Online Business Listings
Whether you created them or not, your dental practice likely has listings on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Healthgrades. Ignoring these listings means missing out on potential new patients. To maximize your practice’s visibility and attract more patients, you must claim these listings. Ensure that your practice name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent across all platforms. Post high-quality images, respond promptly to patient reviews, and complete your profile, including business hours and location details. Additionally, provide links to your website and social media profiles to create a seamless online presence.
Local Search
Search engines are the go-to resource for the majority of new patients searching for dental practices. The trend toward local search has been growing and shows no signs of slowing down. Patients today often skip the “near me” qualifier, expecting search results to be localized by default. When potential patients search for a local dental practice, they are primarily looking for your practice’s location, contact number, and business hours. If you’re not optimizing for local search engine optimization (SEO) and claiming your local business listings, you’re missing a critical opportunity to attract these patients.
Voice Search
Voice search is on the rise, with approximately 46% of people using it to find local business information daily. These users are often undecided about which dental practice to choose and tend to go with the first few recommendations their voice search provides. If your practice isn’t among those results, you’re losing out on potential patients. To improve your visibility in voice search results, consider implementing a local review schema on your website. This schema helps search engines understand and present your site information as snippets, which can place your practice in the coveted position zero or local-three-pack, making it more likely to be recommended by voice search.
Word of Mouth
Word-of-mouth remains a powerful driver of new patients to your practice. Encouraging your existing patients to share their positive experiences can significantly impact your patient acquisition efforts. Motivate your patients to spread the word by sharing their experiences on social media, posting reviews on third-party sites, and recommending your practice to friends and family. Creating an environment where your patients are eager to refer others is key to sustaining and growing your practice.
Conclusion
Understanding how patients find dental practices online allows you to focus your digital marketing efforts more effectively. By leveraging online business listings, local search, voice search, and word-of-mouth, you can increase your practice’s visibility and attract new patients. Ready to take your practice to the next level? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation and discover how Eprompt can help you reach your target audience, nurture leads, and grow your dental practice. Let us handle the heavy lifting while you propel your practice into a bright future.