These days it feels more common to see a corporate veterinary chain than a stand-alone practice. While there is definitely a lot of competition from these corporate entities, independent veterinary practices are still thriving. It might take a little more effort to compete with a corporate chain, but it definitely can be done. Use these local SEO strategies to make your practice stand out from all the competition:

Focus on Local SEO

Local search engine optimization focuses entirely on a small geographic area. Enhancing your local SEO is extremely important to make sure pet owners can find you—especially when you are competing with corporate chains in your area. A few ways to hone your local SEO efforts are to:

• Optimize Google Business Profile (GBP) for Local Visibility: This includes updating your contact information, your operating hours, and the services you offer. 
• Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews and respond to them to build credibility and increase local visibility: Positive reviews can increase search engine rankings, and they are especially important if you have local competition.
• Leverage Location-Based Keywords for On-Page SEO: Including your town or area in your keywords on your website and blogs is an important factor of improving local SEO results.
• Optimize website for Mobile-First and User Experience: Since most users are searching on their phones, mobile friendliness is essential for a website. This includes ensuring that Google Maps is embedded and including a Google Business Profile integration.

Run Local Ad Campaigns

Pay-per-click advertising is an incredibly effective way to target local pet owners to visit your practice. Paid advertising gives you the chance to choose your target area, certain user demographics, and the times and dates when you’d like the ad to run. You can use email lists to generate a look-alike audience that is similar to your current clients. PPC ads can also help improve your search engine rankings.

Manage Your Local SEO

Unfortunately, SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of tool. It requires constant monitoring and tweaking to ensure you are as visible as possible. This is especially true if you have any tough competition in your area. We understand that it can be overwhelming to continuously manage your SEO, which is where a marketing partner comes in. When you trust a marketing partner to manage your SEO, you can expect:

• Someone to consistently keep an eye on your various SEO efforts.
• Custom reporting and analytics to give you a quick snapshot of what’s going on with your digital presence.
• ORM software to make it easier than ever to manage online reviews. 

Beyond Indigo Pets is here to help you get the best results from your local SEO efforts. Our dedicated team of marketing experts is here to partner with you to improve your local SEO and your entire digital presence. To learn more about our services or to get started, please call (877) 244-9322.