Dental Practice SEO: Why does it matter?

SEO search bar

In today’s digital world, optimizing your dental practice online presence can be the difference between success and failure. While that might sound stark, the reality is that without incorporating search engine optimization into your website’s design, customers won’t be able to find your clinic or the services you provide. 

SEO for dentists: Why does it matter?

By now, just about every successful dentist has recognized the importance of their search engine rankings to improve their online visibility in Google and Bing.

For those who are still living in the dark ages, studies have shown that 77 percent of the population uses a search engine to find a dentist in their area. That’s right, nearly 8 out of 10 people rely on search engines to find a dentist. This is why good dental practice SEO is so essential in today’s world.

Additional research has shown that the top 3 Google search results get 75% of all clicks. If your clinic’s site achieves this kind of ranking, that means more people will visit your website, which will lead to more qualified leads, and ultimately more patients.

Is SEO an ongoing process?

Search engine optimization or SEO is an ongoing process because the dental industry is constantly changing, affecting what customers are looking for and what your competitors offer. 

Plus, the companies that own the search engines, like Google, are continually changing how pages are ranked. 

These changes can directly impact whether your website or your competitor’s website is ranked at the top of people’s searches.

Why is SEO important for dental practices?

There many reasons why SEO is essential. The biggest reason is that it makes your website highly visible to potential patients.

A refined SEO marketing strategy will help you market your services online and attract the ideal patient to your practice.

How do I optimize my dental practice website?

Here are a few initial steps to get you started.

Optimize Your Dental Website 

It should go without saying, but a good dental website design is critical in today’s digitally-focused world. 

Your website is often the first interaction a person has with your practice, especially if you are actively optimizing your SEO rankings to attract new visitors from Google and Bing.

 To help you optimize your website, I put together a list of the 14 dental practice website design essentials you should include on your website. 

Audit Your Website

The first step to optimizing your website is to audit your site to understand what is and is not working. A few key metrics to track are:

  • Domain authority
  • Current site traffic
  • Inbound links
  • Outbound links
  • Site speed

There are online tools you can use to audit your website, and many of them are free.  

Add Relevant Keywords

One of the easiest and most important things you can do to improve your website’s SEO is to add relevant keywords. 

Keywords are words you believe people will use when they are searching for a dentist in your area.

The keywords you focus on should be the name of your dental practice, the services you provide, your location, and any words or phrases you think sets you apart from your competitors, such as 24/7 emergency dental care.

Start A Blog

While writing might not be your forte, blog posts are a great way to share your expertise while attracting readers and potential customers to your website. 

The content you write about should reflect what people use in their searches and provide valuable information, this will grow you visibility and credibility with visitors seeking out this info.

By writing a regular blog, your web traffic will grow, which will increase your search rankings and help propel your website to the top of Google’s search engine. 

– Link Building

Another great way to drive traffic to your website is to create content on other websites and social media platforms with hyperlinks back to your website. 

On social media, every post you share should include a link to your website. 

You might also want to consider writing blog posts for other reputable websites and include links to direct people back to your website. 

Measure The Results

Now that you’ve optimized your website following SEO best practices, it’s important to measure the results. 

While it will take some time for your business to see an uptick in web traffic, you’ll be able to see the results of your SEO campaign by better page rankings and an increase in the number of people visiting your website. 

Another option is to hire an SEO agency to track these metrics to help you understand what is and is not working on your website. 

Google My Business

Google My Business is one of the best tools available for a local business to increase their online visibility and get in front of customers looking for their particular service or specialty. 

Google My Business is free and makes it easy to manage your online presence across Google’s products, including Search and Maps.

Listing your physical location on Google will help boost your online visibility for customers looking for a dental practice in your area. 

To learn more about improving your dental practice, make sure to download the first chapter of my book DentalEase: The Essential Guide to Building the Stress-Free and Profitable Dental Practice of Your Dreams. 

The first chapter is free to download and will give you even more insight into how to grow your dental practice.

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