Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing strategy that can help nutrition professionals increase their web traffic, client base, and income. Learn the pillars that make up this SEO game plan and some affordable SEO packages that will get results.
Technology is at the forefront of health and wellness today. With the click of a button, you can get information on any topic you desire. Above all else, search engines dictate what readers see after searching for nutrition information.
So as a nutrition professional and business owner, in order to be seen online you need to keep up with nutrition education and also be on the cutting edge of marketing and technology.
*Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you sign up or purchase from these links we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. JK Nutrition Consulting is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more in our disclosure statement.
Social Media Marketing Has Some Flaws
Social media marketing is the first go-to for many small business owners to get seen online. Unfortunately, some research shows there is a small return on investment for these efforts.
In addition, social media platforms favor people who purchase ads. For instance, you could be making great content, but consequently, to get potential viewers you will need to pay to play.
As a result, you could be missing out on more potential leads.
Get Visible Online with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
While you could pay to get viewers on social media, a better way to get people to learn about your business is by getting to the top of search engines like Google.
This will place your name into the hands of those in need of nutrition help.
So how do you get to page one on Google?
Three words: Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short.
This marketing practice is integral for health professionals to learn. It is a smart marketing tactic that will help grow your business.
It is important to note that hiring an SEO expert can also be very expensive. This can be problematic especially if you are just starting out and cannot spend thousands of dollars on a marketing agency.
Instead of sinking a lot of money on personal SEO services, there is an easy and affordable approach to help you master SEO and get your website to the top of the search results.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization or SEO online marketing for short. Search Engine Optimization is a process that makes a website appealing to different search engines in order to place it at the top of the search results. Ultimately giving you a higher rank and driving more free traffic to your site.
In other words, SEO is a way to gain more visitors. It is learning to write about things that people are already searching for.
Depending on the industry SEO tactics can vary but most of the strategy revolves around 4 pillars:
- Keyword research
- Building backlinks
- Optimized content
- Making a good website
Keyword Research for Affordable SEO Packages
Keyword searches are different words and queries that people type into search engines like Google. These include words like “nutrition,” “weight loss,” and “meal planning tips.”
At the heart of SEO is to know the frequently searched questions and keywords. Know the queries and you can create content readers are already searching for. Websites with these highly searched keywords will be high on Google and more likely seen by readers.
Want to see what words are being searched for? Use the Chrome extension Keywords Everywhere to learn how often terms are being searched for per month. This tool also gives you other related words that are also being highly Googled.
The volume of a keyword is not the only important aspect of SEO. Additionally, you want to make sure that your website will be able to rank for that word.
This is because keywords with high volume searches can be competitive to rank for. For example, if you type in the word “meal plan” you will find those words are being searched 33,100 times per month. With such a high volume it could be very hard to compete with bigger websites.
That is why it is important to look for niche keywords with high volume that you can rank for. Once you know this ranking you will be able to target easy keywords that are also highly often searched.
Keyword Search Tools
Website ranking can be found with keyword search tools like KeySearch* and SEMRush*. These tools will show how your own website ranks in relation to the competition. For example, a brand new website will have a harder time ranking certain words in comparison with a highly regarded health brand like Healthline or WebMD.
If you are just starting out, KeySearch* is a highly effective and cheap SEO tool (get an 18% discount when you use the code KSDISC).
There is some criticism of KeySearch* and others have found SEMRush* to be a little more accurate when it comes to rankings.
However, I have been using KeySearch* with our new website and have been able to find many high-ranking keywords with a low competition score.
RELATED: LEARN ALL ABOUT KEYSEARCH IN OUR KEYSEARCH REVIEW POST
Once you find your keyword searches you can then start creating content around that searched query.
Building SEO Backlinks
Another factor of keyword search is to know how your website ranks in terms of domain authority (DA). Domain authority is a ranking score developed by an SEO company called Moz. This number predicts how well a website will rank on search engine results pages or SERPS.
It is calculated by a culmination of various facets of a website including how many other websites link to your website.
It ranges from one to 100. Websites with higher DA numbers have a higher strength. For example, websites like Healthline and Mayo Clinic have DAs in the 90s while the Academy of Dietetics website has a rank of 68 and the NJ Dietetic Association has a rank of 25.
One thing to note is that Google does not take this metric into account so you can have a lower DA and still rank high on Google.
For example, when you search the term “leaky gut treatment” the first page lists a dietitian’s website that has a domain authority of only 44.
So how do you improve your DA? Link building. Getting other respectable websites to link back to your articles will improve your DA as well as your credibility with Google. Having relationships with quality websites will look good in the eyes of the search engine and will make them want to put you at the top of their list.
Link building can be done by guest posting on reputable websites as well as sending pitches to writers who may need expert opinion quotes on HARO.
