Why Is SEO Important for Dentist Websites?

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Websites aren't just for major lifestyle brands, e-commerce startups, or large corporations. Many local dental clinics have realized the important role websites and online marketing plays in getting new clients and visibility.
Having a strong online presence with a professional-looking website and active social media profiles can positively influence prospective clients and help dentists grow their practice.
That's where the importance of SEO comes in; being able to run a successful practice can be left in the steady hands of the dentist, but when it comes to ranking their website and gaining maximum visibility, it's best left in the dexterous hands of SEO specialists.

Importance of SEO for a Dentist Website

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1. SEO Brings Visibility and Branding

One of the reasons why SEO is essential for a dentist's website is visibility and branding.
A report by eMarketer showed that consumers spend about 12 hours a day consuming media. 50% of this time is spent with digital media - this means that having an effective SEO plan can guide those users to the dental clinic's website.
Search engines are the primary tool potential clients use to find dentists. Therefore, just having an excellent website isn't enough to rank your website on search engines.
A proper SEO plan can ensure that your website shows up in your niche and industry search queries.
Thus, making your website work for you by growing the business, generating leads, building brand identity, gaining visibility, and mainly - ranking on the first page of a search engine.

2. SEO Builds Credibility and Trust

If your dental website ranks high among the top 5 in a search query, it can significantly build credibility and trust with users.
People who see your website among the top ranks and on the first page of results will automatically equate the rank with the quality of the practice - leaderboard mentality, where the top 5 names are believed to be the more credible and trustworthy.
A strong SEO plan can not only help rank your website but maintain its rank, therefore building long-term credibility that will undoubtedly lead to more loyal patients.

3. SEO Increases Your ROI

Compared to traditional advertising and marketing methods, an SEO plan can increase your ROI if it's done correctly or by an expert. Since SEO is an inbound marketing strategy, it allows patients to find your clinic when they have a dental requirement.
The right SEO plan for your website can ensure that your website shows up in multiple user search intent queries.
Plus, along with consistent, relevant content, your dental website will turn up in their search results, thereby making your practice the one worth choosing.

4. SEO Outmaneuvers Your Competition

Whether you choose to or not, other dental practices in your area use SEO firms to help their website rank higher. This is especially true if you do a search for dental clinics in your area, and your competition's clinics show up in the top 5 spots.
The fight to stay relevant online is a daunting task but an important one that can quickly be dealt with, with the right SEO strategy.
So, stay ahead of the game by hiring an SEO agency or a specialist who can develop long and short-term strategies to help put your website and clinic on the map.

5. SEO is Cost Effective

Cold-calling, fliers, brochures, adverts in magazines all come with a hefty price tag and a low ROI. However, SEO is cost-effective because it's targeting users who are already searching for your dental services.
Additionally, SEO practices put into place now will continue to work for you in the long term, whereas marketing tactics such as brochures can get lost, lose relevance, and go unread.
The right SEO firm will not only offer you an effective SEO plan, but they will also conduct a thorough analysis of your website and business and then offer you a monthly or annual price plan. Therefore, in the long run, investing in SEO is cost-effective and profitable.

6. Rank Higher for Location-based Searches

Location isn't solely a deciding factor for shops or housing; it also applies to business listings online. According to a report put out by Google, 76% of people search on their smartphones for something nearby and visit the business within a day.
Companies like a dental clinic can use this statistic to their advantage by implementing location-specific or local SEO tactics to give them more visibility among user searchers.
When a potential customer is searching for a dental clinic in your area, you want your dental clinic to rank higher than your competition.
That's where having an SEO plan can make a significant difference; with the right measures in place, your website will show up according to location-based searches and will lead to more potential patients.

7. SEO Increases Your Website Visitor Growth

More traffic means more growth, which leads to more potential patients. If you have an existing website but don't see an improvement in traffic or visitor growth, then the answer is simple - you need to hire an SEO firm.
Having a professional website and not investing in an SEO firm is like owning a restaurant and not hiring a chef; unlock the full potential of your website (or restaurant) with the help of experts.
Revive your dormant website by putting into practice SEO tactics such as curating relevant and consistent content, posting patient reviews, keyword optimization etc. All these practices will increase visitors to your website and will get you more potential patients.
According to The Diamond Group, a dental marketing company, a local dental clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina, saw an increase of 91% growth in website visitors in 6 months after running an SEO campaign.

8. Boosts Brand Awareness

Not all dental clinics are alike; what makes yours different?
Users need to be aware of your business, its services and people.
A strong SEO plan will focus on creating website content that focuses on building awareness around your clinic so that when users search for more specific treatments or procedures, your website will show up in the results.
Your website is a chance for users to get to know your services, staff and quality of work.
Just having this information available on your website is one thing, but this information needs to reach the right users.
SEO plans focusing on creating brand awareness will take all this into consideration and help your business rank higher on search engines.

9. SEO Brings New Patients Through Keyword Searches

Sure, there are traditional methods for getting new patients, however, with the right keywords and intrinsic knowledge of different user search intents, your website can attract more potential patients.
As a dentist you need to focus on your patients and not on keyword research.
Keywords such as 'painless root canal' or 'professional teeth whitening' may not occur to you as a dentist, but it's part of an SEO specialist's job to create a keyword profile that will help your website gain more organic searches.
So, leave it up to an SEO specialist or firm who knows the trends and specific keywords that will help boost your website and your business.

