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Today's dental patients are proactively involved in their health. They are likely to do some research to learn more about your practice before scheduling your first appointment.
About 46% of all Google searches are local. Using search engine optimization (SEO) to improve your website and digital marketing makes you more visible to local patients, making it easier for them to find you online and call for more information.
How to use local SEO to help customers find you
First of all, it is important to understand how local SEO for dentists differs from traditional SEO. Traditional SEO helps your website appear higher in search results, regardless of where the user is. Local SEO improves visibility for patients in your service area.
You can improve your overall SEO by doing keyword research and adding some of these phrases to your website and other online marketing. Keywords and phrases are the terms customers use to find you in a search engine. Think of phrases you would use to find your office online.
Local SEO goes above and beyond to make sure you show up in Google searches like "Dentists in XYZ City." Adding local keywords to section headers or your "About" page gives search engines clues that your website is credible and belongs in local search results.
Why is SEO important for dentists?
Today's patients have more access to information than ever before. They often use their phones to search for care providers, considering online reviews and ratings before deciding to book an appointment.
SEO for dentists increases your performance on Google and other search engines. Landing front and center in search results are crucial, as most people don't get past the first page and around 25% of users click on the first result. Healthcare SEO will improve your search engine rankings and increase your visibility to potential patients.
3 ways to use local SEO for dentists
Update your listings
Updating your business listing allows you to appear on the Google map when a customer searches for your office. Optimize your local SEO by reviewing your listings on Google My Business and Yelp. As a dentist, you are also likely to be listed by the American Dental Association (ADA) and other industry databases. Make sure your practice is listed in the Find a Dentist database.
If your business is not listed on these sites, or if the information listed is incorrect, please update it. First, create a Google My Business account. Then update your address, phone number, website, and hours.
To update your business on Yelp, create an account and select the option to manage your free listing. Double-check your name, address, phone number, hours, and website.
If you are an ADA member, you can update your Find a Dentist list by logging into your ADA account and updating your information. This list should include your specialty along with your name, address, phone number, hours, and website. Make sure all the information included here is correct.
Do market research
Market research involves comparing yourself to other dentists to see how your marketing stacks up. Do a competitive analysis by searching dentist websites and writing down the phrases you searched for. Compare the best results with your website and social networks.
Look through each dentist that appears on the first page of your search. Click through to your social media pages to see which posts get the most engagement. Read blogs posted on their websites. These results will help you organize your own website and online content for better SEO.
Collect customer reviews
One way that Google and other search engines supplement the maps tool is through customer reviews. After each visit, encourage patients to rate and review your practice online. Send a request to your email list requesting testimonials from current clients.
Your reviews will appear in all the listings in your database, but you can also include them on your website. Testimonials increase your credibility and tell search engines that your site is of interest to potential patients.
If you receive a negative review, be sure to address it professionally. It's best to do this by first apologizing and then offering to pull the plug on the discussion to make things right. Once the discussion is offline, find out what went wrong and do what you can to
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