Does Your Practice Come Up When Someone Is Searching on Their Phone?
We speak to dozens of dentists every week and they almost all want more calls to their practice. More calls equal more opportunities. As a dental marketing agency, that’s our job.
Many dental offices are great at internal marketing, creating patient evangelists and lots of referrals. But if you’re running a dental office that needs to grow, that step usually requires external marketing. I know many practices have tried marketing outlets in the past, some with disappointing results. The unfortunate truth is that marketing for a dental practice is always a moving target.
Data shows us that from an external standpoint, over 80% of calls come from the maps section of Google when people are searching on their phones. 48% of buyers start with a mobile search, and that number is approaching 70%. This massive opportunity for a dental practice could double, maybe even triple the calls for your services every month.
Specific Goals to Work On
One of the most critical components of any business’ reputation is online reviews. Your office should be making a concerted effort every day to get more Google reviews. The practice with more reviews (stars) gets the call when people are searching online. And this is a ranking factor for the maps section (3-pack) of Google.
Second, is making sure your Google business listing is fully optimized with images, special offers, accurate hours, a full description, the correct links to your website, and other items.
Thirdly, make sure your website is updated and gives the reader the information they need within 5 seconds. Check how your site looks on a mobile device. Can they see your number, location, and hours at the top of the mobile version? If not, it needs to be corrected. Remember, the website is 100% for the user, not for you the dentist. Every word on every page should be written as if you are standing there talking to them about their desires and needs.
Why it Matters
I wish every dental office could understand the importance of what Google maps searches do to improve and increase the calls to their office. Stand outside your office and type “dentist” into the Google search bar from your phone. Does your practice come up near the top? It should, as you’re standing right outside. If it doesn’t, there’s work that needs to be done.
Meet the Author
Author Mike Pedersen is the founder of The Dental Boost and is the host of the popular iTunes podcast called “Your Dental Success.” He and his team offer mobile ranking analysis of dental websites and can be reached at TheDentalBoost.com/contact.
