Are You Lost in Your Google Searches? Here’s How to Improve Your Ranking

When potential customers search for home medical equipment (HME), does your business show up on the first page of Google—or are you buried beneath competitors?

If you’re struggling to rank, you’re missing out on valuable website traffic, leads, and sales. Fortunately, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can help you climb the rankings and attract more patients and caregivers looking for your products and services. So, let’s break down why your website isn’t ranking and how to fix it.

1. Understand How Google Ranks Your Website

Google’s algorithm analyzes hundreds of factors to determine where your website ranks. Some of the most important ones include:

• Relevant Keywords – Does your website include the terms people are searching for? (e.g., “portable oxygen concentrator near me”)
• Website Authority – Does your site have quality backlinks from trusted sources?
• User Experience (UX) – Is your site fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate?
• Content Quality – Do you provide helpful, informative content that answers users’ questions?
• Local SEO Signals – Are your Google Business Profile, reviews, and local citations optimized?

Why This Matters: Google prioritizes websites that provide value to users—if your site isn’t meeting these criteria, you’ll struggle to rank.

2. Identify the Keywords Your Customers Are Searching For

You can’t rank for keywords you’re not targeting—so the first step to improving SEO is knowing what your customers actually search for.

How to find the right keywords:

• Use Google Keyword Planner to research search terms related to your products.
• Check your Google Search Console to see what search queries already bring traffic to your site.
• Look at competitors’ websites—what terms do they use in their content?
• Think like a customer: What would someone type into Google to find your business?

Expert Tip: Target long-tail keywords (specific phrases like “CPAP machine for seniors in [your city]”) to rank for searches with high intent.

3. Optimize Your Website for SEO

• Title Tags and Meta Descriptions – These are what users see in Google search results. Include primary keywords here!
• Headings (H1, H2, H3) – Use keywords in your headings to improve readability and search rankings.
• Product and Services Pages – Make sure your core pages include natural keyword placements (but don’t overdo it—Google penalizes keyword stuffing!).
• Blog Content – Writing educational content using relevant keywords boosts rankings and builds trust with customers. Learn more about VGM Forbin’s blogging services today.

Our Expert Recommendation: Invest in an SEO Strategy with VGM Forbin

Struggling to write optimized content or get your website ranking? Let VGM Forbin’s SEO experts take care of it for you!

• We research and target the best keywords for your HME business.
• We optimize your website for search engines and patient-friendly browsing.
• We create high-quality content that boosts your Google ranking.

Get started with an SEO strategy tailored to your HME business today. Learn more about our services and contact us for a free consultation.

4. Improve Your Website’s Speed and Mobile Experience

A slow, outdated website hurts your rankings—Google prioritizes sites that are fast and mobile-friendly.

How to improve website speed:

• Compress large images to load faster.
• Minimize unnecessary plugins that slow down your site.
• Use a reliable hosting provider for faster performance.
• Make sure your website is mobile-optimized—most searches happen on phones!

Expert Tip: Run your website through Google PageSpeed Insights to check for performance issues.

5. Strengthen Your Local SEO Presence

Most HME searches are location-based (e.g., “home oxygen equipment in [your city]”), so local SEO is essential.

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile – Fill out your company info completely and keep it updated.
• Encourage customer reviews – More positive reviews = higher rankings and trust.
• Use location-based keywords – Include city and state names on key pages.
• List your business in local directories – Ensure you’re on Google Maps, Yelp, and other industry sites.

Expert Tip: Businesses with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details across all online listings rank higher in local searches.

6. Build High-Quality Backlinks

Google sees backlinks (links from other websites to yours) as a vote of trust—the more quality backlinks you have, the better your rankings.

How to earn backlinks:

• Get featured in local news, healthcare blogs, or industry directories.
• Partner with referral sources (hospitals, clinics, home care providers) and ask for website mentions.
• Guest post on relevant websites to establish credibility and gain inbound links.

Expert Tips: Avoid “spammy” backlinks from low-quality websites—Google penalizes sites that try to manipulate rankings.

7. Track Your Progress and Keep Improving

SEO isn’t a one-time fix—it's an ongoing strategy that requires monitoring and adjustments.

How to track SEO success:

• Use Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and engagement.
• Check Google Search Console to see how your pages are ranking.
• Regularly update your website with fresh, high-quality content.

Expert Tip: SEO takes time—but consistent effort leads to long-term success and sustainable website traffic.

Ready to Rank Higher on Google? Let VGM Forbin Help!

SEO can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to figure it out alone.

At VGM Forbin, we specialize in SEO for HME providers, helping businesses like yours improve search rankings, increase website traffic, and attract more patients and caregivers.

Want to get found on Google? Let’s build an SEO strategy that works for you.