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The Core Fundamentals: Why Medical SEO is Different

Medical content is classified as YMYL (Your Money or Your Life). The stakes, regulatory scrutiny, and compliance requirements are exceptionally high. Here is what you need to know about E-E-A-T, TGA, and AHPRA compliance.

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) & E-E-A-T

Google applies strict scrutiny to medical websites because inaccurate information can cause real harm. Your domain is evaluated against E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness):

  • Expertise & Author Bios: Every article must have a named clinician author, detailing their qualifications (e.g., MBBS, FRACGP), AHPRA registration, and experience. "Written by Clinic Team" fails E-E-A-T.
  • Accuracy & Freshness: Content must cite credible sources (government health sites, medical journals) and feature a "last medically reviewed" date.
  • Site-Level Trust: Detailed "About Us" pages, clear contact details, HTTPS, and comprehensive practitioner profiles are mandatory.

TGA & AHPRA Compliance

Australian regulations legally restrict medical marketing. Misstepping here carries major regulatory risk:

  • No Outcome-Based Testimonials: Testimonials cannot claim clinical outcomes (e.g., "They cured my back pain"). They can only describe the experience (e.g., "Professional and punctual team").
  • No Comparative Claims: "Best physio in Sydney" is a prohibited superlative.
  • Therapeutic Claims: You cannot promise to "cure" or "diagnose" unless TGA-approved. Stick to "treats" or "manages."
  • Prescription Medicines: Cannot be advertised or promoted to the public.

Medical Website Content Architecture

Don't use a single "Our Services" page with bullet points. Google needs dedicated URLs to rank effectively. Build in this sequence:

Tier 1: Core Service Pages (Drive Bookings)

Dedicated pages for every service (e.g., "Bulk Billing GP Chatswood"). Include: Target keyword in H1, practitioner bios, clear booking CTA, schema markup, and 500-800 words of substantive content.

Tier 2: Location Pages

Capture local intent. Combine service + specific suburb. Must feature unique content for that specific clinic (parking, local staff, custom copy).

Tier 3: Condition & Treatment Pages (Long-Term Authority)

Informational blogs (e.g., "Managing Knee Pain after Running"). High E-E-A-T signals. These capture patients early in their journey and build massive topical authority.

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