your website’s performance and ranking, through both barnacle and traditional SEO practices. Contact us to learn more about our services and what we can do to optimize your digital presence.
Doctor Genius, located at 16800 Aston Street, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92606, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
