Take a quick look through your patient list. You will find that almost all of your dental patients live or work within a few miles of your office. That’s why dominating the local scene is critical for your dental practice SEO. You want patients to look at your website first.
Search engine optimization (SEO) makes a website more visible on search engine results. It uses several techniques to get a website higher in the search engine rankings.
Local SEO does the same thing with the added emphasis of ranking high on local searches. For example, if a person has a tooth infection, they will search for “dentist in Raleigh” or “Wake Forest dentist”. They won’t search for “dentist.”
You want your dental practice to rank as close to the top for the local keyword searches.
We use several techniques to help elevate your dental practice in the ranks. However, some techniques are more effective than others. Here are five essentials for dental practice SEO dominance.
People do over 70% of online searches through Google. For this reason alone, you need to make your practice as attractive to Google as possible. A key piece is having accurate, complete information on Google My Business (GMB).
Google’s goal is to provide high-quality information to people doing searches. Part of this is identifying businesses that might fit a searcher’s need. Google allows businesses to keep their own listing up to date with all types of information. This helps Google provide the highest quality information to users.
“Dentist” is a common business category for dental practices. However, you can also add more detailed secondary categories. Some examples include “cosmetic dentist,” “dental implants,” or “pediatric dentist.”
Having control over your GMB listing also gives you the ability to respond to client reviews. You can thank clients for positive reviews. You can also take action if someone had a negative experience.
Keywords are still an essential part of any SEO strategy. They are the words that potential patients use to try to find a family dentist or a dental specialist. Your website needs to use these keywords throughout.
When it comes to dental practice SEO, keywords combine the dentist’s role and the location. “Durham dentist” is one example. Others might include “Wake Forest pediatric dentist” and “Raleigh family dental services.”
Your website’s keyword list should also include searches patients might use for educational reasons. They may not need a dentist right now. They may be looking for information or ways to solve problems. Your keyword list needs to include items like “how much is teeth whitening in Raleigh” or “dental implant options.”
A webpage is more than a bunch of words and photos. It’s a grouping of elements that search engines use for ranking pages. It also includes elements that make your page more attractive to potential patients.
You need to place keywords strategically. This makes the webpage more attractive to both search engines and human readers.
Another element to consider is the word count of the page. People tend to spend more time on pages with higher word counts. Google likes pages that people spend more time on. But, the content needs to be high quality, not just fluff meant to add word count.
You need your dental practice listed on professional online directories. Google likes to see your practice information on reputable directories. It builds search engine trust which enhances ranking.
Check for any existing listings by searching for your practice online. Make sure the information on each listing is accurate. If not, work to get it corrected. Mismatching information reduces search engine trust.
Get your practice added where it’s not listed currently. Some directories to consider include the ADA, 1-800-Dentist, and Super Dentist.
Patients need dentists who are close to their work or home. You need use dental practice SEO to enhance visibility, so that those patients can find you. For more information or assistance, contact Best Edge Medical Marketing. We are here to help your North Carolina dental practice get found.
Perhaps you’re looking to buy or sell a dental practice? In that case you will want to hire an experienced, qualified full service dental practice transition company.
Best Edge Medical Marketing is a medical marketing agency that provides marketing, SEO, design, and development services to businesses in the medical industry.
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