SEO Guide: Improve Organic Rank For Your Derm Practice
My dad is a dermatologist. Over the past 15 years, we’ve helped him improve his organic visibility using many of the tactics outlined in this guide. The purpose of this guide is to help you improve your organic rank, drive more traffic to your site, and therefore attract more patients.
On average, a new derm patient generates $1,000 to $1,500 in revenue during their first year. This adds up over time, which means that SEO has a great ROI for derm practices.
Let’s dive into the strategies you can use for your practice to rank better on Google.
How To Rank On Google As a Dermatologist
There’s no quick solution to ranking well on Google. There are many pieces to the puzzle that you need to fit together. Before we dive into the specifics of the strategy for dermatologists, here’s a high-level of where you’ll need to focus your efforts:
- Competitive Analysis: What’s working well for your top competitors?
- Market Assessment: Understand local competitiveness, keyword difficulty, authority scores, and CPC
- Website Optimization: Make sure your site structure has the right foundation. This will include pages for all of your services, plus optimization for your primary locations.
- Local Pack Dominance: Capture clicks in the 3-pack results.
Important Note: This guide focuses on dermatology-specific SEO strategies. There are other important SEO elements that we won’t cover like page speed optimization, fixing broken links, or proper redirects since these are important across all industries. We want to maintain our focus on derm specific strategies for purposes of this article.
How We Measure Competition in the Dermatology Industry
It will be harder to rank in New York City (very large city with many dermatologists) than in Butte, Montana, where there might be only 1-2 dermatologists.
Before devising your SEO strategy, analyze the following:
- Power of your website versus competitors
- Competition in your market
- Keyword competitiveness
This will help you understand how hard it will be to rank so you can have realistic expectations.
Tools to help you with this analysis
- Keyword Difficulty
- This tool within SEMRush shows how hard it is to rank for specific keywords.
- Takes into account the competitiveness of your local market.
- Authority Score
- This tool within SEMRush grades the power of your website on a scale of 1-100.
- Sites that have a stronger authority typically rank well on Google .
- Compare your score to your competitors.
- This score is based on how many authoritative backlinks link back to your site (we’ll cover a backlink strategy later on).
Related Guide: What is a Good Authority Score?
- Average Cost Per Click
- The average CPC represents the maximum amount someone is willing to bid on a particular keyword in Google Ads.
- Typically, the higher the bid, the higher the SEO competition will be.
Comparison Chart
The chart below shows you the top-ranking dermatology practice in three markets of varying competitiveness: New York City (most competitive), Miami (Top 10 metro), and Columbus (Top 25 metro).
Analyzing this data helps you understand where you stack up versus the competition. Having an understanding of this will help you determine the best strategy.
If we were to take on a client (for this example, Smith Dermatology) in Miami with an authority score of 2, it’s going to be an uphill battle to outrank Miami Dermatology and Laser (DA = 37).
For Smith Dermatology, we’d start with a blog strategy geared toward acquiring backlinks (plus other strategies for backlinks), and building out service pages optimized for their local market, which tends to be less competitive.
Market Comparison: Competition, Authority & Search Metrics
How keyword difficulty, search volume, and authority requirements vary by market
| Market | Practice | Target Keyword | Ranking | KD% | Volume | CPC | Authority Score | Backlinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | Spring Street Dermatology | "Dermatologist NYC" | #1 | 54% | 12,100 | $4.70 | 37 | 5,000+ |
| Miami | Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute | "Dermatologist Miami FL" | #2 | 26% | 480 | $2.51 | 28 | 1,500 |
| Columbus | Signature Dermatology | "Dermatologist Columbus OH" | #1 | 41% | 2,400 | $3.28 | 23 | 298 |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Market Paradox:
Columbus is tougher to rank for than Miami (41% KD vs. 26% KD) despite having 14x fewer dermatologists (93 vs. 23). This happens when concentrated markets create intense local competition.
Authority Isn't Everything:
Signature Dermatology has the lowest authority score (23) and fewest backlinks (298) of any practice shown. But, they have strong E-E-A-T signals. This shows that great content and expertise can be more important than authority, especially in smaller markets.
