When it comes to local SEO for dentists, the goal is clear: to get your dental practice listed high up in search results that are triggered when people conduct queries related to their oral health. But this can be a challenge for a number of reasons. Not only does running a dental clinic involve time-consuming tasks that can leave you little room to focus on marketing activities, but the industry is highly competitive and search engines tend to favour established businesses over newcomers when it comes to positioning in local searches.
Fortunately, there are proven steps you can take to improve your dental marketing strategy and increase the chances of appearing in the local pack. For example, ensuring that your Google Business Profile is fully optimised with accurate information about your location, the services you offer and the areas you serve, will go a long way to improving your rankings. Likewise, incorporating the right keywords throughout your website content, blog posts and social media updates will help to increase your visibility and encourage search engines to recognise that you have relevance for specific queries.
Another key factor in local search engine optimization for dentists is to actively encourage positive patient reviews on your online directories. Many users compare the number of reviews and star ratings for different businesses in local search results, so having a healthy volume of positive reviews can make a big difference in your positioning. Incentivising happy patients to provide feedback by sending a short questionnaire in-person after treatment or posting a link on your Google Business Profile can be an effective way to generate quality online reviews for your clinic.
To ensure that your dental practice’s NAP data is correct and consistent across all the relevant online directories, try using a tool such as Semrush’s Listing Management. This can take the hassle out of submitting your NAP data to 70+ directories and provides you with a full report of your listings and positions, as well as the ability to update them all in one simple interface.
Finally, if you have the resources to do so, create and post video content to raise your dental marketing game. Videos have a strong impact on user engagement and can be a great way to showcase your clinic’s facilities or educate users on how to keep their teeth clean.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to local SEO for dentists, but with a few simple techniques, you can increase your search engine rankings and see a real impact on your bottom line. Just remember to measure your results and continuously monitor your performance so that you can identify the best strategies for your unique situation. Good luck!