Local SEO for Dentists: Rank Higher And Attract More Patients

In today’s digital age, the way patients find their dentist has transformed dramatically. 

According to recent stats, 86% of people said they contacted a dentist after an online search.

When someone experiences tooth discomfort or thinks of visiting a dentist, they pull out their mobile phone and search for “dentist near me” or “best dental clinic in [city].”

This is where dental Local SEO comes in as a powerful marketing asset for dentists.

A well-executed local dental SEO strategy doesn’t just increase your visibility – it drives more appointment bookings and builds trust with potential patients before they even step into your office.

In this blog, I will break down its importance, share powerful strategies to implement and reveal the common mistakes you should avoid.

Keep reading!

Understanding Local SEO for Dentists

Local SEO for dentists is quite different from general SEO. It’s like casting a wide net versus using a precise fishing rod. 

While general SEO targets audiences everywhere, Local SEO connects you specifically with nearby patients actively searching for dental services. 

For local search, at the top of the search results, Google shows a Local-3 Pack that showcases three local businesses. 

This is how the Local-3 pack would look like:

Getting your clinic featured within the top 3 results can be game-changing, as these spots catch the eye of potential patients who are often ready to book an appointment immediately. 

When you optimize your online presence effectively, you improve your visibility and gain a significant advantage over the other dentists in your area.

7 Local SEO Strategies To Boost Your Ranking

Now that you know about local SEO for dentists, let’s examine the strategies you can adopt to improve your ranking, visibility, and bookings.

1. Setting Up & Optimizing Google Business Profile (GBP)

According to a recent report, businesses with a Google Business Profile (GBP) are 94% more likely to be viewed as reputable by customers.

This applies to your dental care as well.

Your journey into Local SEO begins with claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile. 

Once you have set up your GBP, Google verifies your business by sending a postcard, phone call, or email. After verification, you can start optimizing it.

Don’t add any keywords to your dental care name. Just use the exact name.

Ensure your name, phone number, and address are the same across all your online listings because consistency is key for local SEO.

Keep your business hours current, including any holidays, as that might affect patients. 

When selecting categories, start with “Dentist” and add relevant subcategories that reflect your specialties, whether orthodontics or cosmetic dentistry. 

Include high-quality images of your clinics, staff, and treatment areas, as it builds trust and engagement.

The Google Q&A section is your chance to address common patient concerns before they even ask, and positive reviews are like digital word-of-mouth recommendations.

2. On-Page SEO for Dentists

On-page SEO helps patients find you on the search engine results page.

Start with thorough keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to understand what potential patients are searching for.

91.8% of search queries are from long-tail keywords.

So, focus on long-tail keywords that combine your services with your location, like “emergency dentist in [city]” or “teeth whitening [city].” 

Create a detailed service page that includes your treatment, from dental implants to Invisalign to veneers.

If you have clinics in multiple locations, create a dedicated page for each location, including specific details for multi-location local SEO.

Look at Bright Smiles Dental Care. They have two clinics and created dedicated pages for each clinic. This helps them rank for local and relevant searches.

Incorporate relevant keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions ensuring it still lures your patients to take action. 

Implement schema markup to help search engines better understand your business, like location, services, operating hours, and patient reviews. 

This also helps Google display details like your phone number, business hours, and even appointment booking links, improving your ranking and user experience.

Optimize your site for mobile, as potential patients frequently research on their phones for information, and Google also prioritize mobile-first indexing,.

Page speed matters, too – nobody likes waiting for a slow website to load. 

3. Local Citations & NAP Consistency

Consistency in information such as name, address, and phone number across the internet might seem small, but it’s crucial for search engines. 

It builds trust with search engines and potential patients. 

Get listed on prominent platforms like Healthgrades, Zocdoc, Yelp, and 1-800-dentist, as well as your local chamber of commerce website. 

Managing all these listings might seem overwhelming, but tools like Moz Local, Yext, or BrightLocal can help you keep everything synched and accurate.

4. Online Reviews & Reputation Management

Your reputation is more important to get more appointments online.

The search engines consider reviews as a crucial factor for ranking.

The more and more positive reviews you get, the higher you can rank.