Source: This data was retrieved utilizing SEMRush tools.
Regardless of your website’s authority score, if you have better content than a competitor with a higher authority score, you can beat them in the rankings. Let’s look at Signature Dermatology as an example:
We Don't Just Work with Dermatologists
We have extensive medical marketing experience. From 30+ location practices to solo practices.
Multi-Location
30+ location practices
Solo Practices
Independent physicians
How Signature Dermatology Compensates for Lower Authority
Signature Dermatology in Columbus ranks at the top of the search engines for “Columbus Dermatologist.” This is impressive for the only 100% dermatologist-owned practice in the city, especially considering they are ranking with the lowest authority score of the three practices in the comparison chart. What this tells me is that Google likes its content.
They’ve created a website with a great user experience that uses E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) to outrank some large competitors.
First, watch this walkthrough – we’ll show you what Signature is doing right with their E-E-A-T implementation and where they’re missing SEO opportunities.
Now let’s break down their E-E-A-T strategy:
Expertise & Experience:
- Comprehensive physician bios with education, credentials, and specializations
- Before/after photo galleries showing real patient outcomes
- Their site showcases all of the procedures they offer
Authoritativeness
- Strong affiliations (OSU, OhioHealth, VA)
- Recipient of Entrepreneurs of Columbus “Top Rated” Dermatologist
Trustworthiness
- “100% dermatologist-owned practice” messaging on homepage
- Genuine patient reviews are prominently displayed on the homepage
- Great images of staff and facilities
Room for SEO Improvement
Signature doesn’t have individual medical service pages (acne, wart removal, rosacea). They have a single page that lists all their medical services, with a high-level overview of each.
If they were to build individual pages for each medical service, they could rank for more high-intent queries aside from just “Columbus Dermatologist.”
Our client, Eastside Dermatology, built dedicated pages for each condition and ranks #1 for queries like “Dermatologist for Poison Ivy Columbus.” We’ll dive more into this tactic later on.
Related Blog: How to Improve E-E-A-T On Your Site For Better SEO
Want An Audit Like We Did For Signature Dermatology?
We'll identify exactly what's working, what's missing, and the most important low-hanging fruit.
Request Your Website Audit →How To Optimize Your Website’s SEO Structure
The most important aspect of any SEO strategy is making sure you have the right foundation. Without this, the content creation and backlink building won’t do much good.
- A sound website structure helps make sure you have the right pages built to rank for all different areas of your practice.
- We recommend splitting out medical and cosmetic treatments so they each have individual pages.
- For single-location practices, optimize your homepage for ‘Dermatologist in [Your City].
- Each medical and cosmetic page can be optimized for your local market as well. The graphic below helps illustrate this.
For Signature Dermatology, if someone recommended they build out medical and cosmetic procedure pages optimized for Columbus, this could have gotten them new business over the years for high-intent terms like, “Rosacea treatment Columbus.” They are still doing many things right by ranking at the top of Google for “Columbus Dermatologist,” but still, this was a missed opportunity.
Dermatology Website Structure Tree
How Eastside Dermatology Succeeded with Medical & Procedural Page Buildout
Our client, Eastside Dermatology, implemented the exact strategy that Signature was missing. We built out pages for each medical and cosmetic procedure offered at their two locations.
Below, you can see Eastside ranking #1 for “Dermatologist for Poison Ivy Columbus.” This is one of many procedure-specific rankings they’ve earned based on this page buildout.
The SEMRush data tells the story. Eastside ranks in the top 10 for a large mix of medical procedures (eczema treatment, acne dermatologist), cosmetic treatments (microdermabrasion, tattoo removal, mole removal), and general dermatology keywords. Since starting with The Media Captain, Eastside Dermatology has more than tripled its visibility.
On-Page Optimization Tactics
When it comes to optimizing your medical and cosmetic procedure pages, these tactics can help improve your rank:
- Optimize each page for your primary market. For Eastside Dermatology, this is Columbus, Ohio. If you don’t optimize these pages for your local keyword, it’s much less likely to get found on Google.
