Why Dentists Should Update Their Websites

You’re board-certified. You’re regularly ranked as one of the best dentists in your city. You have the credentials, the experience, and the high-tech equipment required for a successful dental practice. With so much going for you, why should you bother investing in a website and Dental SEO?

In a perfect world, your credentials would speak for themselves and potential patients would overlook an outdated website design, sparsely populated with the bare minimum of content. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, and patients and Google are judging you by your dental website design and the questions that your site answers every single day.

Bottom line? If your website isn’t up-to-date, you could be losing potential patients. Here are some of the ways investing in website redesign can help your dental practice.

First Impressions Count

The Stanford Web Credibility Project, which seeks to provide insight into how internet users determine whether a website is trustworthy, finds that 46.1 percent of consumers judge the credibility of a website based on its visual design, including the layout, images, color schemes, and typography. Psychologist B.J. Fogg, the director of the project, explains that:

“People do judge a website by how it looks. That’s the first test of the website. And if it doesn’t look credible or it doesn’t look like what they expect it to be, they go elsewhere. It doesn’t get a second test”.

If your response to reading that was, “yikes!”, you’re right—people are harsh judges when it comes to website design. In fact, most internet users make a judgment about whether a website is high-quality within 50 milliseconds of viewing.

When your website is outdated, it sends a message that your dental practice is also outdated. When your website is cluttered, it sends a message that your practice is unprofessional.
When your website is sloppy, it sends the message that you’re careless.
We could go on, but you get the idea.

Our team of graphic designers and web developers at Dentalfone work to ensure that our clients always make a good first impression with potential patients. You’ll get a custom website redesign that reflects your sensibilities as well as those of your local community. Although every dental website we create is different, what they all have in common is a modern, uncluttered aesthetic that makes it easy for patients to access the information they are searching for.

The Internet Has Changed—and So Have Expectations

There was a time when a homepage that was simply a wall of text, links, and a few low-resolution stock images was sufficient. These days, the internet is more visual and interactive. We’ve gone from small images to large, high-resolution photographs as the centerpiece of each page, and now we’re pioneering a transition from photographs to video.

Dentalfone is on the cutting edge when it comes to incorporating custom photographs and video into dental web design. Your patients want to see you, not a stock photo of a random dentist; they want to take a look at your office, not a generic one you found on Google Images. To reiterate our previous point, appearance does matter. By embracing video and using eye-catching images, you’re sending a signal to patients that your practice is modern and forward-thinking.

SEO Is Built-In

When you choose to update your site with Dentalfone and work with our SEO Team, SEO is baked into the process. Our web developers work closely with our local search experts—instead of building a site and then layering in SEO, your site is designed with SEO in mind. It’s in the Hybrid-Responsive interface, the structure of your navigation, and the speed with which your website loads. There is no aspect of our design process that doesn’t take search engine rankings into consideration when you work with our web-development and SEO teams.

Why is this so important? It’s because we know local mobile searches are one of the most significant marketing tools you have as a dental practice. 78 percent of local mobile searches result in an interaction, which means getting your dental website to rank at the top of the first page of search results is virtually guaranteed to grow your practice. We also know that 64 percent of local customers use search engines to find businesses and 46 percent of all Google searches are local. All these statistics add up to one thing: search engine optimization matters.

Unlike paid advertising, once you invest in SEO, the ongoing organic traffic you get from it is free. While ongoing tweaks and updates will always be needed, SEO is much more of a long-term investment than Google Ads. The best marketing strategies incorporate both.

Going Beyond Marketing

Many dental practices view their website as a marketing tool—and it is. But the difference between a good website and a great one is that a great website is a true resource for patients, and it ranks highly on Google page 1 for keywords and long-tail search queries.

Here are some of the ways we design dental websites for our SEO customers that go beyond marketing:

We create an online library of information for your patients, with detailed descriptions of procedures, aftercare protocols, FAQs, and educational blog posts.
Dentalfone’s advanced Hybrid-Responsive user interface allows websites to render beautifully across all platforms for ease of use.
Our available dental forms are mobile-friendly, secure, and HIPAA compliant, allowing your patients to fill out new patient registration paperwork directly on your dental website.
Dentalfone websites incorporate online appointment request capabilities to make scheduling a breeze.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can incorporate new telehealth features into client websites, including online consultations.