A recent study found that 90% of people read reviews before they book an appointment, and 42% of people say they won’t consider a dentist with a rating of less than 3 stars.

Reviews play a crucial role in a patient’s decision-making.

So, simplify the review process by creating a direct Google review ink or QR code and sharing it with your satisfied patients to share their experiences.

However, you can’t only expect positive feedback, you also get negative feedback, they’re inevitable.

Leaving negative reviews as it is can affect your rankings and reputation.

In such cases, you must know how to deal with negative reviews. First, respond to them politely and professionally and try to resolve them offline.

5. Content Marketing for Local SEO

Content marketing isn’t just about improving your search rankings—it’s about establishing your expertise and building trust with potential patients. 

Look at A Dental Care – how they identified their audience’s common pain points and created informative blogs to provide effective solutions.

For local SEO, target your audience by identifying their pain or common oral problems people face in your region and create an in-depth blog post in their language offering a solution.

Creating localized content strengthens your connection with the audience as it reflects their language and unique concerns.

This builds trust and attracts the local audience to your website. 

Plus, content that resonates with local audiences is more likely to lead to conversions, as it addresses their specific needs and makes your service more relatable.

Note: Remember to focus on local relevance. Content like “Best Teeth Whitening Options in [city]” connects directly with your target audience while strengthening your local search presence.

6. Local Link-Building Strategies

Building strong local connections online is just as important as maintaining relationships in your community. 

Partner with other local health-focused businesses, sponsor community events and engage with local organizations. 

These partnerships often lead to valuable backlinks that boost your search rankings. 

Consider contributing guest posts to local health blogs or news websites – this builds your authority and drives referral traffic. 

Join professional dental associations and local business organizations, as these memberships often come with valuable directory listings. 

Working with local influencers or bloggers can also help increase your visibility and attract new patients.

Link building is a complex and tedious process. You must find authoritative websites in your industry, build relationships, pitch your proposal, create content, get approval, and publish it. It takes time.

You can’t wear the dentist’s hat and SEO expert’s hat at the same time. This is where you need a trusted partner like Stan Ventures. Leverage our powerful link-building service, and get our seasoned experts to build backlinks tailored to your needs while you’re busy helping your patients. This results in higher search ranking, stronger credibility, improved authority, and more appointments.

It’s time to rank up and help more patients. Contact us now!

7. Tracking & Measuring Local SEO Performance

Success in Local SEO requires regular monitoring and adjustment. 

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) helps you understand how patients interact with your website, while Google Search Console provides insights into your search performance and technical issues. 

Specialized SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and BrightLocal can track your keyword rankings and citation consistency. 

Use Google Business Profile analytics to measure leads from phone calls. 

Regularly reviewing these metrics helps you understand what’s working and needs adjustment.

Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-intentioned practices can stumble in their Local SEO efforts. Here are some of the common Local SEO mistakes to avoid:

1. 1. Neglecting GBP profile: Neglecting to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile leaves opportunity on the table.
   2. Inconsistent NAP information: Inconsistent NAP information confuses both search engines and potential patients. 
   3. Ignoring negative reviews: Negative reviews can damage your reputation. Ignoring them or responding to it in a harsh tone can damage your reputation even further.
   4. Slow loading speed: Websites loading more time can frustrate the users and hurt your ranking.
   5. Poor mobile experience: Google won’t consider ranking websites poorly optimized for mobile.
   6. Duplicate content: Using the same content for different location pages can rise duplication and affect your search rankings.

Conclusion

SEO for dental clinics is an ongoing journey, but the rewards – higher rankings, increased patient appointments, and enhanced credibility – make it worthwhile. 

Start by organizing your Google Business Profile, ensuring your NAP information is consistent throughout, and creating valuable, locally relevant content. 

Build relationships in your community that can lead to strong local backlinks, and stay engaged with your patients through reviews and social media. 

To streamline your efforts, consider working with a Local SEO expert or investing in tools like BrightLocal, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. 

Remember, every step to improve your local search presence brings you closer to connecting with new patients who need your services.

Need help doing everything from scratch? Use our Fully Managed SEO service to set up your Google business Profile and Website to build quality backlinks and optimize conversion rate.