Optimized Content and Why Google Likes to E-E-A-T
Google is the most used search engine so what they say goes. To get to the top of the rankings you need to play by their rules. This means to you need to optimize your content. This can be done by following Google’s “factors for page quality.”
Page quality is determined by a number of ranking factors including Experience Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT).
A website with content that impacts the health, financial stability, or safety of people, or the welfare or well-being of its users and society is going to be under scrutiny when it comes to ranking. So if you have a website that covers one of these topics you will need to implement EEAT.
To start with EEAT you need to ask yourself these questions:
- Does the author have the necessary first-hand EXPERIENCE with the topic? The extent to which a page is TRUSTWORTHY, accurate, honest, safe, and reliable?
- Does the author have the necessary EXPERTISE, knowledge, or skill for the topic?
- Are you or your brand an AUTHORITATIVE go-to resource for the topic?
- The extent to which a page is TRUSTWORTHY, accurate, honest, safe, and reliable?
The nice thing about these new rules is that dietitians have a leg up on the competition. Just having the R.D. initials after your name gives you an authoritative voice in the eyes of Google.
However, an RD alone is not enough to establish your full EEAT. You also need to create content that meets Google’s standards and incorporates evidence-based research that validates content and reliability.
Creating a Good Website that Will Rank for SEO
There are 1.5 billion websites on the internet. A way to stand out from the crowd is to create a visually appealing website that is easy to navigate and runs fast.
Why You Should Use WordPress as a Website Builder
WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace are all viable options for making a visually appealing website.
Using a website builder that is optimized for SEO is the best way to get seen by potential clients and consumers already searching for certain nutrition topics.
WordPress is the best website builder to use if SEO is your goal!
The Content Will Bring Them There
Content is king when it comes to your website. Following keyword research can improve your content marketing strategy, but it is not the only thing that matters to readers and Google.
Once you get someone to come to your site you want to keep them there so they are more likely to convert to a client.
This means having a clean, engaging, and fast-loading website.
Create An Engaging Website Design that Can Be Found Online
I am much more likely to engage with a brand if they have a nice website. If someone has a poorly designed site that is hard to navigate it deters me from wanting to work with them.
WordPress is a great platform for building a pretty website.
Having a web designer skilled in WordPress is one way to create a killer design. Custom themes can get expensive so if you are looking to DIY-it buying a pre-existing theme is the next best option.
There are many companies that create template themes to use on your website. For this and the Thyroid Nutrition Educators website, I am using the Astra* theme.
WPEngine* is another WordPress theme designer. They create a lot of really great customizable website themes including Studiopress* in the Genesis framework*. Divi* is another custom builder that has been recognized as a great option for creating WordPress websites.
Want to learn how to master WordPress? Check out these courses and tutorials*.
*This is my affiliate link, this means that I will earn a percentage of any sales, at no extra cost to you. Learn more in our disclosure statement.
The Speed of Your Website Affects SEO
Aside from design, you want a site that runs fast. How many times have you closed out a web page because it took too long to open? Making a speedy website is important. One way to improve your site speed
People are on their phones more than ever and mobile usage is at an all-time high. Making sure your website is mobile-friendly is important for keeping readers engaged. These elements will provide a good user experience and improve your SEO.
Measure Your Site Speed
See how your website measures up with Google’s Site Speed Insights page. Simply type in your website URL and you can see how it ranks on both desktop and mobile.
If you find your site speed is slow one way to help improve the speed is with the WP Rocket plugin* this plugin will amp up the speed of your website.
The benefits of this plugin include the following:
- Improve your SEO
- Improve the indexing of your website in search engines. This is a fancy way of saying that it will add your web pages to search engines like Google
- Reduces the weight of your website files which means a faster load time for your visitors
- Improving the load time by loading images only as your visitor scrolls down the page
Some hosting plans will also have their own website speed accelerators. This is the case with the hosting company Siteground,* Green Geeks*, and Namehero* they have a plugin that you can add to your website to increase its speed. I have been using it on the TNE website and found it works as well as the WP Rocket plugin*.
*Some of these links are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a percentage of any sales, at no extra cost to you. Learn more in our disclosure statement
RELATED: LEARN THE 50 WAYS TO SPEED UP YOUR WORDPRESS WEBSITE
Get a Good Hosting Company for Quality Site Speed
Every website that runs needs to have a hosting company. If you’re wondering what the heck is a hosting company I’ll give you a small breakdown of what it is now.
For people to see your website you need to be linked to the World Wide Web. In order to do this, you need to be connected to a server. A server will make your website visible to people online.
So web hosting is basically renting space to house your site on the internet. There are a ton of hosting companies out there and believe me they are not created equal. I’ve been blogging since 2008 and have tried many different hosting companies. Some of my favorites are
These companies are great if you’re just starting out.
