The Power of Your Personal Name

When creating a personal website it is important to understand the power your name has in the process. Unlike a practice name, your own (personal) name is not going to change (well, not likely). Your name is consistent and will follow you wherever you go.

Several factors affect your online presence. Most patients are referred to you as a recommendation from another provider or from a fellow patient. And, it is estimated that about 75% of patients then search online to learn more about you before making an appointment. And what do they search? Your name!

If at all possible, make the domain your first and last name for your PROVIDER-Site™. The domain is the first search criteria that Google and Bing attempt to match with a query. A patient searching the name they were referred will find your PROVIDER-Site as one of the first few searches that show up.

Dr. Leonardo's Build & Claim function searches various databases for your name and then instantly builds your PROVIDER-Site from public information relating to your professional license as a healthcare provider. If you are a Doximity member, Dr. Leonardo will automatically accesses your profile information and instantly create your entire PROVIDER-Site. This kick-starts the website building process as the majority is completed with something as simple as your name.

At the same time, Dr. Leonardo also queries the ICAAN domain registry for your name as a .COM domain. If your name is available, go ahead and reserve it! If it's not, don't worry -- the standard format is FirstnameLastname.com but other extensions such as .NET, .ORG, .US can be used as well as slight changes to the base name.

It can take years for a practice to establish its online presence and search engine rankings, but your PROVIDER-Site helps accelerate this. Organic SEO built into your PROVIDER-Site gain more traction each day as soon as your website goes live.

Remember: Your name is your friend. It's what patients search every day and what directs them  to your personal site, rather than another site with competitive providers.

What to do when you create a PROVIDER-Site:

1. Claim and verify your Google My Business Listing. This helps to grab patient's attention. You can claim your name and have your website linked to go directly to your personal site. Google uses your NAP data (business name, address and phone number) to help determine how you rank in local searches. Make sure your name listing is updated to reflect your new personal site.
2. Post on your social media accounts. In addition, be sure to update your social networks with your new personal website. This may mean posting on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to inform your patients of your new personal site.
3. Tell your patients! Perhaps most importantly, let your patients know. Tell them about your PROVIDER-Site by word of mouth when they visit. Get the word out about a personal website's benefits such as its extensive Education Library and its online appointment scheduling and patient portal, etc. Your name is your secret weapon, take advantage of it!

You Need a PROVIDER-Site!

Create your own high quality, professional site using Dr. Leonardo, a convenient eHealth Internet Presence tool. Click here to get started!