Dentist SEO in 2018

If you want customers to find your business online, search engine optimization is a must. One of the defining aspects of your search engine optimization is keywords. The keywords you choose, in essence, tell Google what your website is about, and Google accordingly lists your links on search queries.

You need to find the right keywords. Good keywords are necessary if you want to appear on Google searches and target people who are actively looking for dental services.

So, how do you find the right keywords for your dental business?

Step One: Get Keyword Suggestions

The first step is to build a list of possible keywords that relate to your business.

Google

Google has various tools that you can use to begin your keyword research.

Keyword Planner

Your first stop is Google’s Keyword Planner. To access Keyword Planner, you need to have a Google Adwords Account.

Once you have logged into Keyword Planner, by just typing a keyword phrase (for example: dental services), Google will give you a list of similar Keyword Ideas and Ad Group Ideas.

These keywords are various terms your audience may be using. Furthermore, the Keyword Tool gives you data on the volume of search (Average Monthly Searches), and this could be valuable in picking the right keywords.

Google Autocomplete

Google Autocomplete is a search prompt. With this tool, Google is trying to predict user’s search query to enhance their search experience. Google Autocomplete is based on actual searches conducted by users. Hence, it’s good insight into what people are searching for on a particular subject.

Open Google and type in:

• Toothache

• Dental

• Root Canal

See what you get. Keep trying similar words that you think your audience would be searching for.

Google Related Searches

Quite often, at the bottom of the search result, Google will have a list of keyword phrases called Related Searches.

While Google Autocomplete presents suggestions that are closely related to the keyword, Google Related Searches takes it a step further and showcases related queries which users may have.

Other Keyword Tools

While Google is the best platform to start your keyword research, it’s not the only platform you should stick too.

There are several other keyword tools you should utilize.

Keyword Tool.io 

This is a keyword tool that specifically highlights long-tail keyword phrases that can be used. Additionally, the tool showcases keyword suggestion from varying platforms such as Google, Bing, Yahoo and Amazon. The tool is quite lightweight and unlike Google’s Keyword Planner, it doesn’t burden you with details like search volume and bidding competition.

Ubersuggest

Similar to the Keyword Tool.io, Ubersuggest is easy to use. It comes with two additional features. You can search for keyword suggestions based on country.

Keyword Discovery

This handy tool brings you keyword suggestions along with the number of searches.

Step Two: Pick Relevant Keywords

Using the keyword tools, you would have amassed a bulky list of keywords you could use for your website. However, it would be a mistake to use every single keyword. You need to narrow down your keyword list to phrases that will benefit your dental website.

Long-Tail over Single Phrases

Long-tail keywords have an advantage over single phrases. The advantage of long-tail keywords is that they are better able to capture the intention of users. Look at the keywords you have amassed and pick keywords that are long-tail.

Don’t go for the Highest Search Volume

Unless you already have a good SEO rank, you won’t easily rank on keywords that have high search volume.You are not the only dental website trying to appear at the top of search results and almost all your competitors will try to rank on keywords with the highest search volume. Switch your focus to keywords with a low to medium search volume. The idea is that once you are able to rank on the first page of such keywords, you can move to high search volume keywords.

Geo-Location

If your business operates within a specific geographic, focus on geo-locations keywords. These keywords generally include a geographic location word in the keyword phrase. For example:

• Dental service in Edmonton

• Dental services in Alberta

• Emergency dental clinic Edmonton

Competition

One trick to assess if a keyword is relevant to your business is to look at keywords used by your competitors.

Shoes of your Audience

Talk to your audience, understand them and then, put on their shoes. Know what your audience is searching for online and pick keywords that are close to that.

Step Three: Use the Keywords in the right places

Now that you have a list of relevant keywords, you need to place them right.

Website Backend

There are several places you put keywords on the website backend,

WordPress Backend

• Page Title

• Meta-Description

• Meta-Keywords

• Alternative Tags for Images

• URL

Dental Clinic Search Engine Optimization: Local SEO Guide for Dentists

Website Frontend

There are several places you put keywords on the website frontend.

• Page Heading

• Sub-headings

• Main Body

• Image Caption

Keyword Optimized Pages

Do not throw too many keywords on a single page; this is especially problematic when you throw too many unrelated keywords on a single page. For example, you put – dental services, toothache services, emergency dentist, braces treatment – on your home page. This would confuse Google and the search engine would not be able to identify what your page is about.

Instead of putting all your keywords on a single page, you create keyword optimized pages. For example, for all keywords related to toothaches, you create a service page specifically for Toothache Relief.

Caution: Avoid Keyword Stuffing

A big SEO mistake is to over-use keywords. Use too many keywords and you have indulged in keyword stuffing. More than anything, your content needs to be helpful. Avoid repeating keywords too many times and place your keywords strategically so that the content quality is not brought down.

If you add too many keywords and they standout, there is a very real possibility that Google will assume your website is spam and blacklist it.

Good keyword optimization will greatly boost your dental website’s SEO rank, but it is not the end-all for SEO. Keyword optimization is just a small part. There are many SEO tactics you can use to optimize your dental website so that it ranks at the top of search results.  Link building, blogging, and domain name are just some of the tactics you can use.

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Ali Salman

Ali Salman is an online marketing strategist who have worked with Coca-Cola, Extreme Pita, Mucho Burrito, KIA, Honda and other Fortune 500 companies. Ali Salman now heads Rapid Boost Marketing – Canada’s fastest growing search marketing agency. RBM clients include Fortune 500’s and medium size businesses across North America. Ali as RBM CMO leads his team in building and managing quality, high-performing and cost-effective interactive campaigns and programs for our company’s customers and partners. In his career, he has significantly improved campaign performance for large brands such as Government of Alberta, Liberal Party, Workopolis, Cathay Pacific, as well as medium to large retailers and high-tech B2B-enterprise niches.
Ali and his team develop online promotional concepts that spark viral growth through search and social media for RBM clients, devising strategies that use search engines and more to reach key demographic segments in the ways they’re most likely to be receptive. Ali Salman also oversees corporate marketing initiatives for Rapid Boost Marketing, including strategic communications counsel, public and analyst relations and client education programming.

http://www.rapidboostmarketing.com