- Google loves expert content. When you can interview the dermatologist and gain valuable insight for the pages, this is truly unique content that showcases E-E-A-T. Google loves this, plus it will differentiate you from your competitors with all the AI content out there.
- Use real images. Google doesn’t like stock photography. Skincare is visual so real photos should be used when possible. In the example below, the image provided by Eastside Dermatology helps determine if your rash is likely poison ivy.
- Keep content concise and helpful. The content in the example is very straightforward and to the point. There’s not a lot of fluff. Eastside provides educational information that helps patients understand their condition while encouraging them to reach out if they’re not sure: “If you are unsure which rash is on the skin, contact us right away.”
- Make it easy for patients to get in contact with you with strong call-to-actions. This improves conversion rate, which Google likes.
SEO for Multi-Location Practices
If you have multiple locations, your SEO strategy is going to be different than a single location practice.
- Homepage should focus on your brand rather than any specific market. The goal for your homepage wouldn’t be to rank for any specific term.
- Create dedicated location pages, with each page optimized for its respective local market (more on this in the next section).
- Determine what local keyword to optimize the medical and cosmetic procedure pages for.
Example: Eastside Dermatology has two locations, Hilliard, Ohio (suburb) and then Columbus (primary market). The location page ranks for “Hilliard Dermatologist.” Since Columbus has far more search traffic, all medical and cosmetic pages are optimized for the primary market (Columbus).
Multi-Location Dermatology Practice SEO Structure
Pro Tip: When choosing which market to optimize procedure pages for, consider two factors: (1) search volume in SEMrush and (2) where most of your patients actually come from. In most instances, doubling down on your home turf makes sense. If 70% of your patients come from Phoenix, optimize procedure pages for Phoenix even if Scottsdale has strong search volume. Your location pages will still capture suburb-specific searches.
Building out Well-Optimized Location Pages
- Include professional exterior and interior photos of the office so patients can easily locate your practice and know what to expect when they arrive.
- Include unique content about the location, including its name, address, and phone number (NAP), as well as information about parking, brief directions in the immediate vicinity of the office, and any other details that would be helpful to your patients.
- You should list out all of the treatment and cosmetic pages, as this will serve as great internal linking.
- There should be photos and a brief bio of the doctors serving that location.
- Pull in reviews from that location’s Google Business Profile.
- Tip: Rich Plugins can pull in reviews for multiple locations.
Below is a mock-up that you can reference if you need to build out a well optimized location page for your practice.
Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization For Dermatologists
The 3-Pack results get 44% of actual clicks on Google’s results page.
Since dermatology is a hyperlocal business, if you are one of the three practices ranking in the local pack, this will drive more new patients.
Similar to having a strong foundation with your website, you want to have a strong foundation with your Google Business Profile.
You also want to make sure there are new reviews consistently coming into your practice in compliance with HIPAA. According to Gather Up: “Aim for a continual stream of reviews since it shows Google that your business is functioning and your customers are active.”
Below, you can see that for “Phoenix Dermatologist” the top two practices ranking in the local pack have thousands of reviews each. Advanced Dermatology has 779.
It’s important to understand that your GBP is tied to the power of your website. According to Local Falcon, “Linking to websites with higher authority and relevance can help improve Google Business Profile rankings.” Even if you do the best optimization of your Google Business Profile and have more reviews than a competitor, if their website is more established, it doesn’t mean you’ll outrank them in the local pack.
Proximity also plays a major factor in rank. For Eastside Dermatology, they are 1-mile away from being a Gahanna address, a prominent suburb. They never rank in the local pack for Gahanna because practices with an actual Gahanna address take precedence.
