SEO, or “search engine optimization” isn’t a new concept, although it is constantly evolving. SEO is when you optimize your website and general online presence so that Google and other search engines can find you. Good SEO means your pages are more likely to appear in search results for terms related to your business. This comes with many benefits for all aspects of your business. Read on to learn more about the benefits of SEO for dental practices.
More Visibility
First and foremost, good SEO naturally increases visibility and traffic. When you successfully increase your website’s SEO, you’ll appear in more searches. As you appear in more search results, more people see your business as an option.
You can increase your visibility through SEO in a few ways:
- Ensure landing pages such as “about us,” and “our services” are optimized for search engines and contain your desired keywords.
- Publish weekly blog posts on topics related to your dentistry business. For example, “how to choose a good toothbrush” or “what tooth pain really means.” Each new blog post adds another layer of SEO to your website with more content and more keywords.
- Create social media pages and write posts with high-quality images and your chosen keywords. Stay engaged on said profiles, answering questions and interacting with anyone who comments.
More Leads and Sales
When your visibility increases, so do your leads, and ultimately, your sales. SEO doesn’t just bring you any old leads, either. A good SEO strategy attracts high-quality leads that are either ready to pull the trigger on something or at least thinking about it.
A major part of SEO is having an inbound marketing strategy. This is something that brings leads to you, rather than the more traditional route of a salesperson approaching leads. A traditional marketing angle might involve billboards, paid internet ads, or even cold calls.
Unfortunately, even if 1000 people see your billboard, there’s no guarantee even a single one of them is interested in your services. An optimized blog post will show up right in front of someone who has searched for dentistry services or something related.
This is especially important for a more locally-based business like a dental practice. When looking for local services, many people utilize “near me” or “in __ city” in their query. Optimizing for these types of keywords can give you an incredible advantage. Once you start appearing in these searches, you’ll be on the radar of people who previously didn’t know you existed.
Inbound marketing isn’t only a blog. It can be a video series, a free e-book, or even an email campaign. Some companies focus on only one thing, while others reach into several areas. This depends largely on budget, manpower, and bandwidth.
Blogs are a great choice because you can publish your content directly on your website. You don’t need a separate profile or website to do it – you just need some good writing. If you’re not much of a writer yourself, there are plenty of writers out there producing excellent content.
Extra Read: 17 Strategies to Accelerate Your Local Dental SEO Presence
More Community Engagement
While dentistry might not be the most “exciting” thing for people to discuss on the internet, you still want a presence. If you regularly post on a social media account or two, you’ll be top of mind for anyone who follows you. If you post entertaining, helpful, and optimized content, you’ll get followers.
By engaging with the community, you show that you’re present, attentive, and friendly. When a local follower needs a service, you’ll pop into their mind because they see your posts sometimes. This can help influence their buying decision as they’re already familiar with your company and what you offer.
Build Credibility
By consistently ranking high in search engine results, you’ll create a reputation of authority and legitimacy. High-ranking results are often viewed with high regard as the most important and relevant options. By always appearing high in the rankings, potential customers will more quickly come to trust and respect you as a business.
Stay Competitive
Whether we like it or not, SEO is here to stay. Chances are, your competition is already using it, too. By creating a good SEO strategy, you can help yourself stay on top, and even gain an edge over your competition.
Ranking higher than them is a great place to start. But, you also want to look better. Once you’ve got an SEO strategy in place, you must prepare your website for the visitors. Ensure you have fast load times, easy navigation, mobile responsiveness, and quality content.
Reach a Wider Target Audience
Many advertising campaigns work best when focused on a singular demographic. For example, you may target middle-aged women with one paid ad, and young men with another. Each requires different techniques, visuals, and strategies.
With SEO, you can essentially target everyone at once. A blog post optimized for your dentistry business will be found by whoever searches for that topic, regardless of age, gender, or anything else.
Save Money on Ads
Lastly, it saves you on constant advertising. SEO can require an initial investment, especially if you don’t have the skills and expertise yourself. But, it’s often cheaper in the long run than regular sponsored ads or PPC campaigns. And once you have lots of content in place, it continues to work for you over and over again.
Many companies have found that investing in a robust SEO strategy has, over time, yielded better results and ROI than many other traditional advertising methods.
It’s Never too Late to Benefit From SEO
Even if you haven’t paid much attention to SEO thus far, it’s never too late to start. Many websites and businesses start from scratch every day and still see great results. It’s a long-term strategy, but it’s always worth the effort!
If you’re looking to get started, we offer a range of dental SEO services to help you – from consults to web design and much more. Get in touch today and we’ll get you ranking in no time!