(Good) Content Is King

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about aesthetics, but that doesn’t mean substance doesn’t matter. The content you put on your website matters a lot, particularly when it comes to Google. Considering that Google has in effect become an “answer” machine, good content sends “signals” to Google establishing your practice as an authoritative source to answer search queries.

Your website should be full of robust, informative content. The key procedures you offer should have a dedicated service page on your website with details to help educate your patients. You should have a blog that’s regularly updated with articles relevant to your practice. Everything you write should be concise and easy-to-skim, as that’s how most people read online.

Google loves high-quality content, but your patients will too. While you’ll want to use content creation as a means of getting important keywords onto relevant pages, it’s also critical to include information that your patients will want to know about your practice. Create a page that covers payment options, the types of insurance you accept, and other practice policies. Anticipate the questions your patients will ask and include them in FAQs.

Find Out How Dentalfone Can Take Your Website to the Next Level

To discuss how we can help expand your website’s reach through professional dental website design and SEO, contact us today.

How to Choose the Best Dental Website Design Agency | Dentalfone

How to Choose the Best Website Design Agency for Your Dental Practice

No matter the location of your dental practice, patients in your area likely have a lot of choices for their dental care. Standing out among other local practices is imperative to grow your business. You can't do this without a visually appealing and search engine-friendly website.

Your website is a crucial element to the success of the entire marketing strategy for your dental practice. The growth of your practice can hinge on the website designer you hire. Here are some practical tips on choosing the best agency to design your dental practice website.

Is the Website Design Agency Interested in Getting to Know Your Dental Practice Well?

Your prospective website designer should be interested in learning all about you and your business. They should want to know about your dental practice, your business objectives, your website goals, and your audience.

A website designer must deeply understand these elements of your dental practice to design a website that reflects your business. Without such an understanding, you risk ending up with a generic website that doesn't accurately depict what your audience wants to see and learn about your practice.

Are They Well-Versed in SEO and Digital Marketing?

It goes without saying that you want your website to be visually appealing. Still, to be effective, it must also rank well on search engines.

Your website design agency could produce the best-looking website for your dental practice, but if it doesn't meet current digital marketing standards and incorporate the latest search engine optimization (SEO) strategies, it won't show up when your potential dental patients are searching online for a dentist.

When interviewing a potential website design agency, find out what they know about SEO as well as digital marketing, in general, and how they incorporate their knowledge into website design.

What Do Their Previous Projects Look Like? Did They Have Good Results?

When interviewing a website design agency for your dental practice, ask to see samples of their previous work. Read their reviews and find out if they will provide you with some references to speak to prior clients.

Remember to go beyond the visual appeal of their website design work—dig a little deeper when asking questions and evaluating their work products to find out if their website design has had positive results. How do their websites rank on search engines? Did their designs help boost their rankings and, ultimately, their conversion rates and patient numbers?

Dentalfone Brings Reliable Results

At Dentalfone, we know you have a wide range of choices when it comes to website design agencies for your dental practice. However, our clients choose us and stay with us because we bring reliable results. We have the talent, skills, resources, and knowledge to make your dental practice website an effective marketing tool that will help you grow your business beyond what you could have imagined.

To learn more about all we have to offer, call us today at 855-385-3663 or request an appointment online.

We look forward to speaking with you and learning more about your dental practice and business goals.

Google Analytics 4: What You Need to Know

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the newest version of Google’s widely-used web analytics platform. As of July 1, 2023, Google will no longer be recording data via the previous Universal Analytics, so it’s important to get up to speed on Google Analytics 4 right away if you haven’t already.

Keep reading to learn the fundamentals about GA4, including how to set it up, the main features to use, and how to track your data more efficiently.

What Is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics 4 is a free web analytics tool that helps businesses track and analyze user behavior on their websites. GA4 measures site traffic, events like conversions, and time spent on page–among other metrics–that help businesses understand their customers better. GA4 offers a more complete view of customer behavior across multiple devices and platforms, including mobile apps.

