Online business directories have become one of the top places for people to find information about businesses and medical practices, including behavioral health centers. These repositories of helpful information list businesses in a fashion similar to the good old phone book, but with a 21st-century twist.
Modern online directories allow businesses, medical practices, and others to include far more information than the yellow pages ever did. Add your center’s contact information, website URL, program descriptions, photos of your treatment center, and more to give potential patients a full picture of who you are and how you can help.
Why Use Behavioral Health Online Directories?
There are many reasons why online directories are beneficial for both those seeking treatment and the behavioral healthcare centers offering treatment services. Here are a few of them.
1. Save Your Marketing Dollars
Securing marketing that’s actually free sounds crazy. But most online directories don’t charge! When there’s no upfront cost, there’s no budgetary risk attached. Which makes creating your online directory entries worth the small investment in time even if they only lead to a handful of new patient opportunities.
Of course, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Most directories include an option to enhance your listing or advertise on their platform for a fee. And paid directories do exist. Some are worth the money, others aren’t, so make sure to do your research before committing to any directories that require payment to secure an online listing.
2. Improve Your SEO
Online directories are a great way to enhance your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. The more places your website is indexed online, the higher your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal is to be shown as one of the top five search results. That’s because the top five results get more than 67% of clicks.1
3. Build Your Reputation
Many online directories include opportunities for people to engage with businesses through ratings and reviews. And people like reading these testimonials. Studies show 80% of patients use online reviews when selecting healthcare providers, including behavioral healthcare providers.2
In addition to reading reviews, people like to write them. When they do, about half of the reviewers expect to hear back from the business.3 If you list your treatment center with an online directory that allows users to leave reviews, it’s important that you check your listing regularly and respond to user reviews.
4. Help Prospective Patients Find You
Helping your clients is the reason you got into the behavioral healthcare field in the first place. In order to help those seeking treatment, you need to be where your prospective patients are looking for you.
As previously discussed, using internet directories boosts your SEO, making your website and center even more discoverable. And the more accessible your information, the more likely you’ll be found by someone who needs you. Oversaturation simply isn’t possible when you’re talking about promoting your treatment program to save lives.
Which Directories Should I Use?
There’s no lack of choice when it comes to choosing the right online directories to list your treatment center. Here are some of the ones you should consider when adding online directories to your marketing plan.
1. Google Business Profile
Claiming and completing your Google Business Profile (GBP) should be an essential part of your digital marketing strategy. When someone searches for your treatment center on Google, your GBP listing is what they see.
Make sure to fill out your profile completely. Your GBP is a great place to share important information about your treatment center, including basic contact information like your address and phone number, as well as your hours of operation, services, website, and reviews.
An excellent Google Business Profile can help improve your addiction treatment center’s SEO and online visibility.
2. Yelp
Perhaps the second most popular online business directory is Yelp. This online directory provides contact information, general details, and photos about businesses,
3. Your State or Local Department of Health
Almost every state or local government has a public listing of the behavioral health centers registered in their jurisdiction. Research your state, county, and city government pages if you’re not already taking advantage of these free listings.
4. Psychology Today
Psychology Today is an excellent place to list your treatment center. As an industry leader in behavioral health, their site has a domain authority of 92 out of 100 (that’s very good!).
Listings may be a bit expensive at $30 a month, but the investment is well worth the features and SEO clout. Psychology Today goes well beyond the offerings of a typical online directory by providing tracking and other vital tools to help you connect with patients who need you.
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)
SAMSHA is the federal equivalent of state and local addiction agencies. Being listed on this website is a must for all credible addiction treatment centers. (Check if you’re listed here.) If not, use their online application form to add your program to their website.
As a bonus, SAMSHA has a page dedicated to finding state agencies dealing with addiction.
5. Rehabs.com
Rehabs.com is one of the most popular places patients and families go to find a treatment center. Standard listings on Rehabs.com are free.
Rehabs.com also has featured listings offering enhanced profile pages with additional information and advertising services. If you’re interested, you’ll have to decide if the investment is worth it.
Since most of the above directories are free and require little up-front information, you may be tempted to breeze through the posting quickly or to do the bare minimum just to get it done. Don’t! The more time you spend cultivating quality entries, the bigger the payoff.
Online directories have the power to connect you with the patients and families who desperately need your services. So get your behavioral health center on these and other websites, and start reaching as many people as possible.
Have questions about online directories? Dreamscape Marketing is here to help. Contact us today at 888.307.7304 to schedule a strategy session.
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