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Guide to local search for hearing clinics

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 23:28:07 GMT

How to help people find your clinic when they search for “hearing clinics near me”

When looking for information on local businesses, 4 out of 5 people rely on search engines. And these types of searches are on the rise – searches for businesses “near me” or “close by” increased over 900% in two years.

This type of search is called “local search.” It is similar to normal search, but the results are focused on a specific location.

Local search is powerful for consumers, as it helps us find products and services in our community.

And it is powerful for businesses. Local search makes it possible for your hearing clinic to show up when someone searches for “hearing clinic close by” – and you don’t need to compete against every hearing clinic around the world for a top spot.

You just need to be better than the hearing clinics in your region.

Here is what hearing clinic owners and marketing teams can do to help their clinic show up in local search results.

What is local search

Local search is just like normal search, but the results are filtered according to a location.

When someone wants to learn more information about how ears work, the geographic location of the information isn’t too important. But when searching for a local business, the desired location is essential for accurate results.

Two types of local searches

Let’s say someone is looking for a nearby hearing clinic. They will likely search one of two types of phrases:

“hearing clinic” + Location
“hearing clinic near me” or even just “hearing clinic”

Even when the location isn’t specified within the query, search engines will assume you’re looking for a local hearing clinic.

People tend to add a specific location when they are searching for something in a place where they are not currently at. And people assume that just “hearing clinics” will bring up results for locations around them.

What local search looks like

You’ve seen local search results when looking up the nearest gas station on your phone or searching for your next meal. Google shows local search results in Google Maps or in integrated boxes within normal search results.

No matter how the results are displayed, it is the same process to help search engines display your business when someone searches for “hearing clinic” in your community.

How local search works

Search engines consider a variety of factors (often called “signals”) to rank local search results. Each factor contributes, but the influence of each is only known to the algorithms of search engines.

Some of the main factors influencing local search results are:

Location of the searcher (or the location included the query)
Business name, address and phone number listings throughout the internet
Google My Business profile
Online reviews
Check-ins of that location
Social media shares and engagement
Ratings of the business

Why local search benefits local businesses

Without local search, your clinic would have to compete for a spot among every other hearing clinic in the world. Local search makes it easy for people to find nearby services – including your clinic.

How to manage your local search

The goal of managing local search is to help search engines understand the details of your business, including:

The business’ name and location
What you offer
How people can contact you
What other people think of your business

Search engines will track this information throughout the internet and monitor how people interact with your profiles and website. Together, all this information will help search engines select the best results to show for different queries.

Since local search is influenced by a variety of factors, a multifaceted approach is the best way to help your clinic show up in local search results. The contribution of every factor varies, but the main factors influencing local search ranking are:

Google My Business : The information included in your Google My Business profile.
In-bound links : Any links that go to your website, including where the link comes from and what it says.
Reviews : The quantity, quality and diversity of reviews and replies.
Your website : There is contact info on your website, and it is clear what you do.
Name, address and phone number : The business name, address and phone number are consistent in every instance on the internet where they are listed.
Behaviour : How people interact with your profiles and website, including click-through rates, clicks to call and check-ins at your clinic.
Social media : Engagement on your social media accounts.

Every factor is important, but it’s possible to still rank in local search by focusing on a few aspects. The stronger you are in every factor, the more likely it is your clinic will rank above other clinics in your region. But every extra effort is one more step to stand out.

3 priorities for local search

Here are three actions your clinic can take to improve your rankings in local search results. These steps make the most out of your effort and go beyond what most normal businesses do.

1. Keep Google My Business updated

Ranking in Google Maps and in local search results are most strongly influenced by a strong profile on Google My Business.

If you don’t already have a free Google My Business account, set it up for your business at https://www.google.com/business/ .

If you already have an account, fill in as much information as possible. The more information you provide, the more Google will understand what your business offers, where at and for whom. From your clinic hours to keywords, every tidbit of info helps search engine algorithms and makes it clearer for users.

