When consumers are looking for a new dentist, they increasingly rely on online searches and reviews. It's critical for both private dental practices and DSOs to rank high on those searches to capture their share of that local market.
In an October Becker's Dental Review webinar sponsored by Podium, Ashley Hendrickson, customer success director, and Ty VanVranken, strategic growth AE, both of Podium, shared best practices about the importance of local SEO and Google search rankings.
Three key takeaways were:
- The vast majority of consumers go online to find businesses near them. According to Mr. VanVranken, 97 percent of customers use online search to find a local business or service. "And nearly 84 percent are discovery searches, which means it's the first time somebody's looking for a dentist near them," he added. "The top three search results get 75 percent of the clicks." That's why improving SEO is critical.
- It is important to bust six common myths about local SEO. These myths and the truth are:
- Myth #1: Organic search is the same as local search. Not true. Ms. Hendrickson explained that "organic SEO is based on relevance to search terms, while local SEO is based on location signals. Among Google searches, 46 percent are looking for local information."
- Myth #2: Reviews are nice to have. "Over the last four years, consumer behaviors have changed," Mr. VanVranken said. "We're coming to trust online reviews more than we trust our mom's recommendation. So, reviews are a must-have."
- Myth #3: New business discovery hasn't changed. Not true, it has. Although referrals are still important, "Most people with a referral still go online to look at what's around them," Mr. VanVranken said.
- Myth #4: Consumers are willing to travel for the best. Consumers desire convenience, with "near me" or "close by" searches growing by more than 900 percent over two years.
- Myth #5: Print and online advertising drives in-person visits. Not true. Local smartphone searches drive in-person visits.
- Myth #6: Google prioritizes highest-ranked business regardless of location. "The fact is that Google prioritizes local businesses and the results for local searches," Mr. VanVranken said.
- Best practices can help local dentists rise to the top of Google search results. The following tips can help local dental providers and DSOs improve their local SEO results.
- Verify. "Because Google wants to prevent any users from being scammed by businesses they recommend, Google will often list verified results higher than those they're unsure of," Ms. Hendrickson said. Verification can be done easily by phone, email or postal mail.
- Add high-quality photos. Businesses that feature photos see 35 percent more click-throughs. "At a minimum, we recommend including a profile photo, a logo and a cover photo," she said. Be sure photos are high quality, optimized for both desktop and mobile devices and include metadata.
- Keep your Google Business profile updated. Be sure your name, address, description and hours of operation are updated and consistent across platforms.
- Use keywords. "Since 72 percent of consumers who search for a local business are more likely to visit a business within five miles, use service plus location as keywords," Ms. Hendrickson said. "For example, 'cavity filling near me' or 'teeth whitening in Salt Lake City.'"
- Manage and respond to reviews. "About 88 percent of customers say reviews influence them in discovering a local business," she said. "Google analyzes review recency, frequency, quality and quantity. We suggest asking for reviews by text. Also, respond to negative reviews within two hours and positive reviews within 24 hours."
Dental practices and DSOs that focus on SEO optimization can increase the number of new patients they attract. "Podium is the leading customer communications platform for local businesses," Mr. VanVranken said. "We work with seven of the 10 largest DSOs in the nation along with hundreds of practices. Podium improves every stage of your patient's life cycle, so you can engage with the right customers through the right channels at the right time."
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