N. Texas Dentistry Special Issue 2014 Inside the Exceptional Practice | Page 18
How the Latest Google Changes Affect Your Chances
of Being Found by Prospective Patients
Let’s be nostalgic for a moment. Do you remember when good
dental marketing meant nothing more than making sure your
practice was listed in the local phone book directory? It was a
simpler time – long before people started ditching their trusted
phone book for the sleeker smart phone.
Today, folks have numerous options when it comes to choosing
where to find the local goods and services they want (including
dentistry services). While yes, they can still pick up their phone
book, most are choosing a more digital route. Instead, today’s
dental patient is picking up their smart phone and conducting
a Google search to find a dentist at a time when it’s convenient
for them. How do we know? Consider these statistics:
of all cell phone users use their phone to search for
49% local
or location-based information.
50% of local searches occur within directories or apps.
of people trust online reviews from complete
79% strangers
as much as personal recommendations
– Pew Internet Research 2013
– YP.com 2014
from family and friends.
– BrightLocal 2014
18 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
That’s a considerable amount of patients who choose to find
what they need locally online and for you, the competition is
fierce. With no other personal reference, your potential patients
in North Texas have a seemingly endless number of choices
when it comes to choosing a great dentist in their local community. So, how do you stand out? A strong online presence is
essential for sustained, optimal practice growth. You absolutely
must increase your online visibility. In other words, make your
practice findable when patients search for dental services in
your community. A big part of achieving that visibility is making
sure your practice is accurately listed in as many online directories as possible. Think of them as a modern or updated “phone
book” listing with a customer review option added.
Long gone are the days of relying on a phone book listing or
your website to bring you new patients. Local online visibility
takes some work and it begins and ends with accurate local
directory listings.
The Importance of Completely Accurate Local Listings
Local directories, also known as local listings are third party,
online directories that your patients can search to find services
they need. Some popular directories include large search
engines like GoogleMyBusiness, Bing Local or Yahoo Local as