Earned & Owned
[Updated on September 13th, 2023]
For recovery centers, it can be difficult to know how to start marketing your services online. If you’re not seeing the results you want from your search engine optimization efforts, then it may be time to look into a new strategy.
Today, online visibility can mean the difference between attracting new patients and being left in obscurity. Many recovery centers overlook the importance of a strong online presence, and by doing so, they miss out on countless opportunities to connect with individuals in need.
Why should I bother with SEO for my drug rehab marketing strategy?
The digital age has drastically transformed the way individuals seek information and services. With smartphones being an essential part of our daily lives, local searches for services, especially critical ones like drug rehab, are more prevalent than ever.
SEO will undoubtedly allow your rehab to help more people. Done right, drug rehab SEO will push your website to the top of the search engines allowing your program to be found by people seeking help with their addiction.
Imagine someone struggling with addiction and makes the pivotal decision to reach out for help. The first place they are going to look is Google to search for the nearest or best rehab facility. If your website’s SEO has been done right your treatment center will be the first result they are given to make that one phone call that could change their life forever.
Being at the top of search engines will enable your rehab center to make the greatest impact it can by being visible to people searching for drug rehab services.
Now, go to Google and search for the rehab services you offer in your area.
You have the best addiction treatment center in your area but when you search for it on Google you’re nowhere to be found. Darn!
How do I get my website to show up in search results?
You need to be paying attention to a laundry list of addiction treatment SEO details related to your website and local listings.
Where do I begin?
The first 3 things you need to determine are:
In essence, SEO is like a digital roadmap that guides potential patients to your facility. But to create this roadmap effectively, you need a clear strategy in place.
Let’s break down these 3 things.
Domain Authority? I’m confused.
Simply put, domain authority is a popularity and credibility contest. The more websites that link to yours will increase your domain authority and the more credible these websites are the better.
Consider Domain Authority as your website’s reputation score. Much like in high school, where popularity mattered in social circles, in the digital realm, Domain Authority determines how reputable and trustworthy your website appears to search engines. High-quality, relevant backlinks are like positive endorsements or votes of confidence.
Here are the top 3 tools that you can use to check your domain authority.
Once you have checked your domain authority, let’s say your website is a 14 out of 100. Now you need to see how competitive the phrases are in the search results.
Keeping an eye on the competition is essential not just to benchmark where you stand but also to uncover gaps in their strategies that you can exploit. Perhaps they’ve missed out on local keywords, or maybe their backlink profile isn’t as robust as it could be. This is your chance to outdo them!
Search the phrase you want to appear on in Google and check the authority of the websites that are showing up. For example, see the top results for the keyword “Opioid Detox”. High page authority score and several backlinks and referring domains will make it harder for to compete for this keyword.
Now see if your domain authority sizes up against your competition. If you’re near or above the range of your competitors then you have the potential to rank for those keywords.
Without question, content and links are the two most important signals used by Google to rank your website for search.
Think of content as the bridge between your services and your potential patients. This bridge needs to be strong, reliable, and built on trust. Quality content doesn’t just boost your SEO; it establishes your rehab center as a beacon of hope and a source of valuable information for those in need.
Do you have a blog on your website? Great!
A blog can be one of the best spots on your website to archive valuable, engaging and actionable content that helps you build stronger connections with your users and potential admits. Just remember one thing—
Do Not Neglect Your Blog!
If you’re interested in healthcare content creation, check out our article that goes in depth of when to use different types of content and statistics to why content is so important for Healthcare.
Here are a few helpful tips to remember when it comes to content creation:
The content across your website is going to meet the user at various stages in their decision-making process. Someone who is actively seeking or considering seeking treatment is likely to be at one of these three stages:
Content designed to reach users at the research stage should aim to:
Content at the evaluation of alternatives stage recognizes that research has been conducted and that the user is going to decide on where to seek treatment—so the content should persuade the user to contact your facility (in an encouraging, not salesy way). This content should:
If you’ve constructed your content correctly and managed to push them to stage three, then—congratulations—your visitor is now on their way of becoming a patient. At this stage, all content should be aimed at establishing your rehab center as the best choice among rehab facilities.
This is your last chance to cultivate confidence in your services and by this time they should be comfortable establishing a relationship with you and your staff.
