Did you know that 75% of online searchers will not scroll past the first page of search results? Or that 72% of consumers who performed a local search visited an establishment within 5 miles? These stats illustrate the importance of getting your dental practice on the first page of search engine result pages. By doing so, you greatly increase the amount of traffic that your website receives.
Here’s the thing: there are a number of common mistakes hampering many website’s SEO value that are simple to remedy, and can greatly improve your SEO results. Below are the most common things that are hurting dental practice search results, and how you can fix them.
1 – Inconsistent Information on Online Listings – and on Your Website
If your dental practice is listed in online directories, then you need to verify that the information is consistent and accurate across every listing. More importantly, it needs to adhere to the information contained on your website. Be sure that your dental practice’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are clearly listed and easy to find on your website.
If your listing information is inconsistent, then your practice’s search results will suffer. Click here to learn more about managing online listings, and how Smile Savvy can help.
2 – A Stale Website
Google values fresh content, and websites that regularly feature fresh content score better on search engine results pages than those that do not. This is because Google rates fresh content as more relevant and valuable to search engine users.
You can add more fresh content to your website with a blog. With a blog, you can consistently update your website with trending topics and relevant industry news without altering your site’s overall structure. A blog is the best way to provide fresh content that Google values when performing a search query.
3 – No Title Tags or Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions tell search engines what your pages are about, and help them properly index your website. Basically, title tags define the title of the document, and are used on search engine result pages to show preview snippets for a given page, while meta descriptions are a quick summary of a given page that appears below the title tag on search result pages.
When posting from your website, or performing an SEO check, be sure that your title tags and meta descriptions are clear and properly filled out. When writing title tags and meta descriptions, remember to focus on the user’s browsing experience, and make it easy for them to find your website. Click here for more information about how title tags and meta descriptions can affect your dental practice’s website.
4 – An Old, non-Responsive Website
51% of internet users browse the web on a mobile device, while only 42% of people use their desktop or personal computer to search online. This makes having a responsive website an absolute priority for your practice. In addition to a better browsing experience, Google ranks mobile-friendly sites much more favorably than those without responsive design. If you don’t have a responsive site, your web presence is stuck in the dark ages, and you could be greatly hurting your rankings.
Further, one study found that 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive in its layout. If your site doesn’t have a responsive design, you will actually lose a large chunk of your incoming traffic upon their arrival.
Click here to learn more about responsive websites, and how they can help your dental practice.
Do You Have Questions About Local Search?
Local search results are vital for dental practices. Without SEO success, it is nearly impossible to gain local exposure and obtain local patients. However, getting to the top of search result pages takes detailed strategy and tireless work – which is where we come in.
Smile Savvy is the premiere digital marketing company for pediatric dentists and oral health professionals. Our digital marketing strategies help our clients earn more prominent search results, and encourage more connections with their patients on social media. Click here to learn more about local search results, and how Smile Savvy can help your dental practice.
