Navigating Google’s Gemini Algorithm
In today’s digital age, keeping your practice’s website accurate is more crucial than ever. Google’s new Gemini algorithm integrates advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to serve more personalized search results, which means medical practices must ensure their websites are optimized for these new features. This includes accurate local SEO, current content, and user-friendly interfaces. When was your website built? If your current site is more than three or four years old, the latest algorithm update may have greater consequences for your digital presence. This Ask Fuel First section answers the question: Is my site ready for Google’s Gemini Algorithm update?
What is Google’s New Gemini Algorithm?
While Google is revising how Gemini works with the Google search engine nearly daily, it’s difficult to fully understand how it will ultimately impact healthcare practices. But we do know that the generative AI tools will begin to reshape how users find and engage with information online as Google works to serve more information from within its own search engine.
How Does AI Impact SEO and Patient Interaction?
Gemini’s AI-driven approach enhances user experience by personalizing search results and recommendations. For healthcare practices, this means providing detailed, easy-to-understand content that addresses common patient queries, thus improving engagement and satisfaction.
Why It’s Imperative to Keep Your Site Current
Google rewards sites that meet current best practices for content, design, usability and speed. Ensuring your site is up to date not only helps with search rankings but also builds trust with your patients, showing that your practice is current and reliable.
What Can My Practice Do to Prepare for the Updates?
There are two key areas for your practice to focus on the latest updates to search:
Your Practice Website
As with any technology, your practice website can be quickly dated. Items that are imperative for search today include:
- Mobile User Experience
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly. A responsive design that adapts to different devices enhances user experience, making it easier for patients to navigate and access information from their smartphones or tablets. - High-Quality Content
Create and maintain content that is informative, engaging and relevant to your patients. This includes blog posts, articles, and resources about common health concerns, treatments, and updates about your practice. Your website content should try to answer commonly searched questions and keywords. - Video Content
Incorporate video content to engage visitors. Videos can introduce your team, explain procedures, and provide patient testimonials, making your practice more personable and trustworthy. - High-Quality Build
Invest in a professional, well-designed website that is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and built with best practices for performance and security. - Speed & Performance
Ensure optimal speed and performance of your site as they directly affect user experience. Faster loading times lead to higher user satisfaction, lower bounce rates, and improve search rankings. Three seconds or less on a fully load time is ideal.
Google Business Profile & Reviews
Your Google Business Profile is displayed in more than half of all locally relevant medical searches.
- Complete and Accurate Information
Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete with accurate and up-to-date information. This includes your practice’s address, phone number, hours of operation, and services offered. Updating this information as changes occur helps patients find you easily and improves your local SEO. - Push for Online Reviews
Encourage your patients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews boost your practice’s credibility and can significantly impact your search rankings, specifically in the local maps. Implement a system to request feedback after appointments and address any negative reviews professionally to show you value patient input.
Fuel Medical Managed Digital Services
If your website and business listings are managed by Fuel, our team works to keep your properties up to date. However, if your site is more than three years old, it may be time to consider an update to the latest technology. Benefits of a site update include:
- New Content: Newly written industry content, focused on consumer search trends.
- Mobile Interface: Our updated mobile interface improves the overall user experience and allows visitors to easily navigate your site on any device.
- Accessibility: New sites are built for compliance with ADA requirements for web.
- Speed & Performance: Backend development has improved so Google can effectively crawl and index your website.