Local SEO matters to your dental practice because it helps Google searchers bring up results for businesses close to them geographically. The numbers speak for themselves; according to a Google, 80 percent of consumers turn to search engines to find local information, 50 percent — who search for a local business on a smartphone — stop by the business within 24 hours. The first tip for any business to maximize local SEO is to take advantage of Google My Business to reach search engine searchers, Maps searches, and G+ searchers.
1. Use Google My Business
Google My Business offers a user-friendly, integrated approach to local SEO and is targeted at small businesses like your dental practice. Click here to claim your dental practice, and be sure to optimize your information with accurate and relevant keywords, images, business hours and so on. Google encourages you to be specific.
2. Practice Consistency
Many organizations have a style book to ensure consistent material. Follow this concept with local SEO, and use the same NAP (name, address and phone number) and NAP style across all websites and platforms. Your hours, staff listings, maps and “About Us” information should be the same.
3. Include Local, Targeted Keywords
When it comes to your keywords, you need to be specific and describe your practice as more than simply “dentist.” You should know this wording is not enough; to best reach potential patients, you should also include city name and even neighborhood name: “Johnson County dentist,” “Johnson County dental” and “Leawood Kansas dentist.” You also want to include more detail about your services, such as general dentistry, Cerec, sleep apnea, cosmetic dentistry and the like, and pair with them with geographic keywords. Use this approach for social media posts, too.
4. Add the Information Consumers Want
What are consumers curious about when they research dental practices online? Most often, they want to see an address, phone number, proximity, hours, forms of payment accepted and much more. Include this information wherever possible online. Google’s main focus in 2018 is relevancy over redundancy.
5. Remember Third-Party Search Sites
Google My Business is a must-do, but other sites like Yelp, Bing, Manta, Yellow Pages and Refer Local are important as well. More folks will find your dental practice as your Internet presence expands, so joining social media platforms like LinkedIn and Nextdoor is a great move.
Bonus tip: Make your website mobile friendly (responsive) to boost Google rankings and patient happiness. If you have any additional questions or need help with your dental marketing, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I can provide you with a free practice marketing audit with an easy to follow checklist to improve your SEO today! Chat with a Dental Marketing Expert at growpracticegrow.com.