The vast majority of consumers turn to the Internet when searching for a business or service. That is why it is crucial for your veterinary practice to have an active online presence that makes it easy for Internet users (your potential clients to access your contact information and descriptions of your services, or even to recommend you.

Here are four effective ways to help boost your virtual visibility.

1. Design a responsive website

Google prioritizes responsive websites in its search results. Therefore, to make sure your website is seen (and found) by users, it is important to design a website that adapts to the screens of the different devices used by visitors, including computers, tablets, smartphones, etc.

How do Canadians access the Internet?

In addition to optimizing your ranking in Google searches, responsive website design offers a much more fluid user experience on tablets and smartphones.

Example of responsive design

2.   Create a Google My Business (GMB) page

Creating a GMB profile will give you more control over your online presence on the most widely used search engine, in addition to showing up on Google Maps.

How to create your GMB profile

The first step is to request ownership of your business profile and to update your profile. Provide accurate information such as the address of your veterinary clinic, contact information and business hours. Don’t forget to include a link to your website.

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is important to keep in mind, especially given that 90% of users are more likely to visit a business whose Google listing includes pictures.** So don’t be shy – show off your practice by adding photos!

Tip: Encourage satisfied customers to leave a review of your business on Google. Positive comments have a concrete impact on click rates, as well as on your business’s reputation!

How many consumers read online reviews for local businesses?

Source: Bright Local, 2019

3.   External linking by credible websites

Google’s algorithm works like this: it determines where to rank your business’s site in search results based on factors that include relevance and credibility. For this reason, a key factor to consider is external links to your site appearing on credible third-party websites: the more websites that provide a link to your website, the better your search engine ranking will be. It shows that you have a website that can be trusted.

Tip: Ask your partners (groomers, local animal shelter, associations) to post a link to your website in, for example, the “Partners” section of their website or in a blog article.

4.   Maintain an active presence on social media

An active presence on social networks helps build a stronger link between your veterinary practice and its existing and potential clients. Make sure your veterinary practice has active accounts on social platforms and analyze which social platform is best suited to your target audience.

Tip: Whether you interact online every day or every week, the important thing is to follow the three golden rules of frequency, relevance, and authenticity. In this regard, we recommend using a social media content calendar to help you plan and structure your editorial content, which will allow you to maximize the impact of your efforts.

Improving your online presence will not happen overnight, but it is essential for the long-term growth of your business, as it allows people to find you and make contact with your team.

¹ Source: CIRA – Canada’s Internet Factbook, 2019.

**Google/Ipsos Connect, 2020