Currently, there are 1.74 billion websites online. There are also more than 10,000 practicing orthodontists in the U.S., according to the American Association of Orthodontists.
With so much competition, it’s incredibly easy to get lost online.
Unless you have the right orthodontic marketing strategies.
Read on for some SEO tips to design your website so that you can be found by customers.
Orthodontic Marketing Strategies
By this point in time, you should know that having a website is in your best interest. It has been found that more than 90% of people search online for businesses in their area. Thus, if you’re trying to attract new clients, you have to make sure you have an online presence.
But it’s more than that.
You can’t just have a website and hope that people will find it.
Your site has to be search engine optimized to ensure that you rank highly on search engine lists. There are numerous ways to achieve this goal, and the tips listed below can help you create an SEO-friendly website.
1. Use the Right Keywords
Keywords are the cornerstone of your SEO strategy.
When it comes to finding the right keywords for your orthodontic practice, there are several different ways you can find the right ones.
There are sites online that can help you determine the most popular and frequently used keywords. You might also consider thinking like one of your customers. Either of these options can help you figure out which keywords to use.
You won’t be able to incorporate all of the keywords that people might use. Incorporate as many as possible. This will ensure that search engines place you on the search list.
2. Be Aware of User Intent
Not only do you need to find the right keywords to put onto your website, but you also have to think about user intent.
Keywords are generally grouped into four categories based on the intentions of the user. These include:
- Navigational – If a person is searching for a specific page online, they will type in navigational keywords. This would include the name of your practice.
- Informational – For people who are looking for information about a topic, they will use these types of keywords. Some topics that might apply specifically to your practice include “Invisalign vs traditional braces,” “does getting braces hurt,” or “how to straighten teeth.”
- Commercial – Should someone be looking to spend money but may not be quite ready, they would use these types of keywords. Commercial keywords might also be used to help people find what options are available in their area, such as “best orthodontist in Pennsylvania.”
- Transactional – When a customer is ready to spend money, they will use transactional keywords. Some of the terms they might use include “get an orthodontist” or “make an appointment with an orthodontist.”
When you are putting together your keywords, knowing the different ways that customers can and will use them will ensure that your site is SEO optimized. This way, customers can find your site no matter where they are in their search for an orthodontist.
3. Make Sure Your Website Has Good Structure
Once a searcher makes it to your website, you need to make sure they stay there. You only have a few seconds to grab a person’s attention, and having a website that is structured will can help with that endeavor.
Some of the things you should include on your site include:
- Fast loading speed – People won’t wait for your site to load. If it takes too long, they’ll look for an orthodontic site that loads faster.
- Easy to navigate – No matter what information a person is looking for on your site, whether it is contact information, information about your practice, or services you offer, they should be able to get to where they need to go in three clicks or less.
- Mobile friendly – The vast majority of people use their phone to search the web, so you need to make sure that your site looks good and is easy to read if someone is using this device to get information about your business.
4. Optimize Your Orthodontic Practice for Local Search
The vast majority of your patients will be coming from the local community. Make sure you are using the right SEO strategies to be found by these individuals.
One of the easiest ways to do that is to create and optimize your page in Google My Business.
You should also make sure your business is included in other online listings. These include Yelp, Facebook, and perhaps even the local chamber of commerce website. You can also find health listings to add your site to.
It’s also important that your name, address, and phone number are correct and consistent across all of the various sites you are listed on. This will ensure that search engines recognize you and rank you high on the list.
It’s also beneficial to encourage customers to leave you a review.
Many people trust what other customers have to say about a business, and this is certainly true at the local level. Encourage your current customers to talk about their experience.
5. Offer Valuable Site Content
Having content on your site is important for a couple of reasons:
1. It allows you to incorporate keywords
2. It gives people a reason to come back to your site
When you put up regular blog posts, you are giving people an incentive to come to your site.
It’s also important to do a regular website update to keep your site current and up to date with the latest trends.
6. Make Sure Inbound Links Are Relevant and Trusted
The most important off-page SEO activity you can engage in is link building.
Thus, when you guest blog, answer questions in forums, or participate in other online activities, make sure the links you offer lead to pages that are relevant to what you are talking about and can be trusted.
7. Measure Your SEO Impact
After incorporating SEO into your site, you need to make sure it’s having an impact. That’s why you need to look at data and analytics.
If you aren’t getting the traffic to your site that you were hoping for, or you can’t convert leads into appointments, then you need to make some changes.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
You probably know that there are many benefits of SEO, but trying to incorporate the different strategies onto your site can be challenging.
That’s why working with a company that dedicates itself to orthodontic marketing strategies is in your best interest.
At Ortho Advertising, we have the skills and expertise to make sure your site has what it needs to be found. We can help you create content that people want to read, as well as read the data and analytics to make sure you are incorporating SEO best practices.
Don’t get lost on the web. Contact us today!