The intake
Doctors work in Seattle
Seattle patients search for doctors by neighbourhood and by need. A search for a primary care doctor in Ballard reads differently from one for a sports medicine clinic near Capitol Hill, and both carry intent to book. The city's medical scene runs from solo and small group practices to the large systems, with UW Medicine and Swedish anchoring much of the referral traffic. Independent practices compete for the same local searches as the hospital affiliated clinics, and the neighbourhood terms are where a smaller practice can hold its ground. Paid search in this market is expensive because the large systems bid on the same condition and specialty terms. The demand is steady and it is local, which is why the pages that name the neighbourhood and the specialty together are the ones that earn the visit.
