When nurses and nursing students are looking to further their education, where do they go first? If you answered “online” or “Google,” you are correct. Forbes, a leading publisher has mentioned 70% of businesses get online traffic (and new students) by appearing on the first page of search results. Consumers are using Google and the internet and they’re looking for your Nursing School or College. Will your website show up? This goes for all medical fields, whether it’s telecare, a virtual doctor or similar doctor on demand or also known as teledoc services.
Nursing Schools, just like any other company, need a reliable SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PPC (Pay-Per Click) strategy. Fortunately, there are some clever ways you can optimize your web presence today to send business to your site and improve the visibility of your school online. By employing some time working on your SEO plan and execution, you can reach people searching for your Nursing programs and, ultimately, make your school more lucrative.
With the right approach, your Nursing School can rank above your competitors and drive more applications than ever before.
How Nursing Schools Can Capitalize on SEO, Search & Facebook Ads
When, where, and how your business gets discovered online all comes down to SEO, PPC Google, Facebook and Instagram Ads. Education is a competitive business and students today expect a lot when it comes to their web experience, especially on mobile devices. They expect your site to load lightning quick, offer relevant information that’s important to them, and make it easy to contact you at the click of a button. They also want you to show up where they are – primarily on Google and social media.
Fundamentally, a great SEO strategy translates to more sales. Nursing Colleges that effectively use Search Engine and Social Media Marketing have better local search results and get more qualified students reaching their website. Also, having a influential online presence is a great way for Nursing schools to connect with potential students who will someday need help furthering their career with a diploma or fast-track degree program, for example.
To get the most out of your SEO efforts, begin with an audit. Take an honest look at your website and your online presence. List all your social media accounts and whether or not they’re updated weekly. Is your website simple to navigate? Do you have landing pages and content geared at particular customer/student needs? Is your blog full of great content?
Look at the way your business appears online from the viewpoint of a potential student and make notes about what works and what doesn’t. Knowing where you currently stand will help you more effectively use the following tips to create a solid SEO framework.
5 Ways Use SEO for Marketing For Nursing Schools
5 Ways Use SEO for Marketing For Nursing Schools1. Claim Your School in Local Online Directories
Google My Business is a necessity for any business that concentrates primarily on local customers or students. If you haven’t heard of Google My Business or you never got around to setting up your page, you’re missing out. Claiming your business on Google means students can find you organically by searching for Nursing schools near them. You can also earn the coveted “Google Review.” Getting several quality reviews can help skyrocket your listing in search results, but you can’t get this benefit if you don’t claim your business. You can also get listed on Yelp to gain even more publicity.
2. Start Using Keywords on Your Site
Keywords (words and phrases used in search boxes) are how your website gets found, whether you’re using pay-per-click marketing or focusing on organic traffic. Finding keywords that are relevant for your catering business and using them on web pages and in blog posts is a simple, effective SEO strategy. Popular keywords for catering services include:
- Nursing Schools Near Me
- Nursing Schools *City*
- Online Nursing Colleges
- RN-BSN *City*
- RN Online Degree
- Nursing Schools in *State*
- Where Can I earn my RN-BSN?
- MSN Degree
This short list will get you started with brainstorming further keywords that are relevant to your school. Once you have the keywords you would like to use, look for ways to put them into title tags, metadata, blog posts, and page text. A word of caution though: don’t over-do it. Google frowns on “keyword stuffing,” so only use the most important ones and make sure the content on your website is still appealing to customers.
3. Think Locally
Is your website speaking to a broader audience or are you targeting the local students who will ultimately attend your school? Nursing Schools are a very locally-focused business unless you offer online degrees, so your website should represent that. When creating content, remember to include information that’s specific to your neighborhood. For example, if you operate your business in Miami, instead of creating a blog post about “Best Nursing Schools,” be specific and write about the “Top 10 Nursing Fast Track Schools in Miami”
4. Don’t Neglect Your Blog
When someone needs to further their career in Nursing, you want them to think of your business first. In the days before the internet, businesses gained this top-of-mind awareness with lots of paid billboards, brochures, and commercials. Today, you have a very influential tool to capture possible students and you don’t need a lot of money to use it: your website blog. People love reading about their careers and how to get ahead in their industry. Start updating your blog weekly with images of events you catered along with plenty of helpful tips and valuable content. If you can become a resource for people online, they’ll happily subscribe to your updates even if they don’t currently need a new degree. Then, in the future, they’ll come to you first.
5. Learn the Ins and Outs of “Alt Text”
If you’ve ever wondered how Google finds images for search results, the answer is Alt Text. Put simply, it’s a text description of an image you can insert when uploading photos to your site. Every photo on your website should have Alt Text. To help with SEO, remember to use keywords in Alt Text descriptions.
Being a Nurse is a challenging yet fulfilling career, and your online presence doesn’t have to be a source of frustration. You now have a solid SEO framework to help your site show up in local search results, to drive traffic to your pages, and to keep customers interested in your Nursing School.
Learn more or contact us if you have any questions or want to talk strategy.