Key Features of Google Analytics 4

GA4 comes with several new features that make it even more useful. One of its key functionalities is the ability to measure common event types without configuration. Events are user interactions on a website, such as clicks, video views, and form submissions.

Another key feature of GA4 is improved data-driven attribution. Previously, GA primarily offered “last-click attribution,” which states the final channel someone interacted with got credit for a campaign’s result. With Google Analytics 4, users have a more comprehensive view of the channels and marketing initiatives that led to a conversion. Using your findings on a regular basis simplifies the decision making process for future marketing campaigns.

GA4 also provides more valuable integrations, including Display & Video 360, Search Ads 360, and Google Ads. Instead of hopping back and forth between multiple dashboards, see all of your most important Google advertising data in one tool.

Setting Up Google Analytics 4

If you are a Dentalfone client, we have already taken care of this for you. For others, setting up Google Analytics 4 is simple and relatively quick, as long as you’re following the right process. The first step is to create a Google Analytics account (if you don’t already have one). You can do this by going to the Google Analytics website and following the prompts to create an account.

Once your account is created, you need to create a new property for Google Analytics 4. Click on the “Admin” button and select “Create Property.” Continue following the onscreen prompts to finish setting up your GA4 property. When you’re done, you’ll see a confirmation message.

Once the property is created, it’s time to add the tracking code to your website. This is a string of code that’s added to the backend of your website to ensure GA can properly collect data from your site. If you need help installing the tracking code, follow Google’s setup guidelines and you’ll be set in just a few minutes.

Understanding the Google Analytics 4 Interface

For Dentalfone SEO customers, you will have a custom portal that provides a simple interface for understanding and tracking your site's performance. For others, the GA4’s interface is designed to be more user-friendly and customizable than the Universal Analytics interface. It has a more modern look and feel and is organized into three main sections: Home, Analysis, and Configure. Here are details about each section:

Home: Provides a high-level overview of key metrics, such as user behavior, traffic sources, and user demographics.
Analysis: Offers deeper insights into user behavior, including user journeys, events, and conversions.
Configure: Allows you to customize your Google Analytics 4 account, including creating custom reports and dashboards.

Differences Between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics

Google Analytics 4 is different from Universal Analytics in several ways. One of the main differences is the tracking method. Google Analytics 4 uses an event-driven model, while Universal Analytics used a pageview-based model.

Another difference between the two is the reporting system. GA4 provides more advanced and customizable reporting options than Universal Analytics. It also provides deeper insights into user actions, like reporting on engaged sessions instead of just site bounces.

Yet another difference is that GA4 provides better cross-device tracking, making it simpler and faster to understand customer behavior across multiple devices. This data helps your web development team implement changes faster, your marketing team understand campaigns earlier, and your sales team capitalize on testimonials better.

What to Know About the Transition to Google Analytics 4

If you’re already a Dentalfone SEO client, rest assured we’ll handle all aspects of your Google Analytics transition for you. Our web development team has completed thousands of site maintenance and migration tasks, and this is no different.

If you have questions about the transition to Google Analytics 4 or need help, please contact us.

The Bottom Line

Google Analytics 4 is Google’s latest and greatest iteration for understanding your site and app visitors and the actions they take. Integrating your GA4 account with other Google tools, such as Google Ads and Google Tag Manager, provides an even more powerful view of user behavior.

Are you looking for an agency you can trust your dental practice marketing with? Request a free quote now. We’ll help you transform your practice into the success story you’re dreaming of!

Google My Business Adds COVID Delta Variant Precautions

The spring of 2020 was a difficult time for many of our clients. COVID-19 was new, there was uncertainty about how it was transmitted, and dental practices closed their doors to everything except emergency care. As we learned more about the virus, dental practices were able to open back up, and once vaccinations were widely available, it seemed like COVID-19 would soon be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, the emergence of the Delta variant has proven that COVID-19 is likely here to stay—at least for the time being. This means it’s time to make sure your patients are aware of the COVID-19 protocols at your dental practice.

