Shaz Memon, the Marketing Expert, shares easy monthly tasks to enhance your dental practice’s online presence.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a powerful tool for dental practices aiming to attract new patients and enhance their online presence. While the technical jargon of SEO may seem overwhelming at first, you don’t need to be an expert to implement simple strategies.
Here, we will walk you through easy monthly tasks to help boost your dental practice’s search engine rankings.
1. Optimise your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing potential patients see when they search for dental services in your area. It’s a free tool that helps local businesses show up in Google Search and Maps results. The more accurate and detailed your profile, the better chance you have of being found by local searchers.
Click here for my comprehensive guide on Google Profile optimisation for dental practices.
Each month, take a few minutes to:
- Update your business information: Ensure your practice’s name, address, phone number (NAP) and hours are correct. This helps with local SEO, ensuring patients find you easily
- Add posts or updates: Treat Google Business Profile like social media. Add posts about new services, team introductions or special offers to keep your listing fresh
- Respond to reviews: Google values businesses that engage with their customers. Take time to respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you care about your patients’ feedback.
2. Fresh content creation (blogs and articles)
Regularly adding new content to your website is one of the most effective ways to improve SEO. By writing a blog post or article at least once a month, you can attract new visitors through search queries that are relevant to their dental health concerns. Read more on why it’s harmful to copy content from the supplier website.
If you’re unsure where to start, focus on answering common patient questions. For instance:
- How often should I get my teeth cleaned?
- Are electric toothbrushes better than manual ones?
- How long does Invisalign take to work?
These topics not only demonstrate your expertise but also improve your chances of being found in Google search results when someone types in these queries. If you’re short on time, aim for one well-written post every month, between 500-700 words. Always aim to include local keywords such as ‘dental care in [your town]’ to enhance local SEO.
Use my free blog title generator here: shaz.co.uk/generate-100-killer-instagram-reels-dental-blog-post-titles-headlines/
3. On-page SEO: keywords and Metadata
On-page SEO refers to optimising individual pages of your website to rank higher in search results. This can sound technical, but it’s easier than you think.
Start by identifying keywords – the words or phrases people are typing into Google when searching for dental services. For example, if someone is looking for teeth whitening, they might type ‘teeth whitening in [town]’ or ‘cosmetic dentist in [town]’.
You can easily find keyword suggestions using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or free platforms like Ubersuggest. Read more on how to attract patients from nearby areas.
Once you have your list of keywords, apply them to your website by:
- Page titles: This is the title of the page as it appears in search results. Make sure it includes your main keyword and is under 60 characters
- Headings (H1, H2 etc): Use the keywords naturally in the main headings of your pages. For instance, on your ‘tooth whitening’ page, use a heading like ‘Professional tooth whitening in [your city]’
- Meta descriptions: This is the brief description that appears under your page title in search results. Write a compelling description (150-160 characters) that includes the keyword and encourages people to click through. For example: ‘Looking for teeth whitening in [your city]? We offer safe, effective treatments to give you a brighter smile’
- Alt text for images: This is where you describe what’s in the image. For example, for a photo of a smiling patient, you might use: ‘Patient after teeth whitening treatment in [your city].’ This helps with SEO and also makes your site accessible to users with visual impairments.
Even if you’re not a tech expert, most website platforms like WordPress have user-friendly fields to fill in for these aspects. A Youtube search will reveal the process on how to do this for your website platform.
4. Build backlinks
Backlinks – links from other websites to yours – are an important SEO ranking factor. They act as endorsements, showing search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative. While acquiring backlinks can seem daunting, it’s quite manageable if you focus on local and relevant sources. Warning, this can be time consuming, but it is worth it.
Here’s how you can approach backlinks each month:
- Join local business directories: Get your practice listed on online local directories. These directories often allow a link to your website, which helps Google recognise your practice as a trusted local business
- Collaborate with local businesses: Reach out to other local businesses or organisations for partnership opportunities. For example, you could team up with a nearby gym or spa and ask them to link to your site as a recommended service. In exchange, you can link to theirs or feature them in a blog post
- Guest blogging: Offer to write a guest blog for local websites, health blogs, or dental-related publications. Many sites will provide a backlink to your website in return for your content. Make sure the website is reputable and aligns with your practice’s values
- Work with suppliers and associations: If you use specific dental products or belong to professional associations, ask them to link to your practice from their websites. This works particularly well for manufacturers whose products you endorse or associations where you’re a member. Backlinks from such respected sources signal authority to search engines.
By consistently building backlinks, you’ll improve your practice’s authority and trustworthiness in Google’s eyes.
5. Monitor website performance
To keep your SEO on track, it’s important to monitor how your website is performing. Use free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gather data on how visitors interact with your website.
Each month, review key metrics such as:
- Organic traffic: This is the number of people who found your site through a search engine. If it’s steadily increasing, it means your SEO efforts are paying off
- Bounce rate: This shows how many visitors leave your site after viewing just one page. A high bounce rate may indicate that users aren’t finding what they’re looking for or that your website is difficult to navigate. You can improve this by ensuring each page has useful, engaging content and is easy to use
- Page load time: Slow websites frustrate users and hurt your rankings. Aim to have your site load swiftly for optimum performance.
6. Focus on local SEO
Since dental practices primarily serve local clients, focusing on local SEO is essential. This involves optimising your website and online presence for local search results.
Make sure that your NAP is consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, and all online directories. Inconsistent information can confuse Google and harm your rankings.
Additionally, embed a Google Map on your contact page to make it easier for patients to find your practice. This simple step can boost your visibility in local search results.
Patient reviews are another critical factor in local SEO. Google values fresh, relevant reviews from actual patients. Each month, ask happy patients to leave a review on your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews not only boost your rankings but also build trust with potential patients.
By performing these tasks on a monthly basis, your dental practice can significantly improve its SEO and attract more local patients. SEO isn’t a one-time effort, but with regular attention, your website can climb the search rankings and deliver long-term results. Keep your efforts consistent, and you’ll soon reap the rewards in increased traffic and patient enquiries.
To learn more about Digimax’s SEO services, click here.
For assistance with your dental SEO on a monthly basis, and to achieve predictable results with an excellent return on investment, contact us here.
This article is sponsored by Digimax.