If you want a cheaper price I advise you to buy in bulk. If you get a 2 or 3-year plan you can sometimes get a discount and you don’t have to worry about hosting for a few years. I got a 2-year contract for just $67 from Hamehero* and $70 from Green Geeks*.
As you move along in your blogging journey you may need more bandwidth and a higher costing host. Some other companies that I have heard good things about are WP Engine* and Big Scoots.
*Some of these links are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a percentage of any sales, at no extra cost to you. Learn more in our disclosure statement
Why Nutrition Professionals Need to Learn SEO
If you are using Facebook ads or other paid sources to generate traffic to your website and business you may want to consider looking into optimizing your search traffic instead.
SEO is a great way to reach a wider audience and help more people. If you find that your current blogging efforts have little traffic you may not be writing about topics that clients are searching for.
For example, if you specialize in treating women with diabetes and you are looking for more clients you can utilize SEO as a way to drive traffic to your website with an article on a hot topic of interest. The words “diabetic diet food list” are being searched 5,400 times per month.
Knowing this is a popular search term you can formulate an article around this keyword that will appeal to readers with a call to action about your nutrition services.
How To Start Implementing SEO as a Nutrition Professional
I knew nothing about SEO until a few years ago. What sparked my interest was a course I had seen run by a fellow dietitian by the name of Erica Julson from the Unconventional RD*.
She had become a success with SEO and had been gaining momentum in her organic traffic on her brand-new site Functional Nutrition Answers.
Within just 10 months she was bringing in 20,000 visits per month. This was strictly from Google traffic with NO paid advertising. She was also only writing just one article a month.
Julson took what she learned and implemented it into a course for dietitians and nutrition professionals who wanted to improve their website rankings and make more money.
I took this course in January 2019 and used it to build a brand-new website in April. Using her tactics we have had increases in our search traffic within just a few months.
Sessions from March 2019 through December 2019
Users from March 2019 through December 2019
Number of Organic Search Traffic Per Month March 2019 through May 2020
Since writing this post our search sessions have more than doubled from December to January. They went from 714 in December to 1,550 in January. The organic search increased as well. It went from 243 to 560.
Why You Should Take this Course
I highly recommend the SEO Made Simple* course and here is why:
- Increased visibility for small businesses
- High-quality SEO education at an affordable price
- Lifetime access for one price
- Get tips on local SEO
- Help from Erica whenever you need it
- Constant updates on the latest SEO trends
Firstly, this course gives you a detailed step-by-step way to get to the top of the search results. This will increase your visibility online to your desired audience/clients. Good SEO practices can even improve your ranking in local search results.
Secondly, the price is reasonable for all you are getting! Hiring SEO professionals can be quite costly, so this course is a great alternative if you are looking for an affordable search engine optimization plan that get results!
Thirdly, if you are a dietitian you can score yourself some continuing education credits for this course!
In addition, the course is done on your own time, Erica is also there for you every step of the way. Have questions about something in the course? Bring it up during the monthly office hours or ask your question in the private Facebook group.
Most importantly, as we know, the internet is changing daily. With that comes new SEO rules. Therefore, you must keep abreast of new SEO trends. This can be a lot of work on top of all the other things you need to do for your business.
However, if you take this course Erica will do that for you. Every year you will get an update on what is new in SEO. So you never miss a thing and can keep on top of the search results.
If you want to learn more about this course check out the free masterclass available. Learn more about it below.
Learn More about the SEO Made Simple Course
SEO Made Simple* is a self-study course that offers lifetime content available. So you can go back and read up on the topic at any time. The course will teach you the 4 pillars of SEO (keyword research, optimized content, backlinks, and creating a good website). You will learn how to:
- Effortlessly attract your ideal client by creating the content they are searching for
- Write killer content that Google and your readers will love
- Build your organic search traffic so you can start earning REAL online income
- Network online to build more links to your website
- Speed up your site and improve the user experience (very important to Google!)
Want more information? Sign up for Erica’s FREE Masterclass at the link below.
*Some of these links are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a percentage of any sales, at no extra cost to you. Learn more in our disclosure statement
This post was originally written in June 2020, it was updated to reflect Google’s new page policy updates.
Thanks so much for mentioning The Unconventional RD and being such an AWESOME part of the community!!
your welcome! Thank you for creating such a great course!
Such important info! Having great content isn’t enough if people can’t find it. Thanks for this post.
So true Christy! Your welcome!
I could not agree with your more on this topic! Absolutely critical for dietitians to wear a business and marketing hat.
I need to pin this for later! I could definitely use help in this area!
Love this topic! Such important info we can all benefit from.
There is a lot of great information here. What do you think about SEO plugins?
The only SEO Plugin that is really needed is the Yoast SEO plugin. That is a great tool to use.
Fantastic post! This is so important especially with all the noise in the nutrition world. Dietitians need to rank higher!