Local Profiles and COVID-19 Protocols

In addition to putting updates on your website, updating your local business profiles is an easy way to publicize the steps you’re taking to keep patients safe. We're assuming you're already using Yelp, Google My Business, and Bing Places, so all you have to do is log in and take advantage of the built-in features to share updates on your dental practice’s operations during COVID-19.

Updating COVID-19 Protocols on Google My Business

Your Google My Business profile should be the first place you share COVID-19 updates, since both new and existing patients may land on your website from Google. There are a few different ways to update your GMB profile with your COVID-19 protocols.

To create a GMB post about your protocols, use the COVID-19 Update option in posts. The next way to update your profile is by going to Health and Safety in your settings and choosing from the following options:

Mask required
Temperature check required
Staff wear masks
Staff get temperature checks

Updating COVID-19 Protocols on Bing Places

When you log into your Bing Places account, you'll notice a COVID-19 Related Announcements option front-and-center. Enter the information you want to share and specify a start and finish date for your announcement, if you have one. You can also use this section to link to your website; we recommend linking directly to your COVID-19 protocol page, rather than your homepage.

Updating COVID-19 Protocols on Yelp

COVID-19 protocols can be shared in a variety of ways on your dental practice’s Yelp profile. First, you can let your patients know if you're open or closed. If your practice is open to patients, you can add virtual consultations as an option, then check the boxes for any health precautions you've taken. Among the options are:

Proof of vaccination required
All staff fully vaccinated
Masks required
Staff wears masks

To share additional messaging with potential patients, you may also place a banner message at the top of your Yelp profile. This is a good place to share other safety measures your practice has implemented.

Why It Matters

As the Delta variant spreads across the United States, patients will return to feeling hesitant about visiting the dentist for needed care. You can assuage these concerns by making it clear that you’re taking all of the necessary steps to keep your patients safe.

In addition, by letting patients know what to expect before they come to your dental practice for an appointment, you can avoid potential conflicts over mask wearing and social distancing, which reduces the burden on your staff in enforcing your office’s guidelines.

Get Help Updating Your Local Profiles With Dentalfone

If you need help staying on top of your local profile updates, schedule a meeting with Dentalfone SEO.

Why Is Your Google Business Profile So Important?

There’s no question about it: Google Business Profiles are the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to local SEO these days. Even if your patients initially find your practice through other means, they likely use Google to locate your website, address, phone number, or office hours. Google is ubiquitous, and with its 86.6 percent market share of desktop searches, it’s virtually a monopoly, which means you either play by Google’s rules or you don’t play at all.

If that sounds ominous, it wasn’t meant to—there are a lot of reasons to love Google Business Profiles. For dental practices, Google Business Profiles put all of your most vital information at your patients’ fingertips, it allows you to share relevant business updates, and it lets you interact with patients via reviews. Here’s why your Google Business Profile is so important for local businesses like yours.

The Link Between Local Search and Google Business Profile

There’s a simple and obvious answer as to why Google Business Profiles are important: Google owns it. Google is not a public service or utility; it is a business and as such, it prioritizes the businesses that are using its products and services. In other words, a business that has an active, optimized, and complete Google Business Profile is more likely to perform well in local Google searches, and outperform competitors that do not understand and utilize this platform.

This, of course, isn’t just to reward businesses that take the time to optimize their Google listings. It’s also because by having an active Google Business Profile, it helps Google better understand your dental practice and the services you offer. This, in turn, allows Google to deliver search results to its users that are tailored to their queries and location.

Dental practices that have detailed information in their profiles are more likely to surface in Google Maps for specific queries, and more likely to come out ahead in desktop search results as well. Improvements in rankings in Google Maps and Google search can occur even without any changes to your practice’s website. Just optimizing your Google profile is enough to make a difference.

Managing Your Google Business Profile

Knowing this, it’s a good idea to start being proactive with your Google profile if you aren’t already. Here are some steps you can take to optimize your dental practice’s presence in Google’s local results:

Make sure all relevant fields are filled out.
Check your address, phone number, and office hours for accuracy.
When your office hours or other information changes, update it on Google as soon as possible.
Respond to patient reviews on Google, whether good or bad.
Share updates about your business.
Answer questions asked by searchers.
Add photos, announcements, blogs etc to the “posting” section on a weekly basis.

