What is SEO for Dentists?
Looking to build your dental practice and acquire new patients? Well, it begins with becoming highly visible. And the secret weapon is your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Different than yellow directory books of days past, most patients use online search engines to find their dental practice or a specific treatment procedure—like a root canal consultation or professional teeth whitening. Establishing your online footing and making it easy for prospective patients to find your practice requires high-quality SEO (search engine optimized) content which, in turn, maximizes your SERPs ranking.
Contrary to what might seem intuitive, most patients don’t enter a phrase like, “dentist in San Jose” into a search engine, but rather something more tailored like, “dental implants for seniors.” Content on your website must directly connect with the specific keywords and phrases patients are utilizing. This is exactly what high-quality SEO accomplishes. When executed effectively, dental SEO marketing drives increased traffic to your website through well-planned, precise techniques.
Dental website SEO allows your business to be found through achieving a high rank on search engines and casts a wider net for connecting with potential patients—ultimately impacting your practice’s ability to grow and achieve your desired business goals.
Organic SEO vs Local Search
Dental website SEO involves both organic SEO and local SEO. Organic SEO strategies work to secure a high ranking on search engine results through unpaid efforts based on known algorithms. In essence, it is a natural, or organic, method to enhancing your dental practice advertising through overall reach. Designing content relevant to web searchers and integrating frequently used search terms is one method to increasing your organic SEO.
Local Search on the other hand, often works in tandem with organic SEO but has some different ranking factors and uses your online citations and directory listings to place your business in a "local pack" or "map result." Usually you will see these local search results placed just below pay-per-click ads and above the general "organic listings."
Off-site SEO vs. On-Site SEO
In addition to organic and local SEO, successful dental website marketing incorporates off-site and on-site SEO.
Off-site SEO, also known as off-page SEO, cultivates higher ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) through actions taken beyond your own website. When other websites include a backlink to your dental site, for example, it signifies to search engines that your website contains quality, meaningful content. Perhaps this is through a blog post about inlay and onlay restorations or composite fillings. Backlinks can also be present on social media posts and websites who link to your blog content.
On-site SEO refers to actions taken on your own website to build top-notch dental SEO content. Methods include utilizing popular keywords effectively, creating metatags and titles, and incorporating structured data snippets.
Dental SEO marketing is similar to any kitchen recipe: you need the right components, and the right execution.
Why Invest in Dental SEO?
Without a well-executed SEO plan, you can end up spending unnecessary marketing and advertising funds, all while missing crucial opportunities to capture prospective patients.
Performing well in SERPs is often competitive, as many dental practices aim to achieve the same goal of a high ranking. While Ad placement (Pay-Per-Click) depends on how much money you bid, what terms you are bidding for, your quality score and other factors, the organic and local search results are based on how credible the search engine deems your website to be for the precise search performed (this credibility is dependent on a number of variables).
With an expert in Dental SEO, you’ll have the groundwork of a dental web marketing strategy that delivers results you can bank: an increased number of website visits—all from those who are looking for the dental services you offer.
Dental Website SEO - The Right Way
For your business to rank ahead of other dental practices in the area, a high-functioning SEO strategy is essential.
Among other tools, the best SEO techniques for dentists include:
● Thorough and accurate keyword research
● Original content with natural integration of keywords
● Structured data
● Functional meta tags, titles, and subheadings
● Local search optimization (including consistent citations and a number of great reviews)
● Backlinks from reputable websites in the dental domain and your community
Backlinks
To boost your off-site SEO, it’s important to develop a mix of natural links and manually built links. Natural links are those placed on a website without any input. Someone who enjoyed your blog article on routine tooth extractions may link to it from their website, for example.
Manually built links are more deliberate, such as those created by individuals or businesses you ask to add a backlink on their website, like a local community group or orthodontist.
Integrating Dental SEO with Other Dental Marketing Tactics
An effective dental SEO process amplifies your entire dental advertising plan and approach. SEO connects directly to your overall dental internet marketing strategies, integrating with aspects like online pay-per-click (PPC) ads.
To determine if your marketing efforts are working, measurements must be in place, like those in our robust Dental Dashboard. Through the dashboard, you can see metrics, like how many dental implants you’ve done, which, in turn, tells you whether or not your dental implant marketing is working.
PPC ads are also a piece of your overall SERP strategy. For example, you can choose how and when an ad appears when a search is conducted for your local area. You can also target searchers who are looking for the exact services you are offering, such as for a certain procedure, like dental hygiene marketing.
Why OnwardDental?
Different than other dental marketing firms, we not only know how to market your dental practice, but we know how to grow it. This means we know what to market, what business processes to instill to maximize your marketing ROI, and how to adapt as needed.
Rather than simply selling you marketing services ala carte, in a transactional way,we help you achieve long-term results that will help turn you a profit and grow your practice.
As Dental SEO experts, we:
● Optimize Web Content and PPC ads to rank well in SERPs
● Maximize online presence to attract new patients.
● Track results, both at the marketing level, but also at the business level.
● Adjust approaches and plans based on real numbers and metrics
