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Marketing for Hospice Care Providers | Hospice Care Marketing

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What’s the Difference Between SEO and Google Ads? Which One Is Better?

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When it comes to growing your visibility online, two strategies often come up: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google Ads (also known as Pay-Per-Click or PPC advertising). Both can drive leads, boost awareness, and get your agency in front of families who need your services, but they work in very different ways.

What Is SEO?

seo for hospice website

SEO is the process of improving your website and online presence to show up organically (unpaid) in search engine results. This includes:

  • Optimizing your website content and structure
  • Building authoritative backlinks
  • Keeping your Google Business Profile up to date
  • Earning positive reviews
  • Publishing relevant, helpful content

SEO takes time to build momentum, typically 3 to 6 months before you see noticeable results, but it provides long-term value and consistent visibility once established.

What Are Google Ads?

Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that allows you to show up at the top of search results instantly by bidding on keywords. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. It offers:

  • Immediate visibility
  • Location and keyword targeting
  • Measurable results and ROI tracking
  • Flexibility to pause, test, or scale quickly

Google Ads work well for agencies that need quick results or want to reach families during a time-sensitive decision making process.

So Which One Is Better?

It depends on your goals and timeline.

  • If you’re looking for long-term growth, SEO is essential.
  • If you need immediate inquiries, Google Ads is your best bet.
  • For most of our hospice clients, the best results come from using both together, Google Ads drives quick wins while SEO builds steady growth in the background.

They aren’t competing strategies, they complement each other.

Is Citation Building Still Important for Local SEO?

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Citations, online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number, were once the backbone of local SEO. While Google’s algorithm has evolved, citations still play a vital role in building trust and credibility for your hospice.

What Are Citations?

hospice website seo rankings

A citation is any mention of your hospice’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) online. This could be in:

  • Local business directories (e.g., Yelp, Yellow Pages)
  • Industry-specific directories (e.g., hospice.org)
  • Social media profiles
  • Chamber of Commerce listings

Why They Still Matter

While Google now relies more on reviews, content, and engagement signals, consistent citations help confirm your business’s legitimacy. If your NAP is the same across multiple sites, Google is more likely to trust your information.

Common Citation Problems

  • Inconsistent addresses (e.g., “Rd.” vs. “Road”)
  • Old phone numbers or locations still appearing online
  • Duplicate listings in the same directory

Even small inconsistencies can confuse Google and hurt rankings.

The Quality Factor

Not all citations are equal. A listing on your state’s health directory carries more weight than one on a generic low-quality directory. Focus on relevance and authority over quantity.

Ongoing Maintenance

Citation building isn’t a one-time task. New directories appear, old ones get updated, and incorrect listings can pop up over time. Regular audits keep your presence consistent.

📞 Want to Audit & Strengthen Your Citations?

We help hospice agencies clean up, build, and maintain accurate citations to boost local search visibility. Call (877) 959-5849 or Schedule a Free Strategy Call.

How Do You Prevent Wasted Ad Spend?

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Wasting money on the wrong clicks is one of the biggest fears for any hospice running Google Ads.

We get it, you want qualified calls, not random clicks. That’s why we take a strategy-first approach to reduce waste and maximize results.

Use of Negative Keywords

hospice website ads

We actively block searches that are not a fit for your services using negative keywords.

Examples of searches we block:

  • “volunteer at hospice”
  • “hospice jobs near me”
  • “free end-of-life care”

These clicks won’t turn into patients, so we filter them out before they cost you money.

Geo-Targeting Only the Right Areas

We only target the cities and counties you serve, not the entire state.

That means we don’t waste money advertising to people you can’t admit or care for.

Ad Scheduling

We can limit your ads to only run during specific hours when someone is available to answer calls. This helps you:

  • Avoid missed calls
  • Prevent ad spend during off-hours

Conversion Tracking

Every click is tied to:

  • Calls over 4 minutes
  • Form submissions
  • Chat widget leads

If something isn’t working, we see it and fix it. This lets us optimize based on performance, not guesses.

