SEO for Dentists: Complete Guide for 2022 (with Tips and Examples)

As you might expect, SEO for dentists can get quite complicated. Yet, it still should be one of the most important components of your dental practice’s digital marketing strategy.

If you want to show up on more search engine results pages organically (meaning without paid ads), then keep reading as we go over everything you need to know about SEO for dentists.

What is SEO?

Before we get into how to do SEO for dentists, first let’s go over what SEO is in the first place.

SEO stands for search engine optimisation and it refers to strategies that can help your website rank higher on search engine results pages, also known as SERPs.

SEO strategies focus on organic search results, meaning you don’t need to pay for ads to rank near the top of SERPs. By incorporating specific tips and tricks that help search engine algorithms properly rank your website content, you can earn more leads from relevant search results.

Why is SEO important for dentists?

So, why is SEO for dentists important? Well, just think about how many people search for a dentist in their local area using search engines like Google. Google has 70% of the market share for search engines and their platform gets 3.5 billion searches every single day.

If your dental practice hasn’t optimised its website to rank higher on these search engine results pages, you’re missing a massive opportunity for increasing your reach and visibility.

Local SEO for dentists is especially important since, for brick and mortar businesses like a dental clinic, it matters from where people are searching. In other words, you’ll want to target your SEO based on specific geographic areas.

For example, it won’t do you much good to rank for dentists in Perth if you’re a dentist in Sydney.

By optimising your website with proven SEO strategies, dentists can not only find new patients who are actively searching for them but can also build brand authority in the dental niche at the same time.

Even if you only try a few simple SEO strategies, you’ll see major benefits as you rank higher for relevant keywords on search engine results pages. In short, SEO is a must for every dentist’s website.

Now, let’s explore the importance of SEO for dentists in a bit more detail to show you how it can help you find new patients and build brand authority.

Find New Patients

One study from Pew Research found that 77% of the population uses search engines to find a new healthcare provider. What happens if you’re not showing up on the first three pages for these searches?

More than likely, you’re not going to get any leads from those search engines and you’ll be missing out on a huge opportunity to find new patients who are ready to book their next appointment.

SEO for dentists, therefore, is key to helping Google “crawl” your website and rank you higher than your competition.

At the end of the day, dental practices need new patients in order to grow. And with search engines being one of the best places to find these new patients, SEO for dentists is absolutely essential to the success of your business overall.

If anything, SEO should be at the top of the list of digital marketing priorities for dentists. So, keep reading to learn more about how you can implement SEO for dentists straight away.

Build Brand Authority

Another added bonus of doing SEO for dentists is the fact that you’re building brand authority. Brand authority simply means that consumers trust your brand and therefore trust the advice you offer and the information that you share.

Since SEO for dentists means producing content that people can find through search engines, a lot of what makes content good for SEO is high-quality, educational content that readers are excited to share.

Plus, the best websites for SEO are those that are easy to navigate as well. Websites that are slow, don’t make sense or just seem like a low-quality option often send people running for the hills.

Your website is often your first line of contact with potential patients, so you definitely want to make a good impression. Otherwise, you risk losing their confidence forever. Just think about it… how many times have you clicked away from a sketchy-looking website?

So, SEO for dentists ensures that people trust your brand and are therefore more likely to book an appointment at your practice.

Best SEO Agency for Dentists

If all of the how-tos of doing SEO for dentists is starting to make your head spin, you’re not alone. That’s why we always suggest that dental practices look into hiring an SEO agency to do all the nitty-gritty of SEO.

After all, you have better things to do with your time.

But, how do you find the best SEO agency for your dental practice? Here are some of our top tips.

What to Look For in an SEO Agency

Some of the must-haves you should look for before you hire an SEO agency include:

• Experience with SEO for dentists
• Data-driven results
• Trustworthiness

Experience with SEO for Dentists

When you’re looking for an SEO agency to do SEO for dentists, it makes sense that you’d want to work with people who understand the dental niche. Or, at the very least, it’s essential that the agency has experience within the healthcare profession.

A huge part of SEO is the ability to speak to a target audience and this means that SEO for dentists needs to have an understanding of how a dental practice operates, what they’re aiming for and what topics make sense as part of a content strategy.

Data-Driven Results

Another item on the list you’ll want to look for when choosing an SEO agency to do SEO for dentists is data-driven results.

Sure, well-written content and design-centric websites go a long way, but if they’re not driven by the numbers and what people are actually searching for, it can end up amounting to nothing.

Most SEO agencies offer their clients monthly reports and analytics to ensure you’re getting the ROI that you expect.

However, some data is better than others and it’s important that your SEO agency knows how to not only read the data but analyse it and turn it into effective strategies as well.

Make sure the SEO agency you choose has strong reporting protocols and that their results are always driven by the data.

Proven Track Record

Sometimes, a testimonial can speak a thousand words. Just like how you’d check the reviews before you purchase any other product, make sure you read the reviews of past clients when you shop for an SEO agency.

Your SEO agency should have a proven track record of doing SEO for dentists or at least doing SEO for healthcare professionals.

And if you really gel with an SEO agency that doesn’t have this specific experience, make sure they at least have a proven track record with their other clients in some shape or form.

Trustworthiness

SEO can sometimes get a bad reputation for being a bit scammy. But, we assure you that not all SEO agencies operate in a slimy way.

The truth is, there are untrustworthy people in every business. So, again, just like with any other purchase you’d make, make sure the SEO agency you work with is trustworthy.

You might do this by reading testimonials, completing a face-to-face consultation or speaking to their past clients. Plus, you’ll want to ask about the specific strategies they use to do SEO for dentists to ensure that nothing shady is going on. White hat tactics only!

The Maple Cloud Difference

We’re Maple Cloud and we’re a premier SEO agency based in Sydney. We stand out from the crowd, especially in regards to SEO for dentists because:

• We have past experience doing SEO for dentists.
• We only use white hat SEO tactics that are always to the book.
• We’re a dedicated team of seasoned SEO pros.

Experience with SEO for Dentists

First of all, at Maple Cloud, we have experience doing SEO for dentists and other healthcare niches. Plus, if we’re ever unsure about a term or a topic, our high-quality content writers are also expert researchers who will ensure that your SEO content is correct and effective.

Our high profile clients range from industries including real estate and legal services which all require a high level of quality and research. So, if you trust us with your SEO for dentists, we can ensure that the SEO content you require for your dental practice will be second to none.

White Hat Tactics

There are white hat SEO strategies and black hat SEO strategies. White hat means that everything we do is safe and to the books. No scammy, spammy content links or low-quality, keyword-stuffed content here.

By going above and beyond while always playing by the rules, your website won’t be penalised by search engines since everything will be done using white hat SEO for dentists.

SEO Professionals

Last but certainly not least, our small but mighty team at Maple Cloud includes SEO pros from top to bottom. Our SEO experts have specialities in:

• High-quality content writing
• White hat link building
• Keyword and topic research
• Data and analytics reporting
• SEO content strategy

We’re a tight-knit team of real people who are always here to help. So, forget the impersonal SEO software. Book a consultation with Maple Cloud SEO Agency Sydney today to see what we can do for you.

Final Thoughts

SEO for dentists isn’t a one-time thing. If you want long-term results from SEO, it requires constant effort and commitment.

While we always encourage dental practices to learn about SEO for themselves, there’s truly no better way to do SEO for dentists than by working with an SEO agency like Maple Cloud.

Looking to get started straight away? Book a free Maple Cloud consultation today!