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dental practice SEO

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Your Dental Patients Are Online – Are You?

by Naomi Cooper February 11, 2015

Your Dental Patients Are Online – Are You?According to a recent whitepaper from G/O Digital, 72% of online health seekers began their last search for a healthcare provider on a search engine. Patients utilize the Internet when conducting healthcare-related research now more than ever before. If patients are online, then dentists need to be too.

Have you Googled yourself lately? What comes up? If your website is not appearing on the first page of the SERP (search engine results page), that means you may be missing out on countless new patient opportunities.

Make sure that you have an online marketing strategy that includes a mix of SEO, social media and online patient reviews all anchored with a modern website.

Still unsure of the importance of having an online presence for your dental practice? Check out this infographic from G/O Digital to learn the top 6 e-marketing tools every dentist needs to know.

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Simple Tips for Getting More Online Dental Patient Reviews

by Naomi Cooper November 5, 2014

Simple Tips for Getting More Online Dental Patient ReviewsAccording to a 2013 1-800-Dentist.com study, 70% of respondents agreed that online reviews were just as important than a dentist’s credentials. That number increased from 53% reported in 2010. It’s clear that online patient testimonials are incredibly influential to patients looking online for a dentist.

Building a library of positive online dental patient reviews is often easier said than done. It can be uncomfortable for doctors and staff to ask patients to leave their comments, and even if you ask, it’s ultimately up to the patient to follow through.

This blog from the marketing gurus at MarketingProfs gives some very helpful and easy-to-implement ideas for making the online review process a simpler one.

Today’s patients are online, and so that means that dentists need to be too. If you are looking for more information about smart strategies for collecting online dental patient reviews, check out a couple of my previous blogs on the subject:

Dental Practice Marketing: Managing Your Online Reputation

3 Strategies for Generating Online Patient Reviews for Your Dental Practice

Protect Your Practice: The Importance of Positive Online Patient Reviews

Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Negative Online Reviews

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Google’s Newest Tool for Dentists

by Naomi Cooper July 15, 2014

Google’s Newest Tool for DentistsGoogle has introduced a new feature for business owners: Google My Business. You may have noticed a change with your existing Google Places profile. This new tool is meant to replace Google Places, and should make it much easier for local businesses to be found on Google.

Did you know that Google creates a profile for almost every business? It’s true, and even if you have never logged on to a Google platform, chances are good that there is an existing business listing for your dental practice. If you haven’t already, you need to create a Google account and claim the existing listing. Populate the listing with photos of the practice, current practice contact information, and hours of operation. This way, when patients are researching your practice online, they will be able to easily find your practice and all the necessary information they are looking for.

If you’ve previously claimed your Google Places listing, there’s not much you need to do with the new Google My Business. You’ll notice a new layout to the profile page. Simply make sure all the information is updated and correct.

For more details on the new tool, here is an overview from Google. Have you already noticed the new profile? What do you think of Google’s latest update?

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Is Your Dental Marketing Plan in Need of a Refresh?

by Naomi Cooper April 9, 2014

Is Your Dental Marketing Plan in Need of a Refresh?What is your plan for sparking new patient flow? If you are still relying on phone book advertising for your dental practice, you might want to refresh your marketing plan.

Sure, phone book advertising still has a place in the marketing plan for some dental practices. If you are targeting seniors, it may still make sense. Keep in mind that as the population ages, eventually you are going to need to shift your strategy to the online world.

Not yet convinced? Consider the following statistics:

With recent stats like these, it is hard to deny the importance of having an online marketing strategy. Updating your practice website, employing SEO tactics and joining social media can help to bring your practice marketing plan into the modern era. And there is certainly no time like the present to get started!

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Dental Marketing News: The New Google Updates

by Naomi Cooper May 21, 2013

Dental Marketing News: The New Google UpdatesThings are busy at Google. Last week the people behind the most popular search engine announced updates to their algorithm, as well as a total redesign for their social media site, Google+. Here is a very brief breakdown of the Google news and what it means for dentists.

Google Algorithm Updates

Google announced they will begin “rewarding” sites they deem to be a subject matter authority, with the reward being a higher ranking in the search results. Exactly how a website is determined to be a subject matter expert is measured by the number of clicks a website gets, the freshness of the content — even localization seems to be factored in. Why does this matter to dental practices? Now is the perfect time for dentists to commit to improving their online presence. Dentists have the opportunity to become the dental expert within their local area. Adding an on-siteblog to the practice website and broadcasting blog posts across social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest can help to increase online reach while improving the website’s SEO at the same time.

Google+

Google’s social media component has gotten a major overhaul. The newsfeed has been streamlined and photos are predominantly featured…a seeming influence of Pinterest. Dentists should build upon the redesign by adding more photos and videos to their Google+ profiles, including pictures of the dentist, the team, shots of the practice, a welcome video and videos about common procedures. (Be sure to get a photo/video release signed by anyone appearing in any of the images or videos!) For more info on the new Google+, check out this blog from the online marketing experts at Qnary.

These are just 2 of the many updates Google has implemented recently. While always evolving, it’s safe to say Google and it’s components (search, Google+, Google+ Local and YouTube to name a few) continue to be a dominant force in the online marketing landscape today.

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SEO for Dentists: The Online Marketing Tactic Not to Be Ignored

by Naomi Cooper May 9, 2013

SEO for Dentists: The Online Marketing Tactic Not to Be IgnoredSearch engine optimization, or SEO as it’s more commonly called, is not just for large corporations. Businesses of all sizes, including dental practices, need to employ SEO tactics in order to drive traffic to their business websites, and cast a wider net in order to reach more Internet users.

Understanding SEO, however, is no simple feat. Strategies are constantly changing as Google and other major search engines often adapt their algorithms, sometimes on a daily basis. There is an entire industry of SEO specialists who spend their entire work week staying on top of and employing the latest tactics for their clients. Of course, dentists could take the time to study the science behind search engine optimization, but who really has the time?

For dentists who are looking to get a basic foundation of understanding of search engine optimization, check out this recent blog from the always informative Marketingprofs.com on how to (kinda) become an SEO expert in 10 minutes.

SEO isn’t just a passing trend; nor is it just for corporations. Dental practices of all sizes benefit from smart SEO practices. After all, patients won’t be able to find you if they don’t know you are there!

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