SEO for Dentists: How to Get Found Online

It’s 2024, which means it’s not enough to simply have a website for your dental practice – you need to make sure potential patients can find it. That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) comes into play.

SEO helps your website rank higher on search engines like Google, so when someone in your area is searching for dental services, your practice is more likely to pop up. In this blog, we’ll dive into the basics of SEO for dentists and share practical tips to help your clinic get noticed online.

What we’ll cover:

• The SEO basics
• Do dentists Need SEO?
• How to do dental SEO

Not sure where to start? Don’t panic, we’ve distilled all the information you need to know about SEO for dentists.

Keywords

Finding the right keywords is essential when marketing your dental practice because they help connect you with the people searching for your services.

Using the right keywords ensures that potential patients can find you when they search online. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends are great (and free!) resources to help you discover which terms your target audience is using.

Don’t forget to focus on long-tail keywords. These are more specific phrases like “best family dentist in Manchester” instead of just “dentist.” Long-tail keywords may have lower search volumes, but they’re often less competitive and attract more qualified leads, meaning patients who are more likely to book an appointment with you.

Ultimately, by researching and using the right keywords, you can improve your online visibility and grow your practice.

Internal linking

Internal linking is a powerful tool if you’re looking to improve your website’s performance and user experience. By linking to other relevant pages within your site, you make it easier for visitors to navigate and find the information they need, such as specific dental services, patient reviews or appointment scheduling. This not only enhances the user experience but also helps distribute page authority across your site, improving your overall search engine rankings.

To get the most out of internal linking, follow best practices like linking to relevant content (such as a blog post about dental hygiene linking to your teeth cleaning services page) and using descriptive anchor text.

Instead of generic links like "click here," use specific phrases like "learn more about dental implants" to give users and search engines a clear idea of what to expect. With smart internal linking, you can boost both usability and SEO, helping your dental practice get noticed online.

Content

Creating the right type of content is key when it comes to SEO for dentists. One of the best ways to do this is through blog posts offering useful dental care tips. Think "How to improve your oral hygiene" or "What to expect when you get a filling" can educate your audience and address common concerns. Not only do these blog posts provide valuable information, they also help improve your site’s search engine rankings by targeting specific keywords.

Another important type of content is your service pages. These pages should clearly detail the treatments you offer (such as teeth whitening, dental implants or Invisalign), explaining what each procedure entails and how it benefits patients. Having well-structured and informative service pages makes it easier for visitors to understand your offerings and make informed decisions about their dental care.

Don’t forget about "Get to know our team" or team bio pages, which can add a personal touch, allowing patients to feel more connected to the people behind the practice. Highlighting your team’s qualifications, experience and friendly approach helps humanise your clinic and builds trust with potential patients.

Whatever content you’re creating, quality should be your top priority. High-quality, informative content not only engages your audience but also positions your practice as a trusted expert in dental care. Keeping your content fresh with regular updates, whether by adding new blog posts or refreshing service descriptions, helps to improve your site’s SEO and keeps visitors coming back for more.

SEO for dentists is vital for growing your practice and attracting new patients.

One of the biggest advantages is improved search visibility. When potential patients search for dental services in your area, you want your practice to appear at the top of the results. Ranking higher on search engines like Google ensures that more people can find you quickly and easily, increasing the chances that they’ll choose your practice.

By optimising your website with relevant keywords, such as “dentist near me” or “dental implants in London,” SEO helps you attract new patients who are actively searching for the services you offer.

SEO also gives your dental practice a competitive edge. With so many local dental offices to choose from, standing out in search results can be a game-changer. A well-optimised site helps differentiate your practice from others, positioning you as a trusted provider in your area.

Appearing at the top of search results not only drives more traffic to your site but also builds credibility with potential patients. It’s true that people tend to trust businesses that rank higher, viewing them as more established and reputable.

Follow our top tips for dental SEO marketing to get your practice in front of your ideal patients.

Local SEO

When it comes to dentist SEO, local SEO is what helps you show up in local search results, like Google My Business (GMB) listings and the Local Pack on search engine result pages (SERPs). When someone searches "dentist near me", for example, Google displays a map with a few top local businesses. This is known as the Local Pack.

