
Google SEO Update 2024
What’s New?
Google’s 2024 SEO update is shaking things up, especially for healthcare websites. If you’re a business owner or digital marketer, you need to know what’s changing to stay ahead of the game.
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E-A-T is King: Google is doubling down on E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness). If you’re in the health and wellness space, your content needs to scream expertise and authority to climb the search engine rankings (Lumar).
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Security Matters More Than Ever: Secure websites using HTTPS with SSL encryption are getting a big thumbs-up from Google. If your site isn’t secure, you’re going to feel it in your rankings. Beef up your website security measures (TBH Creative).
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Accuracy and Compliance: Google wants healthcare websites to be spot-on with their info. Accurate, up-to-date content that follows industry rules is a must for keeping your credibility and rankings intact (Levo Health).
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Quality Backlinks: Link building is still a big deal, especially for healthcare sites. Google favors links from reputable sources like medical journals and health organizations.
How This Affects Your Rankings
These changes are going to shake up how healthcare websites rank. Here’s what to expect:
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Boosted E-A-T Scores: Sites with strong E-A-T will see better rankings. Show off your experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness to climb the ranks.
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Security is Key: If your site isn’t using HTTPS, expect a drop in rankings. SSL encryption is now a must for seo best practices in healthcare.
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Quality and Compliance: Accurate, compliant, and up-to-date content will get you better rankings. Sloppy or outdated info? Say goodbye to visibility.
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Credible Backlinks: Sites with links from reputable sources will rank higher. Aim for backlinks from authoritative sites like medical journals and health organizations.
Key Change | Impact on Rankings |
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E-A-T Focus | Better rankings for sites with strong expertise and authority |
Security Requirements | Higher rankings for HTTPS-enabled sites |
Content Accuracy and Compliance | Improved rankings for accurate and compliant content |
Quality Backlinks | Higher rankings for sites with credible backlinks |
To keep up with these changes, stay updated with the latest seo techniques and align your strategies with Google’s new rules. Focus on E-A-T, secure your site, keep your content accurate, and build credible backlinks. For more tips, check out our articles on structured data and seo and on-page seo optimization.
Healthcare SEO Strategies
Getting your healthcare website to rank high on search engines isn’t just about keywords. It’s about trust, expertise, and security. Let’s break down two key strategies: boosting your E-A-T score and tightening up your website security.
Boosting Your E-A-T Score
E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. In healthcare, these are gold. Google loves E-A-T, especially for sites dishing out medical advice (Searchmetrics Blog).
How to Pump Up Your E-A-T Score:
- Expert Content: Get real doctors to write your stuff. Make sure it’s useful, accurate, and doesn’t make wild medical claims.
- Authoritativeness: Show off your authors’ creds. Include bios with their qualifications and experience.
- Trustworthiness: Keep your info fresh and backed by solid sources. Patient reviews and testimonials can also boost trust.
Using structured data (schema markup) can give your E-A-T score an extra kick by making your content easier to find and more likely to show up in special search features. For more tips, check out our guide on SEO best practices.
Locking Down Website Security
Google prefers secure websites. If your site isn’t HTTPS, you’re missing out. Security isn’t just about keeping hackers out; it’s also a big deal for SEO.
Must-Do Security Measures:
- SSL Certificate: Make sure your site is HTTPS. An SSL certificate encrypts data between your site and visitors, making it safer.
- Regular Security Audits: Check your site regularly for security holes and fix them.
- Secure Hosting: Pick a hosting provider with strong security features.
Measure | Importance | SEO Impact |
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SSL Certificate | High | Positive |
Regular Security Audits | Medium | Indirect |
Secure Hosting | High | Positive |
Figures courtesy TBH Creative
Tightening up your website security can give you a leg up in search results. For more on technical SEO, dive into our article on technical SEO.
By focusing on E-A-T and security, you can seriously boost your healthcare website’s SEO. These strategies not only help you rank higher but also build trust with your audience. For more tips, check out our articles on SEO for small businesses and SEO for local businesses.