10. SEO is Crucial for Website Rank

Finally, the main reason why you should invest in an SEO plan or hire a digital marketing agency for your dental clinic is website ranking.
According to Delmain, a digital marketing agency, 70% of people will click on the top 5 recommended businesses on a dental search engine results page, and over 90% of people don't go beyond the first page.
Therefore, if you want more patients, visibility, growth, and credibility, your website and your business must show up on the first page of results, preferable in one of the top 5 positions.
Simply put, a goal like this cannot be achieved without the help of SEO.

Related : Local SEO Tips for Dentists

Listing Your Clinic in A Dental Directory

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While directory submissions are viewed as an antiquated tactic used by some SEO specialists, it helps list a dental clinic and rank its website.
There are two main reasons why a directory submission is a good idea if you have a medical or dental clinic:

• Google counts each listing as a vote of authority, similar to how it views a backlink, thereby increasing your website rank.
• More listings, the better chance you have of getting a higher Google Maps rank, especially if the Name, Address, and Phone number are updated and correct.

Keeping this in mind, we've listed a few dental directories that come highly recommended and are good for getting your business, and your website ranked higher.

• Indian Dental Association - The official and most comprehensive directory for all things related to the dental industry in India. Here you will find dental students to dental courses pan India. To be listed, you must apply to become a member - Take a look at the membership requirements HERE.
• FindAdentist.ada.org - American Dental Association - Is the largest reputed source of dentists in the United States. Dentists have to apply to the ADA to become a member and get listed on their website.
• 1800dentist.com - Over 9 million patients have used this dental directory to find a dentist located near them. This website has also been featured on CNN, FOX, and CBS. They offer a variety of paid packages; click HERE to get a quote.
• AAPD, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry - One of the largest pediatric dentistry directories in the United States. The AAPD has many benefits of being a member and requires an application to be considered or listed on their website.
• SmileGuide.org - If you're a practicing dentist in the US, UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia, you can pay to be part of the Smile Guide's directory. Annual packages start at USD 39/ month.
• MedIndia.net - This directory has over 2 million doctors and dentists listed from all over India on its site. Get your website listed with them by paying for a premium listing which is offered in Hindi & English. Plans start at Rs 499 for 6 months.
• Indiadentalclinic.com - Simply register via their online application form to list your dental business on their platform. It is free to list your business on this site.
• Dentalbusinessdirectory.com - Dental practices from all over the world can be found and listed on this site. They have a free basic plan, which can get you listed. However, they offer affordable paid plans, which start at USD 3.99/month, that come with added features to get better visibility. Get listed HERE.
• Indmedica.com - This is another free-to-list dental directory for dentists practicing in India and globally. There is a simple online form to fill up. Once submitted, your practice will be available on their site.
• Aegisdentalnetwork.com - On this site, you can list your dental clinic, individual dentists, upcoming dental events, webinars, and dental job listing. Simply register with Dental Reach to add a listing of your choice.

FAQs About SEO for Dentists

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Q1: Why Is SEO Better than Other Advertising Methods for Dentists?

The two main reasons why SEO is better than other advertising techniques is because:

• SEO is an In-bound marketing technique, meaning that it targets patients who are already looking for you when they have a requirement. Therefore, it is more effective for steady long-term success.
• Search Engines are the first place patients will look to find a dental clinic in their area. As mentioned earlier, According to a report put out by Google, 76% of people search on their smartphones for services/products/clinics nearby and visit the business within a day.

With the right SEO plan that focuses on brand awareness, location, and reviews, your dental website will rank high on the first page of a search engine, which will lead to more clients.

Q2: Why Should Dentists Hire a Dental SEO Expert for Their Practice?

Dentists shouldn't have to worry about running their website and optimizing it. Their main focus should be running their practice and helping their patients.
SEO and website management work should be left to an expert who can create SEO plans, run campaigns and handle the daily posting, upgrading, and upkeep that it takes to keep a dental website ranking high on a search engine.

Q3: What Are Local SEO Strategies for a Dental Practice?

There are many strategies that one can implement, but here are the top three that stand out the most:

• Create a Google My Business Account - Listing with Google gives you credibility, but it also comes with a geo-tag, and this will help people find it faster when doing a location specific search.
• Listings on Online Dental Directories - Being a member of reputed dental councils and having listings on their website will make Google deem you as a credible and trustworthy business. Therefore, it will rank your website higher than your competitors, based on your location.
• Create content based on local keywords and user search intent - Targeting specific keywords based on location/user search intent can greatly help your website rank high with those searches.



For example, if your Highland Park based clinic offers teeth whitening services and you have content on your website related to that service, a user who searches for 'Teeth whitening Dallas' has a higher chance of seeing your clinic in their search results.

Q4: What Is the Best Marketing Tool for Dentists?

Referrals and word of mouth are considered great tools for dentists to use, and many established clinics rely heavily on them for their patients.
However, newer dental clinics and dentists have a better method to gain new loyal patients - we're talking about SEO.
The best marketing tool for dentists is SEO
As the statistics by Delmain, a digital marketing agency, points out, 70% of people will click on the top 5 recommended businesses in a dental search engine results page to help them make their decision on which clinic to select.
Increasingly, patients will first choose to search for a dental practitioner online before asking around for a referral. Therefore, having a website and hiring an SEO specialist is the best marketing tool for any dental clinic.
However, the tide is shifting, and having a strong online presence and using SEO tools to rank your website is becoming a must for dentists. You can speak to our experts to get more details.