Optimising your dental practice for local SEO ensures that you appear in these prominent spots, making it easier for potential patients to find and contact you. One of the best ways to improve your local SEO is by optimising your Google My Business profile. This involves keeping key information like your opening hours, phone number, website link and directions accurate and up to date so that users have everything they need at their fingertips.

Another key aspect of local SEO is encouraging patient reviews and ratings. Positive reviews not only boost your credibility but also help your clinic stand out from competitors. High ratings signal to potential patients that your practice is trustworthy, professional and provides excellent care. Google’s algorithm often prioritises businesses with strong, positive reviews, which can push your practice even higher in local search results. Responding to reviews, whether positive or negative, also shows that you listen, you value patient feedback and are committed to improving the dental experience.

On-page optimisation

On-page optimisation is what helps Google understand what your site is about, while improving the user experience for your visitors. By optimising elements like meta tags, titles and descriptions, you make it easier for search engines to categorise your dental practice correctly, ensuring that you show up in relevant searches.

For example, using clear and specific meta titles and descriptions for each page on your site can help Google know exactly what services you offer, whether it’s teeth whitening, dental implants or routine hygiene appointments. At the same time, these elements provide a quick snapshot for users in the search results, helping them to decide if what you offer matches what they’re looking for.

URL structure and schema mark-up are other important aspects of on-page SEO. While they may seem technical, the idea is actually quite simple: make your site easy for both Google and your users to navigate and understand. Clean, descriptive URLs give search engines and users a clear idea of what each page is about, while schema mark-up can help highlight key details like services, contact information and reviews directly in the search results.

Together, these on-page elements not only boost your rankings but also improve readability and user experience, which can lead to more patient inquiries and appointments. By optimising your website in this way, you’re making it way easier for Google to do its job and helping potential patients find the information they need quickly and easily.

Content

Writing useful and educational blog posts is a great way to connect with potential patients and showcase your expertise. Blog posts that cover topics like "The benefits of Invisalign" can educate your readers while addressing common dental concerns.

By providing valuable, easy-to-understand content, you’re helping to position your practice as a trusted resource for dental advice, which can encourage patients to book an appointment. Engaging blog posts also help with SEO by targeting relevant keywords and directing traffic to your site, making it easier for potential patients to find you when searching for dental services.

To make your blog posts even more engaging, you might want to think about incorporating things like videos and infographics. Videos can help explain complex procedures, such as dental implants or root canals, in a visual, approachable way, helping patients feel at ease. Infographics are another great tool, as they can break down dental facts or step-by-step guides in a clear, visually appealing format.

These types of content not only make your blog posts more interactive and shareable but also improve user engagement and time spent on your site, which can further boost your SEO.

User experience

Of course, once potential patients have found your site, you want to make it the simplest and smoothest experience possible. Having a mobile-friendly website design is crucial for any dental practice, as more and more people use their smartphones to search for local services.

That includes having a site that loads quickly and is easy to navigate on a mobile device, ensuring that potential patients can access your information without frustration. If your website takes too long to load or is difficult to use on a phone, visitors are likely to leave and look for another dental practice with a smoother online experience.

Fast loading times are key to keeping users on your site, while clear, mobile-friendly navigation helps them easily find important details like your services, contact information and appointment booking options. A well-designed mobile site not only improves the user experience but also enhances your SEO, as search engines like Google prioritise mobile-friendly websites in their rankings.

Join UNTIL

Once you’ve mastered SEO for dental practices, hopefully you’ll start to see the traffic coming in thick and fast! But the hard work doesn’t stop there. To maintain patient loyalty and repeat business, it’s important to think about how you can provide a professional, comfortable experience time and time again.

One way to do this is by renting one of the best dental spaces in London, at UNTIL.

All of our rooms come fitted with DS Sirona Intego chairs, scanners and a roof-mounted TV screen to keep your patients entertained during their dental procedures. We never take a % of what you earn or restrict what you can charge. You simply pay a fee to rent our rooms, leaving you free to fully benefit from your brilliance.

Get started now from just £74.67 per hour.

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