Google Business Profile Optimization
Complete Checklist for Dermatologists
Basic Information
Visual Content
Pro-rank likely to top will photos ~45% better than profiles with 1-4 images
HIPAA Compliance:
Do NOT upload before/after photos unless you have written consent + remove all facial identifiers
Reviews & Reputation
Medical Compliance:
Never ask for a positive review—it violates FTC rules and can result in profile suspension
Patient Engagement
Accessibility & Features
Multi-Location Tip:
Create consistent naming of your members and should link to separate location pages, not general websites
Learnings from Top-Ranking GBPs in Dermatology
Let’s analyze what #1 ranking dermatology practice Spring Street Dermatology does right:
✓ Complete profile (100% of fields filled)
✓ 1,100 reviews at both locations with 4.7-4.9 star average
✓ 200+ professional photos across all categories
✓ Active Q&A section (42 answered questions)
✓ Services listed with detailed descriptions
✓ Posts published weekly (promotions, health tips)
✓ Booking integration enabled
✓ Responds to 95%+ of reviews within 48 hours
Compare to #10 ranking practice in same market:
✗ Only 60% profile completion
✗ 180 reviews (6x fewer)
✗ 12 photos (17x fewer)
✗ Q&A section empty
✗ No services listed
✗ No posts
✗ No booking integration
✗ Responds to <30% of reviews
Backlink Strategy For Dermatologists
High-quality backlinks lead to a higher authority score and are an important part of your SEO strategy. These high-quality, legitimate links tell Google that your practice is trustworthy because other credible sources are linking to it. Here are some great ideas for generating backlinks:
Medical Directories
Medical directories are a great starting point for building backlinks. Even though many use no-follow links, they are credible in Google’s eyes and can drive quality referral traffic.
Bonus: AI search engines (ChatGPT and Perplexity) pull from directories when people are searching for terms like “Best Dermatologist in Salt Lake City.”
Here’s a great starting point for your directory search:
Most Important Directories:
- ZocDoc
- Healthgrades
- WebMD Physician Directory
- RealSelf (for cosmetic procedures)
- Vitals
Secondary Directories to Focus On:
- Yelp
- Better Business Bureau
- Castle Connolly
- U.S. News Doctor Finder
- Chamber of Commerce (local market)
Action Item: Find Your Local Directories
Search "Best Dermatologist in [Your City]" on Google. Any directory ranking on the first page is where your potential patients are looking. Get listed on those platforms.
Example: "Best Dermatologist in Phoenix"
Insurance Provider Directories: Don’t overlook these! These will ensure that your listings are accurate on insurance company websites, which is how many patients find their doctor.
Goal: Get listed on 5-7 directories | Budget: $500-$1,000/month | Cost Per Listing: $200-$500/month
Tip: Make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is consistent across all listings.
Media Outreach & Media Publications
This requires quick response time and monitoring, but it can yield great results. Luckily, you have a great source that reporters will value (a dermatologist).
HARO (Help a Reporter Out):
- HARO connects experts (aka the dermatologist) to writers at major publications
- Create a profile at helpareporter.com
- Respond to 2-3 derm-related queries each week
- Topics: skincare trends, sun protection, acne solutions, anti-aging
Reaching out to Reporters Directly:
- Set up a Google News alert for anything related to skin cancer, sunscreen, etc.
- Once you get an alert, reach out to the reporter and provide a quote from a derm that could add to the piece (they may just add it in). Let them know that if they ever need a quote from a dermatologist, you can respond within the same business day!
- You can usually find contact info for the reporter listed right on the website, or on their LinkedIn or Instagram page.
- There are a lot of reporters writing about skin care and beauty. They will be excited to find a great source that responds quickly. You can build relationships and before long, they will be reaching out to you vs. the other way around.
Time Investment:
Dedicate 10 hours per month to monitoring and responding to alerts. If you have someone on your team who has PR experience, this is a perfect job for them.
Goal:
2-4 media mentions per year
Our client, Eastside Dermatology, had their dermatologist quoted in major publications:
Learn how we were able to help achieve this
Contact Our SEO Team →One backlink from a news source with a high domain authority or medical publication is worth 10 standard backlinks. So prioritize this in your strategy.
