How Local SEO Helps Your Dental Practice Grow

Local SEO (search engine optimization) is an SEO strategy that focuses on improving your business rankings in local search results. These are typically informational searches conducted by users in your area with queries like "dentist near me" or "emergency dentist open now".

Essentially, local SEO works to make sure your dental practice shows up when and where high-intent searchers are looking.

Important elements in local SEO for dentists

Google Business Profile

Perhaps the most important platform in local SEO for dentists is your Google Business Profile.

Why? As of May 2023, 92.12% of all internet searches are conducted through Google (source), and Google is more likely to display results for businesses with optimized Google Business profiles. In addition, 76% of smartphone users who search for a local business visit one of the results within 24 hours. Translation? Local searches are performed by high-intent users and almost always via Google.

This is why your Google Business profile matters.

For example, a user moves into your area and is looking for a new dentist. How do you think they will go about finding a dentist? A Google search! And where will they look first? Most likely, a searcher will look at Google Maps first - even before looking at the organic search results - in order to find dentists who are close to their home.

The best news is that creating and optimizing a Google Business profile is free on Google. Google does not charge for this service, so it is always a good idea to create and optimize a Google Business Profile for your practice.

Not sure if your Google Business profile is optimized? Get a free marketing assessment from our specialists to learn more about how to boost your dental practice’s SEO.

Other Platforms and Strategies

Website content plays a large role in optimizing your online presence for local search results. Other platforms helpful in getting found on local searches include:

• Apple Business Listing
• Yelp
• Facebook and Instagram
• NextDoor

Be sure to include all relevant business information in your website and all platform listings. Consistency is key, so ensure your all business information is correct, including practice address, phone number, hours of operation, as well as a description of services and locations, neighborhoods or cities you serve.

Managing local SEO for multi-location dental clinics

Local SEO for a multi-practice or multi-location dental clinic takes a little more work.

Every location should have its own Google Business profile. Additionally, your website should include a unique page for each location so that you can strategically optimize the onsite content for local SEO. The strategies remain similar but just more expansive.

Increase local citations for your dental practice

Local citations are online listings or references of your dental practice that includes your NAP (name, address, phone number) as well as other relevant business information.

While a Google Business profile is essential to local SEO, other listing platforms and databases are also a significant factor in optimizing your online presence for local searches. These come from a variety of sources such as directories, social media, news articles, social media, and review platforms.

To increase local citations for your dental practice, you can choose to invest in a local SEO software to automate and manage your citations across multiple data aggregators. You can also search for relevant listing opportunities and platforms to manually submit your data and business information.

In addition to directory listings, you can personally reach out to local businesses, bloggers, influencers, and publications to request local citations and references.

Avoid "potholes" on the digital road to your practice

But another thing you have to keep in mind is minimizing the “potholes” in your local SEO - things that can hurt your organic ranking. Inconsistencies in NAP. Duplicate listings. Unclaimed Google Business profile. Negative reviews or the lack of consistent, positive reviews. Broad keywords or non-location specific keywords.

All these issues can damage your local SEO and keep your dental practice from displaying or ranking for relevant searches.

Summary of how local SEO helps dental practices grow

When you think of local SEO, think of it as the digital road someone travels to your dental practice. Your citations, Google Business profile and onsite content all act like road signs or billboards. Creating and maintaining these "signs" takes time and expertise. Your signs need to be in the right places, saying the right things and making your practice the easy choice for patients searching for "dentist near me".

For a dental practice looking to maintain success or launch a new practice, local SEO is an essential strategy for your dental practice growth.