Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is about enhancing your website's visibility on search engines.
If you are hoping that potential patients can find you online, SEO is going to be an important part of your marketing strategy.
You could build the most fantastic website imaginable, but it is going to be far less useful to you if people can't find it.
SEO is becoming more and complex and less predictable, so the most important piece of advice should always be to first and foremost focus on creating exceptional content for your target audience. Google’s aim is to ultimately offer searchers the most relevant and useful content. Therefore, by concentrating on creating high-quality content related to your topic, you're building the foundations for a strong ranking.
Keep in mind that SEO, like word-of-mouth, is a long-term endeavour. Immediate results are rare, but it’s a crucial strategy for attracting new patient enquiries and, hopefully, new customers over time.
If you lack the budget for an agency, there are lots of things that you can do internally with minimal experience or knowledge.
We’ve listed this below :)
Before we get onto the tips to boost your online visibility, let’s look at why local SEO is vital for dental practices.
Local SEO is crucial because it effectively promotes your business online. When people seek local services or businesses, they typically use search engines like Google to find them.
Therefore, having a robust local SEO strategy is vital for your business. It ensures that your company appears among the top results when potential customers search for your products or services online.
The most important action dental business owners can take to improve their position on Google is to optimise their Google My Business (GMB) presence. Here’s how to do it:
Link signals refer to the number of quality backlinks pointing to your website. Each link acts as a vote of confidence for the information you provide. In terms of search visibility, Google interprets a higher number of relevant and interesting links as a sign of a valuable website.
For dental practices, start with getting listed in local directories. You can use a tool like Semrush’s local listing management tool to help manage and speed this process up.
Engagement on social media platforms can drive traffic to your website and improve your SEO. So make sure you have social media accounts and are updating them regularly.
So focus on optimising these areas:
Positive reviews not only attract potential customers but also boost your SEO rankings by sending positive signals to the Google algorithm.
Encourage your patients to leave reviews on Google and other review platforms, then respond to these to show you are grateful for peoples’ feedback.
Local SEO is an essential aspect of your dental practice’s marketing strategy.
Today, often the starting point for most consumers is with a Google search.
If you are not showing up high in the search engine results page, then you’re missing an opportunity to be seen.
SEO is complicated. It is one of the main areas businesses should look to outsource. However, by following the tips in this blog such as optimising your Google My Business profile, leveraging link and social signals, and focusing on on-page and review signals, you can significantly boost your online visibility.