Everyone and every business has been impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Business owners universally are struggling with the concerns of how best to minimize the financial impact of COVID-19 and what to expect when cleared to return to business as usual. On top of this, Healthcare professionals and Practice Owners are uniquely faced with the challenge of both being a resource for their patients and minimizing the risk of spreading the virus. There are many questions that Practice Owners may be contemplating as their hours of operation lessen or the number of days out of office increases. Though only time will tell the impact this pandemic has on each individual practice, there are recommended steps you can take to put your practice in the best position for stability and growth in the coming months.
Below we answer 5 Frequently Asked Questions based on digital marketing best practices.
How is my SEO impacted by COVID-19?
Google’s algorithms remain largely unaffected in times of crisis. They are dictated by complex formulas that are not compromised when brick and mortar businesses close their doors or limit services. While overall search volume could experience a temporary dip while the population is urged to stay home, this does not fundamentally impact SEO ranking, unless you ease up on your SEO strategy. Although SEO is a long term strategy, the easiest way to see a dramatic dip in rankings or visibility is halting your online marketing strategy, or putting a stop to content additions (blogs) and social media activity.
Should I pause or shut down my website?
If you take your website offline, it is likely to have a negative impact on your domain authority and rankings, allowing your competitors to rank higher than you for keywords you may have previously controlled the market share for. Maintaining your website is not only beneficial for your online presence, it is also a valuable source to keep in communication with your patients. Patients may be turning to you and your website for answers. Now is your time to be a resource for them and keep them up to date with relevant information.
What if my new website hasn’t launched yet? Should I wait until this blows over?
Delaying the launch of your new website, could affect your user engagement and patient satisfaction. If you’re redesigning your website, usability is likely a contributing factor. As we discussed, it is more important now than ever to communicate with your patients. Doing so through a user friendly website with an impressive, modern design is important for user engagement and building your brand. Launching a new website could also have additional SEO benefits if best practices are followed.
What should I do if my office has completely closed?
We recommend updating your hours of operation on your Google My Business page, website, and social media. Google My Business now has a feature specifically for COVID-19 announcements. Adding a temporary banner or pop up on your website is a great way to keep patients informed, without changing the overall design of your website. Social Media makes it easy for frequent posts, and in general, is the best channel for more of a personal tone to connect with your patients.
What digital marketing should I do with the extra time on my hands?
If you find yourself with downtime during quarantine, this is the perfect time to create a content calendar or at the very least additional content. Content remains the biggest contributor to SEO ranking. Quality content in the form of webpages, blogs, videos, FAQs, etc. will increase user engagement on your website, increase time on site, and make you an educational resource for your patients. When considering where to start with content creation, reflect on ways to build your brand, share your story online, strengthen your social media presence, and identify new ways to serve patients.
COVID-19 has undoubtedly posed new challenges for businesses and forced many practice owners to start thinking outside the box when it comes to their digital marketing strategy. Our team at Roya.com is committed to helping you navigate these unique challenges so your practice can stay relevant in this time of uncertainty and thrive when we return to a state of normalcy
As a leading digital marketing partner in the medical industry, we remain committed to the future growth and success of your practice. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to discuss updates to your current digital marketing strategy or establish a plan of action. Stay healthy and positive.
