3 Considerations For Purchasing a Plastic Surgery Directory Listing
Internet Marketing Fact: There is no shortage of online directories for plastics surgeons to consider. For many surgeons, the mere thought of listening to another directory sales pitch makes them cringe. In some cases it is because of bad experience in the past while others simply don’t feel confident about making an informed decision. If this sounds like you, then you really need to re-consider your position. Now I am not saying that all directories are worthwhile and they certainly are not all created equal. The key however is knowing how to find the right to one(s) for your practice. Here are my top 3 things considerations when renewing or participating in a plastic surgery directory.
- Are all of the participants board certified plastic surgeons? If you are board certified plastic surgeon participating in a non-board certified directory you are lending to confusion in the market place.
- How is their placement in my local market place? What works for your colleague in Charlotte may not work for you in New York or Montana. Do some local searches to see how the directory comes up or even better yet ask for a spread sheet of local search terms that apply to your practice.
- Is the directory providing an inbound link to my website? Some directories act as pure lead generator and do not link to your website. There are also other directories that do link to your website but do not provide what is called a “following link” which is the most beneficial to your SEO strategy (see figure A). Do not be afraid to ask if the link to your website is a following link.
*the process to verify a following link is simple; hover over the link and look to the bottom of your browser and verify its your url that appears; if not the link is not considered following.
When purchasing placement in a directory do not buy on emotion or fear of loss. There is not a shortage of directories!!! Buy based on the value proposition and as means to gain more market share under competitive search terms.