UBCNews - Business - Medical Practice Marketing: What Patients Look For Online & How To Win

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

Welcome back, everyone! Today we're tackling something that affects every single medical practice out there: what patients are really looking for when they search for a doctor online, and how practices can actually show up and win that business. I'm here with Daniel McPherson, a medical-marketing specialist who's spent years analyzing how patients choose providers and what actually influences their decisions. So let’s start with the big picture: when a patient needs a doctor, where does that search really begin? Zelen Communications City: Tampa Address: 4628 W San Jose St. Website: https://zelencommunications.com/

Welcome back, everyone. Today we're tackling something that affects every single medical practice out there. What patients are really looking for when they search for a doctor online and how practices can actually show up and win that business. I'm here with Daniel McPherson, a medical marketing specialist who's spent years analyzing how patients choose providers and what actually influences their decisions. So let's start with a big picture. When a patient needs a doctor, where does that search really begin? Well, first, thanks for having me. Now here's a stat that really tells the story. About 77% of people with a new diagnosis turn to search engines for information.

That's not social media, not a phone book, but Google, Bing, those platforms. And what's really interesting is that 48% of patients are doing serious research on practices and services before they even pick up the phone to book an appointment. So they're vetting you before you even know they exist. That's a huge shift from, what, a decade ago? Exactly.

And here's the thing. Reputation drives patient decisions. So if your online presence is weak, if your website is outdated, if you have missing listings or poor reviews, you're losing patients before they ever call. Most practices don't lose patients in the office anymore. They lose them online.

That's a critical point. So what does a strong online presence actually look like for a medical practice? What are the foundational pieces? It starts with a professional mobile-friendly website, and I mean truly mobile-friendly, responsive design, fast-loading, easy-to-brows, on a smartphone. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly. friendly sites in search rankings, and most people are browsing on their phones. Your website needs clear information about your location, services, staff qualifications, and an easy

way to contact you or book an appointment. Right, and I imagine having a clunky website that takes forever to load is going to send people straight to your competitor. Absolutely. Beyond the website itself, you need to claim your Google Business profile and opt to be able to That's how you show up in local searches and on Google Maps. Fill out every field, address, business category, hours, photos of your clinic. And here's a big one. Encourage patients to leave reviews. Google rankings heavily favor profiles with lots of quality reviews.

Mm-hmm, I hear you. So reviews are basically the new word of mouth referral? They really are. In fact, 84% of patients check online reviews before choosing a new healthcare provider, and 51% read at least six reviews before making a decision. People trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations now. So if you're not actively requesting reviews and managing your online reputation, you're missing a massive opportunity. That's stat about reading six reviews. That's serious research. So how should practices approach asking for reviews without it feeling awkward? Strike while the iron is hot. Talk to patients

about leaving a review before they leave the office when your service is still fresh in their minds. If a patient gives you a compliment, thank them graciously and ask if they'd share that feedback online. You can also send follow-up emails with a direct link to your Google business profile, make it as easy as possible. I actually had a dentist friend who was terrified to ask for reviews. She finally tried it once, and the patient said, oh, I've been meaning to do that. Turns out people want to help if you just ask. That's great. So the fear is often worse than the reality. Now, that point about patient feedback sets up our next piece, SEO and search visibility, but first, a quick word from our sponsor.

Medical practices today face a real challenge. Patients search before they choose their doctor, and if you're not visible online, you're not in the running. Zelen Communications offers HIPAA-compliant marketing systems designed specifically for medical practices, handling everything from website development and SEO to patient engagement and reputation management. Whether you're a solo practitioner building credibility or an established practice ready to scale, Zellin provides white glove service so you can focus on patient care while they handle the marketing. Learn more at Zellincommunications.com. Picking up on patient feedback and visibility, how do practices actually optimize their websites to show up in search results for the right keywords?

is probably one of the most effective channels for medical practices. Let me give you an example. If you're an orthopedist in London, you want to rank for searches like orthopedist London or lower back pain London. Create separate pages for each service you offer and include your target keyword in the page, URL, the heading, and naturally throughout the content.

You also need quality backlinks, links from other reputable sites pointing to yours. Google sees those as votes of confidence. So there's real strategy behind having a website and structuring content intentionally. What about local directories? Do those still matter? Definitely.

Getting listed in directories like Yelp, health grades, rate MDs, and others helps patients find you and boosts your local SEO through what are called location citation. The more consistent your practice information is across these platforms, the better your search visibility. It's also worth noting that around 60% of adults use the internet to look for health information recently. So being discoverable in multiple places is key.

You know, I want to touch on something that's often overlooked. Staff bios on a practice website. Why do those actually matter? They build trust. When potential patients can read about your experience, expertise, and specialties, it reassures them that they'll be cared for by qualified professionals. But go beyond the credentials. Let personalities shine through.

Include a professional photo, maybe their favorite hobbies, or the names of their pets. That personal touch makes your staff feel warm and approachable, which is huge in healthcare. And honestly, if your bio makes you sound like a robot, patients will pick the doctor whose bio made them smile. Right, because patients aren't choosing based solely on qualifications. They want to feel comfortable. Now, let's talk about the mobile experience specifically.

What do practices need to keep in mind for mobile users? Mobile friendliness is non-negotiable. Your site needs to load quickly, be easy to browse with a thumb, and have click-to-call buttons and simple forms. Millennials, who are now the largest generation, are unlikely to contact a doctor without first checking the website, and they often prefer digital communication over phone calls. So offering an online portal or chat option can really improve the patient experience. That's interesting, the generational piece. So practices really need to think about how different age groups interact with technology differently.

Absolutely. Younger patients also think about health in broader terms, wellness, nutrition, preventive care. So your website content and social media should reflect that mindset. Speaking of social media, that's another channel practices, can't ignore. Search engines are where health searches often begin, but social media is where you can engage, educate, and build relationships. What's the best way for a practice to approach social media without it becoming a huge time drain? Regular posting matters here. You don't need to be on every platform. Focus on where your audience is. For a practice in a college town, Instagram and TikTok might work best.

create a content calendar to schedule posts in advance, use analytics to see what performs well, and adjust your strategy, share behind-the-scenes photos, health tips, patient testimonials, with consent, of course, and always follow HIPAA guidelines. So to everyone listening, have you thought about how your practice shows up online when a patient Googles your specialty? That's the question every practice needs to answer. What's one last piece of advice you'd give to practices trying to improve their online marketing? Track everything. Unless you're actively monitoring performance, website traffic, conversion rates, patient acquisition cost,

you're leaving a lot on the table. Use tools like Google Analytics to understand which channels are driving patients and which aren't. Marketing requires data. Or to put it another way, You can't improve what you don't measure. Measure, analyze, and refine constantly. That's solid advice. Patients are searching, researching, and deciding online.

Practices that understand that and build systems to meet patients where they are, those are the ones that'll thrive. Thanks for breaking this down today. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.