The rest of us might be having fun under the summer sun, but Google and other search engines are toiling away making adjustments to their algorithms. Why? Because we humans keep changing, and Google needs to keep up with our search demands. 

Changing with the Times

In the early days of SEO, there was only one place and one way to rank on Google. Then, as Google started to adapt to meet the growing needs for functionality, it shifted from a single online “location” to a 6-pack of online “locations.”  While it makes it easier than ever for humans to use the search engine to find what they need, it also means that a business now has to be found in multiple places on Google, not just one. How do you drudge through all the different requirements for the different locations? We are here to help you figure it out!

Local SEO

Almost everyone has a smart phone these days, which means they can search for whatever they need whenever they need it. If you want to be found when someone searches for terms like “vet near me,” “address of my animal hospital,” “emergency veterinary hospital near me,” etc., you have to pay the local SEO toll. This means making sure all of your contact information is easily accessible on both your website and your Google Business profile (formerly Google My Business). If you haven’t already, you can claim your Profile at www.google.com/business. 

Google Ads

Google Ads are a fantastic tool to use when a hospital is sinking in organic and local search engine rankings. The ads can be used to help the practice be visible in one of the four advertising “slots” at the top of the page. These are so desirable because a user (usually) does not have to scroll at all to see the results. Google strategically places ads this way so a user clicks on the ad while they quickly look for information. While these prioritized ads do make money for the search engine, they also give businesses the chance to really stand out from the crowd. Use these judicial ad placements to increase visibility for keywords that are currently not performing well for your business. 

Mobile Search

Smartphones ushered in another change in how humans wanted to find information on their phones—priority for mobile search. Since we tend to scroll more on phones and click fewer buttons, it is essential for a website to be extremely mobile friendly. This means that factors that influence mobile search responsiveness and accessibility are weighted more than other search factors. Make sure that your website is mobile friendly, or you will notice a decrease in your search engine rankings.

Voice Search 

We are in the era of voice-activated assistants, and we are becoming more and more reliant on their ease of use. A simple “hey Siri” or “hey Google” can answer a question in minimal time, and doesn’t even require getting off the couch. If you want these virtual information fetchers to recommend your business, you need to pay some extra attention to your website. 

Ensure your business phone number, and address are correct on your Google Profile. Don’t forget to keep regular business hours and holiday hours updated as well. This ensures voice search queries have the best chance of returning your websites or Google profile in voice search results.

Voice searchers are likely to use phrases like “get me the number for an emergency veterinarian open now,” while mobile users are more likely to abbreviate, i.e. “emergency vet open now.” Utilizing a combination of these keywords will help you improve your search rankings across the board.

AI Options 

Google and other search engines are playing around with artificial intelligence (AI). AI displays information based on the type of question asked and how it has been programmed to respond to requests. Your website may or may not be included in these answers. This is a very, very new area of search, which means it is very, very fluid. While we don’t recommend that you get fixated yet on how your business shows up in AI results, we plan to keep an eye on it as the world sorts out this new technology. 

OG  (Original) Search

Back in the early days of the internet, the entire goal of SEO was to have a business rank in the first three slots of a search results page. While this is still definitely important, it is not the top priority for most SEO experts. Luckily, if you focus on the other facets of search results, this will usually happen organically. 

Ensuring that your business is found when people search is paramount to filling up appointment slots. With the SEO-optimized custom websites available at Beyond Indigo Pets, you will be well on your way to improving your search results. We also have dedicated marketing strategists and services to help your site perform even better. To learn more or to get started, fill out this form or call (877) 244-9322.