Landing Page Optimization

Generic websites convert poorly. We design high-converting landing pages so that more of your clicks become leads, not bounces.

Bottom Line

We treat your ad budget like our own. By combining targeting, tracking, and continuous optimization, we minimize wasted spend and maximize your ROI.

Can You Help Us Remove Fake Reviews?

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Fake reviews can damage your hospice’s online reputation and mislead families who are searching for compassionate care. Whether it’s from a competitor, a disgruntled ex-employee, or someone who has never interacted with your hospice, these reviews don’t reflect your true quality of care. The good news is that there are ways to address them.

How We Identify a Fake Review

hospice website reviews san diego ca

Not every negative review is fake, some reflect genuine concerns. A fake review often shows signs such as:

  • No record of the reviewer as a patient or family member
  • Generic or suspicious wording, possibly copied from other reviews
  • Multiple negative reviews posted across different businesses in a short period
  • Reviewer location far outside your service area

Steps to Remove Fake Reviews from Google

While Google won’t remove a review just because it’s negative, they will remove content that violates their policies. We follow this process:

  1. Document the Review
    Take screenshots and note the date, reviewer name, and any details that help prove it’s fake.
  2. Flag the Review in Google Business Profile
    Log into your profile, locate the review, click the three-dot menu, and choose “Report review.”
  3. Select the Violation
    Choose the most accurate reason, such as “Conflict of interest” or “Not based on a real experience.”
  4. Submit Additional Evidence
    If Google requests more details, we provide them promptly without disclosing any protected patient information.
  5. Follow Up if Needed
    If the review isn’t removed after the first request, we can escalate through Google Business Profile support.

How We Support Clients

At Hospice Care Marketing, we monitor your reviews and take action when we detect suspicious activity. We handle the reporting process for you and advise on how to respond professionally while the removal request is in progress.

📞 Dealing with a fake review right now? Call (877) 959-5849 for expert help protecting your hospice’s reputation.

How Can We Get More 5-Star Reviews for Our Hospice?

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Getting more 5-star reviews is one of the most effective ways to improve your hospice’s online visibility and build trust with potential families. Positive reviews not only influence decision making but also boost your Google Business Profile rankings, helping you appear higher in search results.

Why 5-Star Reviews Matter

hospice website five star reviews
  • Increases trust: Families searching for hospice care rely heavily on reviews to choose a provider.
  • Boosts visibility: Google rewards profiles with frequent, high-quality reviews.
  • Drives more calls: A strong reputation leads to higher click-through rates and more inquiries.

Proven Strategies to Get More Reviews

  1. Ask at the Right Time. The best time to ask for a review is shortly after you’ve provided a meaningful service or resolved an issue for a family. For hospice, this might be after a family expresses gratitude for your care, or when a patient’s needs have been met in a way that stands out.
  2. Make It Easy to Leave a Review
    • Send a direct Google review link via text or email.
    • Include a QR code on printed materials for in-person visits.
    • Add a “Leave a Review” button on your website.
  3. Personalize the Request. A personal, heartfelt request works better than a generic “please review us.” Acknowledge the relationship you’ve built and let them know how much their feedback helps other families find quality care.
  4. Involve Your Team. Train staff to recognize moments when asking for a review feels natural. A nurse or social worker who has built rapport with a family is often the best person to make the request.
  5. Follow Up Gently. If a family doesn’t leave a review after the first request, send a gentle reminder a week later. Keep it warm and grateful, not pushy.

What to Avoid

  • Never offer incentives: This violates Google’s guidelines.
  • Avoid asking during difficult moments: Timing and sensitivity matter.

How We Help Hospice Providers Get More Reviews

At Hospice Care Marketing, we set up a streamlined review request process inside your CRM, making it easy to send review links via email or text. We also monitor new reviews so you can respond promptly and keep your reputation strong.

📞 Want a proven review request system for your hospice? Call (877) 959-5849 for a free strategy session on growing your 5-star reviews.

You deserve a marketing partner that knows hospice inside and out. Our strategies help you attract more patients, grow your census, and increase profitability.

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