The more active you are with your Google profile, the more Google will reward you on its other platforms.

If you don’t have time to spend on Google Business Profile, Dentalfone can help. To discuss our Google Business Profile management services, schedule a meeting with Dentalfone SEO.

Writing A Great Biography

We always ask our clients to include biography pages on their websites. While these pages may seem inconsequential when compared to service and contact pages, many patients do read doctor bios before making their first appointment at a dental practice. If the services you offer are the same as other practices in your area, your biography gives you the opportunity to differentiate yourself.

What Do Patients Look for in a Dentist’s Biography?

There are two key components that should be included in a good biography: your professional accomplishments and your personal story. The former will help patients decide if you have the qualifications they’re looking for in a dentist, while the latter helps them connect with you on a more personal level.

Your biography shouldn’t read like a resume; think of it more like an introduction you might give to someone when you meet them for the first time. We’ve seen some doctors simply list their alma matters and professional memberships in lieu of writing a biography, which might satisfy one of the criteria for a good bio, but it certainly doesn’t foster any kind of personal connection.

Here’s the minimum of what you should include in your biography:

Professional Accomplishments

Your education and residencies
Any notable continuing education
Leadership positions
Awards and recognitions
Certifications
Professional association memberships
Teaching positions

Personal Information

Volunteer work
What made you decide to become a dentist
Community connections
Hobbies
Family life

When it comes to sharing personal information, there’s certainly no need to go into more detail than you feel comfortable with, but patients like to know a little bit about who their dentists are as people. It’s not so much what you say about yourself, but the fact that you share a little bit of who you are. No one will read your bio and say, “Well, Dr. Smith loves playing soccer and I do too, so I’m going to choose his practice!”, but getting to know you as a person creates a more comfortable, familiar relationship with patients.

Writing the Perfect Biography

Now that you know what you should include in your biography, let’s talk about how to write it. Here’s a brief template to use if you’re not much of a writer:

Hi, I’m Dr. Mary Brown. I grew up in ___________(city, town) and attended college at ___________________. From there, I went on to dental school at ___________, completing my degree in ________________(year). After that I trained at ___________ for ________ years in the residency program. (Or I worked as an associate at _____ for _____ years). In _________(year) I relocated to _______________ with my husband/wife. We have _____ kids and enjoy… (lists some hobbies and interests).

For the 2nd paragraph, list what makes you passionate about your profession. If you work in a multiple doctor practice it’s best if these don’t all sound the same. Perhaps you love technology and how it benefits your patients. Maybe you have a passion for continuing education and the benefits it brings your patients. What are your goals for the patient experience? Try to speak from the heart with a few sentences on what you enjoy about what you do and how that passion impacts your patients. Be specific—every dentist says that they’re gentle, that they listen to their patients, that they provide exceptional care. How do you do that?

If you decide to write your own biography from scratch, spend some time thinking about the tone you’d like to take. Most doctors play it safe and strike a balance between friendly and professional, but if you have a highly specialized practice, you may want to skew towards formal; if you’re known for your sense of humor, your bio is the best place on your website to inject some levity.

The Bottom Line

Writing a solid biography doesn’t need to take more than 15 to 20 minutes and that time investment will pay dividends. Getting your patients to connect with who you are as a person is our primary goal. A great biography combined with an excellent photograph helps patients see who you are as a person so they can feel comfortable picking up the phone to make an appointment.

Domain Renewals – Fact or Fiction?

One of the CURRENT SCAMS facing dental practices is a letter regarding the SOLICITATION TO RENEW YOUR DOMAIN NAME from an unauthorized source, which may appear to be a legitimate renewal notice.

There are 2 types of notices we regularly see come in the mail or e-mail:

#1: You receive a notice to renew your domain and the notice has a domain name that isn’t your actual domain name. It is very close to your name but not your domain name.

These notices are intended to get you to think that your domain name is up for renewal and they are hoping that you won’t notice the slight difference in the domain name. They are hoping you will go ahead and pay for the renewal at an inflated price.

