The Art of Empathetic SEO Content

Shifting Gears: From Mechanics to Value-Driven SEO

Every so often, a project comes along that completely transforms my perspective on how things should be done. For me, that project was the SEO campaign for My Concierge MD, a Los Angeles-based concierge medicine clinic. It was a true wake-up call that it’s time to shift gears from traditional SEO methodologies and embrace a more patient-focused, value-driven approach.

Back in 2020, My Concierge MD’s website traffic hovered around a mere 400 visitors – not exactly the kind of numbers you’d associate with a successful healthcare practice. The dynamic physicians and the state-of-the-art clinic offered a range of essential services, but they just weren’t attracting the audience they deserved. So I dug deep, looking at what SEO meant for the healthcare sector.

Traditionally, SEO has always been all about keywords, backlinks, page authority, and so on. But the game starts to change when you shift your focus from the mechanics of SEO to the ‘why’ behind it. It becomes less about how to make the website rank and more about how to add genuine value to the visitor’s life. This fresh perspective was our starting point.

Identifying Problems, Providing Solutions

My new approach involved using keywords not merely as a tool for ranking but as an identifier of a problem that needed a solution. Each keyword I chose represented a unique issue a potential patient might face. For example, “concierge medicine costs” might represent a potential patient’s worry about affordability.

Instead of bombarding them with generic information, I created detailed, resourceful content that directly addressed their concerns. It was all about understanding their needs and meeting them head-on. Check my USP-centric Content Strategy For Business Boost.

But the twist in the tale was my choice of keywords. I stepped away from the beaten path of ‘low-hanging fruit’ keywords and instead ventured into the land of complex medical terms. Of course, this increased the competition, but it also allowed me to compete with leading health blog sites like Healthline, Medicalnewstoday, NHS, and NCBI.

Lessons for Any Industry

Now, you might be wondering, “How does this apply to my market?” The answer is simple. Regardless of your industry or target audience, one thing remains consistent: The user is king. Your audience might be in Canada, the USA, or Mexico; they might be tech enthusiasts, real estate moguls, or gourmet chefs. As a digital marketing professional, your job is to make their lives easier.

So ask yourself, are your campaigns solving their problems? Are they offering genuine value, or are you just playing the SEO game? For instance, let’s say you’re running an SEO campaign for a real estate firm in Toronto. Instead of focusing solely on keywords like “houses for sale in Toronto,” delve deeper into your audience’s concerns. What about “how to buy your first house in Toronto” or “benefits of a buyer’s agent in Toronto’s competitive market”? These keywords represent unique issues and enable you to create content that directly addresses your audience’s needs.

Of course, you shouldn’t completely disregard traditional SEO parameters. Keep an eye on your keyword difficulty, backlinks, and page authority. But let these factors serve as tools in your toolbox, not the master plan. At the end of the day, digital marketing, SEO included, is all about understanding your audience’s needs and meeting them.

The Power of Empathetic Content

It’s about adding value, building trust, and creating a loyal customer base that sees you as a reliable source of information. By shifting your focus from mechanics to value, you can create an SEO strategy that drives traffic and fosters trust and loyalty among your audience. And isn’t that the ultimate goal of any digital marketing campaign?

Remember, your audience is human, whether you’re working at a concierge medicine clinic in LA or a tech startup in New York. They have problems, and they’re looking for solutions. And you, as a digital marketing professional, have the power to provide these solutions. So next time you sit down to plan an SEO strategy, don’t just think about how to rank. Think about how you can add value to your audience’s life.

Trust me; the rankings will follow. Visit mcrseo.org to learn more about our empathetic approach to SEO content.