Professional Association & Board Certification Links
Use your credentials to earn backlinks from these highly credible sources. Make sure someone in your practice reaches out so they can make the right connection.
Key Opportunities:
- American Academy of Dermatology: Claim your profile in the “Find a Dermatologist” directory
- State Medical Board: Add your practice website to your physician profile
- American Board of Dermatology: Link your board certification to your practice
- Medical School Alumni Directory: Request inclusion in your school’s physician directory
- Hospital Affiliations: If you have admitting privileges or group affiliations, request your profile link to your practice website
Goal: 3-5 institutional backlinks | Cost: Free (just your time to claim profiles)
Time Investment: 2-3 hours to complete all profile updates
Blogging/Linkable Content
Use your website to create content that other sites will link back to.
For example, Zena Medical in Newport Beach, California, wrote a blog on “A Dermatologist’s Accutane Guide – Timeline and Expectations.” This ranks #3 nationally on Google for “Dermatologist recommendations for Accutane.”
This has led to websites like “The Skin Care Answer” linking back to this blog.
With the right blog strategy, you can obtain hundreds of backlinks because other sources will link to your content.
The Mistake We See with Local Dermatology Practices & Their Blog
Most local dermatology practices don’t leverage their blog ato get high-quality links. Instead, they try to drive local traffic by creating content like “Acne Tips in Boca Raton, FL.”
This cannibalizes their acne treatment page that’s already optimized for ‘Acne Treatment Boca Raton.’
Don’t write local content for your blog. The focus should be to help patients find helpful information.
For example, if patients are constantly asking about the dermatologist’s top recommended sunscreens, write the following blog:
- 10 recommended sunscreens SPF40 and higher [dermatologist rated]
- Warning Signs in Moles That Worry Dermatologists
Anytime someone asks this question, you can send them a link to the blog. It’s he;pful for patients and for your staff!
Goal:
3-8 backlinks per major piece of content over 12 months.
- Cost: $500-1,000 per guide if you hire a writer.
- Strategy: Not every blog is going to be a hit, but if you are creating helpful content for current and prospective patients, there’s still value in this strategy. Stick with a consistent calendar and monitor your backlink profile in SEMRush or another tracking platform. You can then double down on what’s working. If you hire someone to write the content, make sure they are interviewing a derm at your practice to get the information they need and not using AI.
Local Community Events
Since dermatology is a hyperlocal business, when you get involved in the community, it can increase awareness for your practice and can be positive for SEO. Let us explain.
Local Community Involvement
- Event sponsorship (if your dermatology practice sponsors a youth hockey team, not only are you building awareness in your community but if this team or league has a website, it could be a valuable backlink). Not to mention, many parents and children on the team will need a dermatologist at some point and they’ll be more inclined to use your practice.
Skin Cancer Screening Events:
- Host a skin cancer screening event at your practice.
- This can be a great way to acquire new patients
- You don’t have to do biopsies or treatments, it’s just a 5-10 minute observation per person looking for suspicious moles
- You can reach out to local news stations and get great PR and backlinks pointing to your site.
- Edgebrook Dermatology in Rockford, Illinois participated in a free skin cancer screening event, which got picked up by WIFR, the local TV station.
Goal:
- 1-2 community events per year.
- Cost: $500-2,000 per event
- Return: Local backlinks, new patient acquisition, and community brand awareness
We Don't Just Work with Dermatologists
We have extensive medical marketing experience. From 30+ location practices to solo practices.
Multi-Location
30+ location practices
Solo Practices
Independent physicians
In Summary
Don’t be intimidated by SEO for your dermatology practice. By taking small steps to optimize your website’s structure, auditing your content, and analyzing your competition’s strengths and weaknesses, you can start to see positive results on the SEO front.
You Became a Dermatologist to Treat Patients,
Not to Become an SEO Expert
We've worked with dermatology practices for 15+ years—from single-location practices to multi-location groups. We know exactly which SEO tactics drive new patient appointments versus which ones waste time and money.
Schedule Your Free Consultation →No pressure, no sales pitch—just a conversation about your goals.