Pro Tip: Organize your content dates by delegating the creation of a content calendar.
The essence of on-page optimization for drug rehab SEO is attention to detail.
What details do I need to be paying attention to?
Get ready… This is a long list.
Every element on your website, from the meta tags to the images, acts like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. When they all fit perfectly, they create a clear picture of your services for search engines, making it easier for them to rank your site higher.
The link building aspect of your drug rehab SEO campaign is worth its own blog post alone! Link building is one of the two most important ranking signals for your website.
This means that you will have to spend most of your efforts in building great content and linking appropriately—both in the form of internal linking and acquiring high authority links from other sources.
Unlike the on-site SEO practices mentioned above, link building isn’t something that can be done in a day or a week; it means rolling up your sleeves and getting those votes.
Acquiring new links is integral to ranking—unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do it. An external link pointing to your site is a vote in your favor, and to rally your votes, you’re going to need a thorough link building campaign.
This is where your blog will play a huge role. It’s initially the easiest way and most appropriate place to begin building links. With enough top-notch content, you can slowly accrue domain authority, and people will begin linking to your pages.
Again, there’s no easy way to do this. Link building (AKA relationship marketing), allows you to earn links by demonstrating value to your users, visitors and potential patients (as well as leaders in the rehab industry).
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for links from reputable bloggers.
You’ll be putting most of your effort into content and link building—the two go hand-in-hand. If you create outstanding content, people will want to link to you. Time, persistence and a willingness to reach out (despite the possibility of rejection) will pay off.
| Do’s | Dont’s |
|---|---|
| Aim for naturally acquired links | Link to or form spammy article directories |
| Perform custom blogger | Link to or from Web 2.0 properties |
| Offer and ask fro guest blogging | Join a Link Farm (it isn’t a good look, plus, Google doesn’t like it. |
| Get citations | Work with private blog networks. |
| Get local and niche links | Build a network of sites just to point to your site – it’s like illegally building an apartment complex to draw attention to your offsite mobile home. |
Not all links are created equal. Think of links as endorsements. You want recommendations from reputable sources, not shady characters. The quality of your backlinks matters much more than the quantity.
Once you’ve reviewed the do’s and don’ts of link building, it’s time to review your site with this simple checklist:
If you’ve been able to check off each item, you’re ready to start your link building campaign. However, there’s one other point you should keep in mind. This campaign is going to take a sustained effort over a long period of time. But, if done correctly you’ll be generating more admissions than you can count.
Online searches govern the majority of decisions so having an optimized online presence isn’t just a good-to-have – it’s essential. The better your SEO, the higher the chance of connecting with those in need, making a genuine difference in their lives, and establishing your rehab facility as a leading light in the industry.
Are you struggling to make headway with addiction digital marketing? Look no further than my blog post titled “Why is Addiction Marketing So Difficult?” for insights and solutions to this challenging issue. At Webserv, we have years of experience in addiction treatment and rehab marketing, and we’re passionate about sharing our expertise with others. We have also created a guide for Drug Rehab SEO Strategy in 2023, I recommend checking that out as well.
Tired of trying to market your Drug Rehab? Check out our Behavioral Health Marketing or SEO services if you would rather use a third party.
Drug rehab centers can enhance their online visibility by implementing SEO strategies such as optimizing their website content, utilizing relevant keywords, building high-quality backlinks, and engaging with local directories.
Implementing SEO for drug rehab centers can lead to increased website traffic, higher search engine rankings, improved online reputation, and ultimately generate more admissions.
The best practices for optimizing drug rehab websites include conducting thorough keyword research, optimizing meta tags and headings, creating valuable and informative content, improving site speed and mobile responsiveness, and leveraging local SEO techniques.
The timeline for seeing results from drug rehab SEO efforts can vary depending on various factors, such as the competitiveness of the market, the current state of the website, and the effectiveness of the SEO strategies implemented. However, significant improvements can typically be observed within several months of consistent optimization.
The main challenges in drug rehab SEO include strict industry regulations, high competition among rehab centers, the sensitivity of the topic, and the need to establish trust and credibility with potential patients and their families. Overcoming these challenges requires a thoughtful and comprehensive SEO approach tailored to the unique needs of drug rehab centers.
