SEO Guide for Dentists

Benefits of Ranking in SERPs and Some Strategies

Do you have a website for your dental practice? If not, you should – and if you do, you need to leverage the game-changing power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

In our current digital age, having an online presence is more of a necessity than a luxury. According to an article published in Forbes, 82% of mobile users research a business or product online before making an in-store purchase. What does this mean for dentists? You MUST up your game and stand out among the fierce competition. This is possible by implementing the right SEO strategies.

What are the Benefits of Ranking on Google?

Did you know that 91% of online users use a search engine to find any sort of information on the internet? Even more interesting, approximately 7 in every 10 people trust information from online searches more than any other source. To put this into perspective, a potential patient is more likely to visit your dental clinic after researching your business online than from a TV advertisement or billboard.

As the most widely used search engine, Google offers the biggest opportunity for businesses and inbound marketers looking to tap into the vast online marketplace. Below are some benefits of ranking in Google:

Increases the authenticity of your practice, especially if you have positive reviews – 8 in every 10 people trust a local business more if it has positive online reviews.
Higher ranks on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) translates to a better brand image.
Ranking in Google is free advertisement! It puts your dental practice right in the face of millions of potential customers that search on Google. (PS: There are over 5 billion Google searches every day).
Ranking in Google exposes your business to more opportunities for growth.

Why SEO is important for Dentists?

Contrary to common misconceptions, every business can benefit from SEO—not just online startups and new businesses. You have to ensure people can find your practice online. Dental SEO—i.e., the inbound marketing technique of directing organic (non-paid) traffic to your website—helps you attract local customers to your clinic.

A well-planned and strategic dental SEO campaign allows you to:

Target patients around your region of practice. When someone searches for a “dentist near me,” you want your clinic to pop up as one of the first options. This is only possible through an effective SEO strategy.
SEO strategies such as website optimization help improve user engagement and positive experiences. This leads to more patients knocking on your door.
The online market is crowded! There are probably tens or hundreds of other dental clinics in your area—all vying for the same pool of potential customers. Ranking high on SERPs thanks to effective SEO strategies generates discoverability, helping you stand out among the crowd.
Statistics show that 34% of users who search “Near me” end up visiting the physical store (i.e., your dental clinic). But this is only relevant if your dental clinic is easily discoverable on SERPs—which is where SEO comes into play.

SEO Strategies for Dentists

How does search engine ranking really work? Well, it’s a complex maze of data-driven algorithms that analyze hundreds of variables to determine the final placement of your dental clinic’s website. Generating strong organic search results demands the implementation of effective and updated SEO strategies. In a nutshell, an SEO campaign comes down to 4 factors:

On-site SEO: Ensure your business website includes strong calls to actions, a user-friendly design, carefully crafted meta descriptions, descriptive URLs, and target keyword research. The latter demands an in-depth understanding of what your target customers want and what they’re likely to type on Google search.
Off-Site SEO: This typically focuses on building authority through link building. Off-site SEO is particularly crucial and tricky for medical practices such as dentistry. Building links that upset the qualitative part of the search engine algorithm could break your SEO strategy.
Technical SEO: Technical SEO basically looks at how your website is developed and designed. A search engine such as Google should be able to explore and read the content of your site with ease. This factors in the load time of your pages, structure of content on your website, page indexing, and crawlability of your site.
Content: This is where you communicate and connect with your clients. The right content converts prospects into patients. For this, ensure you tell your site visitors what you do, why they should engage with you, and why you’re the best option among the competition.

Takeaway

Gone are the days when you could be content with offering top-notch services and waiting for customers to flood through your clinic’s doors. More and more potential customers rely on online sources before making a purchase—including visiting the dentist. Therefore, you must invest your marketing resources in an effective SEO strategy if you intend to survive—let alone thrive in today’s business landscape.