#2: You receive a notice with your EXACT domain name, but it’s not from the company that manages the domain or a company that is authorized to renew your domain.

This letter tries to get you to think that they are the company you used and/or they are authorized to renew your domain. They will use your EXACT domain name in the e-mail (or letter).

CAUTION: If you are not sure who your domain name is officially registered with, you should contact your website provider BEFORE you pay for the renewal.

In most cases, your website provider takes care of the renewal for you and bills you for that service with your monthly hosting and maintenance fees.

TIP: Research the information before acting. Don’t pay any invoice for domain renewals if you are not 100% certain of their validity. If you receive a domain name renewal notice and are not sure if it’s real, feel free to scan and e-mail a copy of the notice to us, so we can let you know if it’s legitimate.

We hope you find this information helpful.

Your friends at Dentalfone!

Fake Copyright Infringement Notices

Many customers and companies worldwide have recently received notices through contact forms or email accounts accusing them of photography copyright violations.

These fake notices will usually include a link to an attachment that the sender wants you to click. It is critical that you DO NOT click the link as these links are often used to spread ransomware and are likely to infect your computer.

You can see an example of one of these notices in the below screenshot.

These emails can sound scary, and the goal is to prompt the receiver to be alarmed so that they click on the link.

In general, you should never click on links sent by unknown senders as they may contain malicious files. Clicking the link will download a file containing code that may infect the computer with ransomware.

At Dentalfone, we take copyright very seriously. We are careful to use images licensed from our stock photography company or unique pictures that a photographer has taken in your practice.

If you think you have received a valid notice of copyright infringement, you should forward a screenshot of the message to your IT or Website company for them to review. Still, if it looks similar to the above, it’s fraudulent, and the best course of action is to delete the message.

If you have received one of these messages and clicked on the link, you should reach out to your IT company immediately, so they can do an audit to check your computer systems and work on cleaning up any infections if present. This is also an excellent reminder to make sure your practice has a stringent data backup process, with regular rotations of backups, including off-line backups stored off-site.

As hackers become more sophisticated, it is more important than ever to be vigilant when reviewing emails, being careful not to click on links that may create security issues or negatively impact your business.

Voice Search SEO for Dentists

The challenge of search engine optimization is staying on top of ever-changing algorithms and trends. What worked yesterday might not work today, and what works today has a very good chance of being obsolete a year from now. Good SEO is built upon a foundation of high-quality content, something that will serve your dental practice well through any changes in technology and algorithms. We’re seeing this play out as voice search rapidly changes the SEO game.

Best Practices for Voice Search SEO for Dentists

Here are four tips for how to optimize your web presence for voice search.

1. Go Local with VEO (Voice Engine Optimization)

Build up your local bona fides by focusing on your Google My Business, Bing, and Yelp profiles. One of the most common ways people use voice search is to locate businesses near them—and your local profiles are one of the primary ways for search engines to know that your business is trustworthy, legitimate, and worth recommending to users. According to BrightLocal, search engines take the following into consideration in SERPs for voice search:

The proximity of the business to the searcher’s location
How the business interacts with customer reviews
How many backlinks the business’s website has
Social media presence and activity
Visibility in industry and local directories

In other words, investing in local search pays dividends when it comes to getting your dental practice noticed.

2. Utilize Voice App Technology

If someone is using Google Assistant or Alexa to ask what to do when a crown falls out, do they want to read the answer? Or would a voice response be more helpful? Consider investing in conversational voice app technology to answer frequently asked questions and explain common dental procedures. While this might not be a must for SEO right now, it will give you an advantage in a competitive market and in a few years, this type of technology may be a prerequisite for ranking well in a Google Page 1 search result. (Contact us and speak with our Director of SEO, Robert Messinger, if you’re more interested in learning about our voice app technology solutions.)

3. Understand Search Intent

People use voice search differently than text search, but when it comes to voice search SEO, it’s more important than ever to understand the why’s and how’s of search. How are people finding your site? Why are they using the keywords they’re using?

“What do I do if my dental crown falls out?” has a different search intent than “emergency dentist near me who repairs crowns.” The latter wants to find a dentist to call; the former may or may not be ready to schedule an appointment and they’re primarily looking for information.