Keep the business information on Google My Business always up to date. Even if hours change for a holiday break, note the changes in Google My Business.

2. Get more reviews & reply to all reviews

The best way to get more reviews is to simply ask for reviews. For patients that expressed gratitude, send them a personal email requesting a quick review and provide a link to your Google Reviews.

The link to leave a review on Google profile can be finicky to find, so follow these steps to get a link directly to your reviews:

Go to the Google Place ID Finder and enter in the name of your business. This will generate your clinic’s Google Place ID.
Copy and paste the ID to the end of this URL: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid= . For example, if your Place ID is “ChIJt8VxPUXKcFMRl47xSdfH3m8” then the URL is https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJt8VxPUXKcFMRl47xSdfH3m8

For every review your clinic receives, reply to the message with a note of thanks. This is easy for good reviews, but be sure to also sincerely respond to the not-so-good reviews. These responses show search engines that your business is active and engaged with its customers.

3. Update name, address and phone

As search engines crawl the internet, they take note of every instance where your clinic’s name, address and phone number are listed. Consistent listings show that the information is reliable, accurate and up to date.

Not only should your name, address and phone number be correct everywhere, they should also be identical everywhere. That means even the address is written in the same format (such as 10 Street everywhere instead of 10 St. sometimes).

Download the local search cheat sheet

The cheat sheet includes our top tips to manage the local search listings of your clinic.

Top 3 suggestions to improve your ranking in local search results
Guide to auditing the listings of your business name, address and phone number

Download the local search cheat sheet for hearing clinics.

COVID-19 checklist for hearing clinics

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:44:51 GMT

The COVID-19 outbreak is creating a new normal. Social distancing measures, travel restrictions and concern for the health of our family and friends has transformed daily routines.

For hearing clinics, this new normal means that in-person appointments, tests and care are not as preferable for many of their patients (if not restricted).

Here are four suggestions for hearing clinics to continue providing hearing care during the pandemic – when social distancing and working from home are the new normal. Use this guide to take meaningful action today that will help your business – during and after the pandemic.

Communicate with your patients

Let your patients know what to expect from your hearing clinic during the COVID-19 outbreak. Make it clear what types of care and services you are offering.

Go beyond “we’re here for you”

Use your communications to outline the specific changes you have made to be there for your patients. Provide the details how your patients can continue getting the supplies or service that they depend on.

Go beyond the standard “we’re here for you” by answering the common questions that your patients will have:

- Is your clinic still accepting in-person appointments? If so, appointments for what type of services?

- Have your hours changed?

- Have you updated your protocols?

- What are you doing about previously scheduled appointments?

- What are your options for purchasing supplies and batteries?

Update your local search information

The first place that people will look for information is a Google search. Be sure to update your local search information (such as through Google My Business) so existing and new patients know when you’re open and how to contact you.

- Update your hours

- Ensure all contact information is accurate and confirm there is a website URL

- If your profile allows, add a COVID-19 update

Update your website

The website is your main hub for all communications. Many patients will go directly to the website for updates and find the options to contact your clinic.

Create a FAQ page or a blog post with all COVID-19 related information, and update this page whenever there are changes. Link to this page using a universal banner or pop-up.

Adjust your marketing

During the COVID-19 outbreak, it is no longer business-as-usual. Adjust your marketing to match the services and care that your hearing clinic is offering, and then prepare for re-opening with creative campaigns.

Focus on digital campaigns

People may be staying at home more, but they are still searching for products and services on their phones and computers. Digital campaigns (such as PPC advertising) can be an effective way to connect with new patients during the COVID-19 outbreak. Many digital campaigns are being pulled back (or stopped completely), so this may be an opportunity to be visible when your competitors are withdrawing.

Offer digital services

Even when in-person appointments are permitted, many people may prefer to reduce non-essential contact. Digital sales and services can benefit your patients during the pandemic and afterwards. They can also contribute to streamlined operations to save your team time.

