As a dentist offering dental implants, you need to make your practice visible and easily accessible to potential implant patients. Google maps optimization is a valuable tool for dental practices, and ranking higher on this platform can significantly impact your dental implant patient flow. Here are strategies to improve your ranking for dental implant services on Google maps and attract more patients.
Find out how you rank for "dental implants"
Much of the optimization tasks on Google maps are directed by how well and where you already rank. The easiest way to understand this is to run a complimentary Google maps ranking report. This will create a colored Google map grid that looks something like this:
Watch the video on the page for a quick explanation of what you're looking at. Once you understand how well (or not) you already rank for "dental implants," you'll better understand how to follow the instructions I offer here.
Update categories in Google Business Profile (GBP)
One of your first steps is to ensure that your Google Business Profile (GBP) category accurately reflects the services you provide. You choose your categories from Google's approved list. You can choose more than one, and I would recommend having two or three at the most. The primary category should be your specialty, and if you're a general dentist, then it should be "dentist." There is an option for "dental clinic," but don't choose that! Hardly anyone searches for “dental clinic.”
Your second category can be "dental implant provider." I would not choose "prosthodontist" unless you're actually a prosthodontist. Watch this dental SEO training video if you need help finding your Google Business Profile and where to change your category.
More marketing tips from Adrian Lefler:
7 ugly truths a pretty dental website can’t hide
Dentists now allowed to use Google Local Service Ads
Add all 20 available locations to GBP
Google knows where you’re located. It also knows it’s not the only place you draw patients from. Google gives you the ability to add up to 20 locations in your GBP, and it's super simple to do. Just start typing the location, and the city or town name will pop up. The locations you want to add should be where you drop to positions four, five, six, and above.
The goal is to expand your first page rankings on the map, and you need to be in the top three listings. It's crucial to run the Google maps ranking report for dental implants. This will show you where you fall off the front page. By entering the towns and areas just beyond your first page rankings, you're encouraging Google to expand the area where you're found on the first page of maps.
Adding dental implants as a service in GBP
The services section on your GBP differs from your primary and secondary categories. They're an excellent way to showcase your range of treatments. There is no limit to the number of services you can add, so add as many as you can. Consumers do not see the services section, only owners and managers of your listing. But Google sees it and uses it to identify which GBPs should appear on the Google map when someone searches for a dental-related service.
If a potential patient searches "dental implants near me" and you don't have "dental implants" listed as a service, you may not show up on the map. So, be sure to add service titles and descriptions for any potential search phrases related to dental implants. For additional help, watch this dentist SEO webinar recording.
Write a service page for dental implants on your website
Your website is linked to your GBP, and Google looks through your website content to see whether your GBP listing is relevant to the search phrase. Having a dedicated service page on your website for dental implants is essential for optimization. The page needs to be custom content and should cover the following:
Detailed information about the procedure: Explain the dental implant process, from consultation to post-operative care. This helps potential patients understand what to expect and builds trust in your expertise.
Benefits of dental implants: Highlight the advantages of dental implants—such as improved appearance, functionality, and durability—over other tooth replacement options.
Before and after images or case studies: Showcase your successful dental implant cases with high-quality images or case studies. This provides proof of your skills in dental implantology.
Patient testimonials: Include positive reviews from satisfied dental implant patients to further demonstrate your service quality. HIPAA-compliant regulations clearly state that you need a signed HIPAA consent to display a review on your site. Here is a complimentary downloadable HIPAA consent form.
Pricing and financing options: Clearly outline the cost of dental implants at your practice and any available financing options. Price transparency helps potential patients make informed decisions and reduces the likelihood of surprises.
Best practices for optimizing your dental implant service page
Keyword research and use: Identify relevant keywords related to dental implants and incorporate them into your service page's content, headings, and metadata. This simple dental SEO copywriting tactic will improve your page's visibility on search engine results pages.
Think about all the search phrases someone might use to find a dental implant dentist. Not everyone searches for "dental implants near me." Some people search for "the best dentist who offers dental implants." Think about all the phrases that someone would search and incorporate them into the text on the page. Adding a blog to your site and writing articles that are optimized and linked to your service page is a great SEO keyword strategy.
Internal and external linking: Link to other relevant pages within your website, such as blog posts about dental implants or related procedures. Also, link to reputable external sources for more information. Do a quick search for "dental implants in [city, state]" and see which websites appear at the top of the search results. Find a website that’s not a competitor and link to it. The fact that the website is ranking high in search is an indication of its search strength. You can usually find a Wiki page or an article by the ADA or other reputable sources.
For a clear example, I will link this article to a website that ranks well for "dental seo services." Notice that it's not a dental marketing company, but an SEO software company. It's not a direct competitor, but it ranks high in search, which helps strengthen this article.
URL structure and metadata: Optimize your URL structure for your dental implants page so it looks like this—yourwebsite.com/dental-implants—and ensure that your metadata (title tags, meta descriptions, and image alt tags) accurately reflects your service page's content. If you're unfamiliar with metadata, your website provider should be able to help. If they can't, we're happy to perform a technical SEO analysis of your site, which will identify any problems.
Have a modern website: Beyond your website looking great, it needs to perform technically well or your rankings will be punished. A recent article in Dental Economics talks about the technical issues of a dental website.
More tips for improving Google maps ranking
Encourage patients to leave reviews on Google: Positive reviews improve your reputation and contribute to your Google maps ranking, but they’re not the end all/be all of ranking. I've spoken to many dentists who were told that more reviews rank you higher. It will, but it's close to 5% of the ranking factor.
We performed a massive analysis of how well practices rank on the map and we considered the total number of reviews and how many someone acquired in the past month. I found no correlation to ranking. I included almost 30,000 dental GBP accounts in the research. Reviews are critical to encouraging someone to choose you, but they don't greatly impact how well people find you.
Regularly update your GBP with fresh content and images: Keep your GBP up to date with the latest news, promotions, or changes in your practice. Google allows you to post to your GBP account, and regular posts signal to Google that your business is active and relevant, which can positively impact your ranking.
Increase inbound local links through guest blogs: Write an article for a local business of a colleague, and in the article, link "dental implants" to your dental implant service page. For example, I'm going to do this for my company. Here I'm writing an article for Dental Economics. I want to rank higher for the keyword dental marketing. Notice that the link I just added goes to mysocialpractice.com/dental-marketing. You're doing the same thing but for dental implants.
Monitor and respond to reviews and questions on Google maps: Engaging with patients who leave reviews or ask questions demonstrates that you value their feedback and are attentive to their needs. To stay HIPAA compliant, do not speak directly about the patient when you respond. Even though the patient is the one who left the review, dental HIPAA compliance regulations state clearly that you should not confirm that they’re a patient.
Attracting more dental implant patients to your practice is possible by optimizing your online presence and ranking higher on Google maps. Updating your GBP categories, listing all your locations, adding dental implants as a service, and creating a dedicated service page on your website are crucial steps in this process.