Don’t attempt a bait-and-switch and try to attract users with one keyword in order to direct them to something completely different — this is a surefire way to sink your rankings with voice search. If you don’t offer traditional dentures, don’t optimize for that keyword and try to sell people on dental implants instead; don’t try to rank as a local orthodontist for voice search if you only offer Invisalign. Gaming the system only hurts your dental practice in the end.

4. Keep Producing Useful Content

Content is king. Search engines want useful information that demonstrates expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (also known as E-A-T). As a dentist, you have all three of these in spades, so it pays to capitalize on that and create content that will drive people to your website.

Because people often use natural language questions with voice search, providing them with natural language answers is important. Add frequently asked questions to your website and you might just find yourself in the coveted position zero spot on Google Page 1—the featured snippet, which is where many voice assistants pull answers from.

How Dentalfone Can Help You Meet the Demands of Voice Search Technology

If keeping up with the latest developments in search has you pulling out your hair, Dentalfone can help. Our SEO team are tenured authorities on local search and we can provide unique insight into the ways in which local search and voice search interact. Dentalfone’s dental SEO services include:

Well-researched content for your website
Social media management
Google My Business profile maintenance
Submission to local directory sites
Press releases

Each of these can improve your rankings and help you meet the ever changing landscape brought upon by the advent of voice search.

Learn More About Voice Search SEO for Dentists

To discuss how we can help optimize your dental practice’s web presence for voice search, schedule a meeting with Dentalfone SEO.

Why Dentists Should Issue Press Releases

In this age of digital marketing, press releases may sound like a bit of a throwback. Why issue a press release when you could boost a post on Facebook or add more budget to your Google Ads campaign? We issue press releases for the value that they add to Organic SEO.

Press releases might not be a promotional tool on the radar of most dentists and practice managers, but 72 percent of journalists say that press releases are one of the most useful types of content sent by PR firms. Local news outlets often use press releases to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the community, but the more modern benefit of press releases is that they build brand reputation, grow an online presence, and improve SEO.

According to Robert Messinger, Director of SEO at Dentalfone, “The reason that we publish press releases is to promote a significant event. A new website, new technology, a new associate are all newsworthy items. It is an off-page Local SEO strategy that helps popularize your events, products, and services on the web to improve the SEO of your site.”

Topics for Press Releases

The key to writing an effective press release is to choose a compelling, newsworthy topic. Some potential ideas for dental practices include:

Launching a new dental practice or opening a new location
Releasing a new website
Offering a new dental service
Adding a new dentist to the practice
Rebranding
Celebrating a milestone or anniversary
Launching a charitable campaign or making a donation to a non-profit
Participating in community outreach programs
Receiving an award or certification
Announcing the publication of an article or book
Sharing dental tips or education
Promoting an upcoming event
Announcing a retirement

You might be surprised to find that your press release is picked up by a local news outlet and leads to a bigger story and a steady stream of new patients — but even if it isn’t, you’ll still benefit from the off-page SEO that sends a signal to Google that your site is legitimate and trustworthy.

As Messinger explains, “Press releases are an efficient way to build citations -- mentions of your dental practice’s Name, Address, and Phone number. By including your practice’s contact information in the address, when that press release is distributed to dozens of online news websites, you build citations -- and those citations can help improve your practice’s local Google rankings.”

Dentalfone Press Release Services

No one likes to toot their own horn, so let us do the work for you. We offer a press release service to make the process simple and affordable. Instead of hiring an expensive public relations firm to write and distribute your press releases, our in-house writing and SEO team can get the job done for you as an add-on to our standard SEO services.

Our SEO team will help you select topics that are relevant to your practice and will pique the interest of potential patients and reporters. Once the press release is written, you’ll have a chance to review it before it’s distributed. Our competitive pricing fits into the budget of dental practices of all sizes.

Learn More About Press Releases

If you’d like to learn more about how issuing press releases can help your SEO and spread the word about big changes at your dental practice, schedule a meeting with Dentalfone SEO. We’re always available to help you make the most out of your partnership with us.