Set up an e-shop

An e-commerce store will make it easy for your patients to get the hearing aid accessories, batteries and supplies that they need. To ease the setup, focus on the products that are essential or popular – such as batteries.

Provide video appointments

Through video chats, you can still offer consultations for new patients and support for existing patients. These online conversations are not a complete replacement for in-person appointments, but they provide convenient appointments. There are a variety of platforms to set up video appointments. To simplify the process for your patients, we recommend using a video service for medical clinics. There are options that abide by medical privacy laws while being extremely simple for patients to use.

Be creative

People still need help with their hearing. Your hearing clinic can offer creative solutions that benefit your patients and community. Every business has a unique situation, but here’s a few ideas for hearing clinics during the pandemic.

Offer delivery of batteries

Doorstep delivery eases the challenge to find and get hearing aid batteries. You can write a quick thank-you note to personalize the order.

Check in with your patients

A simple phone call or email can let your patients know that you’re available if they need any support with their hearing. And for many people stuck at home, a conversation can be very meaningful.

Optimize your operations

Use this time to review and optimize the operations of your hearing clinic. If you’ve been considering any process changes, now’s a good time to get it done.

Local search during the pandemic (guide for hearing clinics)

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:44:50 GMT

When it comes to trends in digital marketing, the first place to look is Google Trends. By displaying the relative volume of searches over the past year, Google Trends provides valuable insights for all types of business, including hearing clinics.

Most notably – are people still searching for hearing clinics during the COVID-19 outbreak?

There have been variations over the months, but the general trends from the past year (including the past month is): searches for hearing care are consistent.

People are still on their phones and computers searching for the products and services they need, but the COVID-19 outbreak has shifted the specific queries that people are searching for.

Here’s how local search has changed during the coronavirus pandemic – and what hearing clinics can learn from this information.

What is local search?

The language of digital marketing is our everyday vocabulary, but we understand that the lingo is not familiar to everyone.

Local search marketing refers to promoting local businesses (often physical) through digital platforms.

To put it simply, the essence of local search are people searching for: “something near me.” That something can be a product or service, such as “hearing aids near me” or “hearing clinics near me.”

Local search depends on the ability of search engines to match local services with local searches, but businesses have some tools that can improve their visibility to search engines.

The most popular tool is Google My Business, which lets business owners edit the details of their business (location, hours, contact info and more) so it will show up within search results and on maps.

Changes to search habits

Everyone’s daily routines have changed over the past few months. That also includes their searching habits.

Some of the iconic examples of search habits during the coronavirus pandemic have been for everyday staples: food and toilet paper. Searches for restaurant reservations have dropped (from their notable peak during Valentine’s Day) while searches for take-out food experienced a large bump.

This makes sense based on what we expect from daily routines during social isolation. The specific searches have shifted, but the challenges or needs that people are trying to find solutions for are still the same.

When it comes to food, people still need to eat. They are now searching more for convenient at-home options compared to dine-in options.

It’s important to note that while search trends have changed, there hasn’t been a notable difference in volume. People still have to eat, but they are finding their meals from different sources.

Reduced demand for map directions

An interesting trend to note is that there are fewer requests overall for directions. Since there are fewer people leaving their home (and so fewer people driving, walking, transiting or cycling), there is a deceased demand in map searches.

This is not surprising – fewer people are leaving their homes.

According to search volume, there is sustained demand for products and services. But according to map volume, there is reduced demand for directions. People still need the products and services they depend on, but they are choosing alternative means to acquire them.

One major exception over the past few months has been health and medical searches. There has been a significant spike in requests for directions on health and medical topics.

Calls have remained steady

We monitor the calls for our hearing clinics and have not seen a significant reduction in volume of calls. The topics of the calls has shifted (more to sourcing batteries and supplies) but the volume has remained steady.

In markets beyond hearing care, this trend has been very noticeable. The number of searches for directions to services has plummeted, but the number of calls has remained steady – or even jumped.

