Many chiropractors ask me if they should get multiple domain names for their chiropractic website.
Usually, the answer is no. And here’s why:
Google indexes every page online and compares them to all of the other pages in its database. If Google sees multiple domain names, it assumes that they’re unique sites — until it compares them and finds out that each domain is the same.
Google sees this as Duplicate Content. It may index all of your sites, but only one will be considered the canonical (or primary) domain. The rest will (if they show up in the Google search results at all) be way down in the search results — like page 20 or so.
Getting good search placement on Google, Yahoo!, and Bing is important. Think about it: if your patients can’t find your site, how can they find out how you can help them improve their health?
It’s easy to test your site to see if it’s configured properly with a cool tool from HubSpot: The Website Grader.
This handy tool goes through your site and finds ways you can improve it to boost your search placement, so run your site through it today and see how you rank.
2009 has been a fantastic year for us, and we want to thank all of our great chiropractic clients.
We’re excited about the new things we have in the pipeline, including new chiropractic website designs; enhanced integration with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn; our new HD exercise videos; and our new interactive 3D human anatomy module.
For thousands of years, humans have sat around the campfire (or the virtual campfire of TV!) listening to stories. Because of the power of stories, they can be a great way to connect with your potential patients.
You can incorporate stories into your chiropractic website in at least three ways:
1. Talk about how you became a chiropractor. Maybe you were raised with chiropractic. Or maybe you were injured and decided to become a chiropractor after recovering. Your story will stick with readers and make you more accessible.
2. Patient testimonials. These can be incredibly powerful, as real people are talking about the real benefits they’ve experienced from being your patient. Even more powerful? If you video tape these testimonials and insert them into your website.
3. Blog about your week. Blogging can be an effective marketing technique (for a number of reasons), but it’s mostly a great way to communicate with your patients. A blog post doesn’t have to be a ton of work. Just write about experiences in the office or stories you heard.
For more about the power of story telling and how it can help you build your practice, read the book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. This book is a fun read and a great way to see how to get your marketing message to stick.
YouTube can be a powerful way to market your chiropractic practice.
YouTube is an incredibly popular site right now. The latest statistics show that each minute, over 20 hours of video is being uploaded to the service.
Here are some tips on using this popular service to boost your chiropractic marketing:
Make some short videos featuring yourself. A minute or two is a great length; longer than that, and some viewers won’t site through the whole thing.
Do short videos on the services you provide or conditions you treat. A short video on shoulder pain or neck pain can be a great way to educate your patients AND get people to call for an appointment.
Keyword optimize your YouTube placement. Make sure that the description of your video includes the word “Chiropractic” and your city. That way, when people are looking for a chiropractor in their town, they’ll be more likely to find your practice.
Embed the videos in your website. That way, when people visit your website, they’ll find the videos and stay on your site longer.
I can’t emphasize enough the power of these short videos.
Video is an incredibly powerful tool. There’s a reason why TV is so popular: People like watching videos.
Video Makes You Real
Patients can have a lot of apprehension about calling for an appointment, especially if they haven’t been to a chiropractor before.
Video makes you real, and patients get a sense that they know you — even before they meet you.
So, don’t be shy. Get yourself a digital camera and start shooting some video!
If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at (800) 295-3346.
It can be difficult choosing a new chiroprator for some patients.
Unless they’ve been referred by a friend, a new patient doesn’t really know what to expect when they walk in your front door. This apprehension can result in the patient not calling for an appointment.
Your chiropractic website can solve this problem.
First, a quality chiropractic website design can reassure your new patients that you’re competent and professional.
Second, you can include videos of yourself on your site, introducing your staff or philosophy.
Personal videos are a powerful tool, as your new patients get to meet you online before they even come in for their first appointment.
In addition, you can have your patients fill out their paperwork before they come in. Just add PDFs of your new patient forms to your site and have the patients download them at home.
Getting Started
. This book is a fun read and a great way to see how to get your marketing message to stick.