How often should a website be updated?
Medical SEO tips: how often should I add new content to my medical website?
Medical SEO tips: how often should I add new content to my medical website?
Els Van de Veire
February 11, 2022
What is a website update?
Adding new content to your medical website
A total redesign of your medical website
We advise you to consider a total redesign of your website every two to five years. That might seem like a pretty short shelf life, but bear in mind that internet technology is one of fastest moving business areas. An updated design allows you to add in new features and technologies, making it easier for your patients to find the information they are looking for, and to make a booking with you.
Adding new content to your medical website for SEO reasons
It’s no secret that extra quality content has a positive impact on your local SEO. In other words, patients will find your website sooner because you rank higher.
In this article we will focus on the search engine component: the impact of adding new content to your medical website on a regular basis.
Why do your Google rankings improve when you add quality content?
Medical SEO and changing content
The impact of adding medical content to your website
The Google algorithm is able to detect new content on any website. If you develop a habit of regularly updating your website, Google knows. Whether it’s just changing a word here and there, or adding entirely new content pages. Google simply knows.
If your content is relevant to your target audience, and is considered quality content, Google will reward you by ranking your website higher in its search engine.
"Google needs to make sure that the businesses it is showing on page 1, are still active and operating. When new content is added regularly, you’re saying to Google: Hey, I am still relevant, and my business is alive and kicking."
You wouldn’t just add content for the sake of it. You always want to make sure it’s relevant for your patients. For example, as you add a blog post covering a specific condition or treatment, you are doing so much more than giving a sign of life to Google. You are also validating your reputation, reconfirming what you stand for.
"When you google “vegan restaurant” and the first five results are steakhouses, how would you feel? You would ditch Google eventually, if this experience kept happening over and over again. So it’s in Google’s best interest to show results that align with the user’s search intent."
By adding relevant quality content on a regular basis, you are making it easier for Google to return results it perceives as the best possible solution for the user’s problem.
How often should a website be updated?
What is the ideal update frequency for a medical website? The more frequently, the better. As long as you keep it relevant. Realistically, I suggest doctors would update their website content at least twice a year, ideally with additional optimised content pages.
If you really want your organic SEO to work fast for you, you need more frequent updates. I can’t give you a magic number, but what I can do is share a few ideas.
I have a customer who blocks every Wednesday afternoon to work on the business instead of in the practice. That is time well spent, and it allows you to:
- Have attention for your medical staff and potential issues or questions they may have.
- Look at the numbers with your accountant or financial planner.
- Check how your medical marketing efforts are paying off and what else you can do to grow your business.
- Build on your reputation, answer patient queries etc.
I have another customer who thrives with our monthly Optimiser package. This allows us, Digital Practice, to spend valuable time with the doctor on a monthly basis. Here’s what we have done in our Optimiser program with this customer just in the last 2 months alone:
- We have been in touch with Google Business support to have a duplicated Google Business profile removed.
- We have written and added 2 extra content pages, targeting two relevant keywords for the medical practice.
- We have updated the holiday business hours on the website and Google Business profiles over the festive season (this may seem trivial but it’s showing respect for your patients’ time and it’s my firm belief that this pays off).
- We have updated the COVID-19 message on the website when restrictions had changed in this jurisdiction.
7 tips to update your medical website with relevant content
easy way to update content on a website
OB-GYN example: Women in Australia now have Cervical Screening Tests every 5 years instead of Pap Smears every two years.
Check if health regulations have changed in your subspecialty and update your website content.
FAQs about parking availability near your private practice should go on your Contact page
Get rid of old or grainy images and replace them with clear and sharp ones. Check if your images are optimised for SEO.
Is your About page still accurate? Have some of your team members moved on? Did your new team members send in their bio and image? Or do you still have placeholders instead of real copy? If so, it’s time for an update. Is your bio still accurate? Did you undergo extra training that is worth mentioning?
You won’t regret adding new content once you start realising the impact it will have later down the track, but it’s by far the most time-consuming job. Get in touch with Digital Practice to find out how we can help.
We love helping you grow
website updates for doctors
At Digital Practice, we thrive on content creation. Mapping the content that is lacking or that will help you grow is step one. Then we discuss how we best implement this new content so you become more visible. Book a free consult to explore coming on board so we can optimise your website on a regular basis and create a system for ongoing growth.
