You have set up the clinic which you always dreamed of. But now comes the challenge of finding patients you are looking for dental services.
Tapping into your network and relying on referrals is one way. However, it’s not the only way. That’s why we would like to tell you about “SEO”, a modern but effective way to help patients find you through Google.
Here’s all you need to know about SEO for dentists.
Table of contents
- What Is SEO for Dentists?
- Why Is SEO Important for Dentists?
- What All is Included in SEO for Dentists?
- How Long Does It Take to See SEO Results?
- In Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is SEO for Dentists?
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is the process of improving your website to rank higher on search engines like Google.
When people search for a dentist near them or a specific service like “teeth whitening in Mumbai”, you want your clinic to pop up in those top results.
And that’s precisely what SEO helps with – making your website more attractive to search engines so that it shows up higher in relevant searches.
Think of dental SEO as the digital equivalent of placing your clinic’s board in the busiest area of the city. You want to be where potential patients are looking, right?
Why Is SEO Important for Dentists?
More than 6000 people search for “dentist near me” in Ahmedabad. Just look at the search volume for the keyword. It indicates how many people search for a particular keyword to find something on Google.
And this is just one keyword. Many people also use other keywords, such as “root canal treatment near me” and “good dentist near me,” to find dental clinics.
So think of how big of an opportunity it is to market your services in front of them. They are already looking for dentists online and all you have to do is be visible to them.
This way, you don’t need to find patients because SEO lets patients find you. But there’s more to it.
Here’s why dental SEO is important.
1. Increased Visibility
Imagine if someone in your locality searched for a dentist and you weren’t even on the first page. You missed the opportunity to acquire a new patient.
Here’s when the magic of SEO happens. It ensures that your website gets found by the right people at the right time, whether they’re searching for routine cleanings, braces or cosmetic dentistry.
Let’s say you’re a dentist based in Ahmedabad, specialising in cosmetic treatments. If your website is optimised for keywords like “cosmetic dentist in ahmedabad” or “ahmedabad smile makeover” — you are more likely to rank higher on Google and get clicks from potential patients searching for those services.
2. Builds Trust and Credibility
Let’s say someone is searching for information on whether teeth whitening is possible or not and your blog shows up in top search results.
They visit your website and find all the information related to teeth whitening. By reading your blog— they thought you would be the best person to go for the teeth whitening treatment as the information you provided was quite helpful and made sense to them.
Oh and Don’t worry! You don’t have to write blogs and optimise for SEO by yourself. You can hire a SEO company to do that for you while you continue with your everyday practice.
3. Drives Patients In Your Area
Local SEO is crucial for any dentist. Most of your patients will come from your city or town and you want to ensure that people in your locality can find you easily.
With tools like Google My Business, which is part of local SEO, your practice can appear in map searches and local directories. If you’re optimised for local searches like “dentist in ahmedabad” or “root canal treatment in ahmedabad”, it increases your chances of getting noticed by people nearby.
4. Cost-Effective Marketing
Traditional marketing, like newspaper ads or billboards at a busy spot, can burn a hole in your pocket. Plus it comes with a lot of hassle. You are not going to hire an agency for just one billboard. As a result, you will find a graphic designer, get in touch with someone who will print it for you and then reach out to an advertiser for the same.
SEO, on the other hand, is completely different. You just need to contact an SEO agency in Ahmedabad and they will strategise and implement dental SEO.
While it might take some time to see tangible results, once your website starts ranking, the flow of patients can be consistent.
Hence, SEO is comparatively cost-effective in terms of time, money and the result it gives.
What All is Included in SEO for Dentists?
Now that you understand why SEO is essential for dentists, let’s dive into how you can actually implement it. Here are the key elements of SEO for dental practices.
1. Keyword Optimisation
Keyword optimisation involves researching and selecting the most relevant keywords that potential patients use when searching for dental services. In the case of dentists, it could be finding terms like “best dentist in ahmedabad” or “affordable dental implants” and using them strategically on your website.
Your SEO agency will conduct thorough research to identify the right keywords for your practice. They’ll integrate these keywords naturally into your website’s content, including in titles, meta descriptions and throughout your pages.
The goal is to make sure that when someone types in a query related to your services, your website appears at the top of their search results.
2. On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to optimising the individual pages on your website to rank higher in search results. This includes enhancing your site’s content, improving the structure and ensuring everything is easy to navigate.
Your partnered SEO company will work on following aspects of on-page SEO:
- Content: They will ensure that your content is relevant and informative and includes the targeted keywords.
- Meta Tags: They will optimise meta titles and descriptions to make your pages more clickable in search results.
- Headers: They will structure your content with clear headers and subheaders to make it easier for search engines and visitors to understand.
3. Local SEO
Local SEO is crucial for dentists because most of your patients will be from your local area. It ensures that your dental clinic appears in local search results and on Google Maps when people search for dental services near them.
Your SEO partner will set up and optimise your GMB listing with accurate information about your practice, including your address, phone number, hours of operation and patient reviews.
They will ensure your dental clinic is listed in local directories like Just Dial and on review sites with consistent information.
Additionally, they will incorporate local keywords into your website content to help you show up in local searches.
4. Content Writing
Content writing for dentists would include blogs, testimonials, webpage content etc. It’s essential because your patients have a lot of questions about the treatments. Plus, they want to do research online before they decide to get the treatment.
If you create blogs on these topics, many people will visit your website. This will tell Google that you are providing value and there will be a boost in your ranking.
For instance, if you offer cosmetic dentistry, your agency might create a blog post about “The Benefits of Teeth Whitening” or “What to Expect During a Smile Makeover” to attract and educate potential patients.
5. Patient Reviews
Patient reviews play a significant role in local SEO and building your practice’s reputation. Positive reviews can improve your rankings and attract new patients.
A good SEO agency will help you set up strategies to ask satisfied patients for reviews.
You can also ask them to highlight positive reviews on your website and social media.
For example, if a patient leaves a glowing review about their experience with your root canal treatment, your agency will ensure this review is visible on your GMB listing and your website to build trust with potential patients.
6. Link Building
Link building involves getting other reputable websites to link back to your site. These backlinks act as endorsements, signalling to search engines that your site is authoritative and trustworthy.
Your SEO agency can help you with securing links from relevant and authoritative sites, such as local business directories like this
How Long Does It Take to See SEO Results?
It can take anywhere from a few months to a year to see significant improvements in your rankings, depending on the competition and how optimised your site is.
However, the long-term benefits are well worth the effort. Once your site starts ranking well, the flow of new patients can be consistent and steady.
It’s important to keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process. Search engines are constantly updating their algorithms and your competitors are likely working on their SEO too. That’s why you need to continuously update your content, monitor your rankings and make improvements to stay ahead.
Conclusion
SEO for dentists is about attracting the right patients and building trust.
Whether you’re just starting out or have been practising for a few years, SEO can help your clinic grow by bringing in local patients who are actively searching for dental services.
While it does require time and effort, the results are long-lasting and cost-effective. But in order to see real results— it is essential that you partner with an SEO agency that understands your industry and customers very well.
If you are actively looking for such an agency, we are here to help. Please reach out to us at hello@florafountain.com. Any questions about dental SEO are also welcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
The founder and partner of Flora Fountain, Shefali leads the Content and Technology divisions. A one-time engineer who started her career writing front-end code, she took a detour sometime during her 9 years in New York, studied journalism and started writing prose, poetry and sometimes jokes. She now has 15...