What hearing clinics can do

In the best of times, local search can be difficult to keep up with. The best practices, tools and search engines are always changing, so local businesses can only keep up by being agile and adaptive.

The speculation and uncertainty of the COVID-19 outbreak contributes to the challenge.

Here’s our suggestions for hearing clinics – during and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

Don’t ignore your online platforms

If you’re investing money into your digital marketing or waiting until business returns closer to normal, don’t ignore your digital communications. People are still relying on their smartphones and computers to connect them to help for their challenges, and hearing care is no exception.

Keep your website, social profiles and local search directories (most notably Google My Business) updated with the latest details about your clinic.

Answer your phone

While requests for map directions has sharply declined, the dip has been made up for by call volume. People are still seeking hearing products and services, and they are making calls to find a clinic that can provide the care they need.

Be sure the phone number for your clinic is available and clear. And when the phone rings, answer it.

Offer alternatives

Even when most people are staying at home, they are finding creative ways to purchase the products and services that they need.

Consider the sharp rise in grocery deliveries – it is not surprising that grocery store revenue has remained consistent (or even rose) even though fewer people are going to the store. Delivery is a compelling alternative for many people.

Hearing clinics can provide e-commerce stores, digital appointments and other convenient services when in-person appointments are not ideal.

Preparing to re-open your hearing clinic after COVID-19

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:44:49 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic is full of uncertainty. When one question is answered, there is a series of new questions that follows.

As we approach or go beyond the peak, the main question on everyone’s mind is: when will we go back to normal? That question will have a different response for every region, and many questions arise even if there is a set date.

Consider the questions that people have about your clinic:

- Is your clinic open?

- Are you scheduling appointments?

- Do you have the supplies or batteries that I need in stock?

- Should I wear a mask during my appointment?

Where do people go to answer these questions? There’s a good chance they will do a simple Google search to find the answers.

As your community prepares to resume to normal (or if it’s already on its way), here’s some suggestions to help people find the answers they are looking for. If you can provide some answers amidst all the uncertainty, you will be able to better connect with your community.

Update your local search information

When there are any changes to your clinic’s operations, be sure that the online information is updated. Most notably, routinely update all information on Google My Business and other platforms where your patients search for hearing care.

Online research is easily the primary way that existing and new patients find more information about your clinic. When they have a question, they type it into Google (or ask their smartphone or home assistant).

This is intuitive (because we all use the internet to find products and services); and this is backed by data. According to Hubspot, buyers have been seeking out businesses online more in April 2020 compared to the month before.

A search engine is the first place they will look – so stay on top of updating your local search information.

Keep your website current

Consider your website as the second place that people will check for updates about your business (with search engines as the first spot). When people click on a link to your site (or find you from an email newsletter or social media), provide them with the most important information:

- Are you open? Or, what parts of your clinic are open?

- What are your hours?

- What types of appointments are you accepting?

- What are your alternatives to in-person visits?

- What should people expect when they visit your clinic? And what do you expect from your patients?

Show your website visitors that the information is current by simply providing a date of last update. When there is so much uncertainty (and when the situation is changing quickly), the “last updated” date can relieve many concerns about the relevance and accuracy of the information.

Communicate major changes

Let your patients know when there are major changes with succinct updates.

Whether through social media, email newsletters or website updates – keep all communications sincere and straightforward.

Another platform to update regularly is the COVID-19 update post in Google My Business. By updating your status, you can share important news to anyone that is searching for your clinic – directly from Google.

As your clinic prepares to re-open, you will likely require a series of updates as incremental changes are implemented. Prioritize maintaining your website and Google My Business, and use your outreach platforms when there are updates to your services.

zoolstra-2

Guide to local search for hearing clinics

How to help people find your clinic when they search for “hearing clinics near me”

﻿ ﻿ How local search works

﻿ ﻿ Why local search benefits local businesses

﻿ ﻿ How to manage your local search

﻿ ﻿ 3 priorities for local search

﻿ ﻿ ﻿ Download the local search cheat sheet