This is the biggest and baddest update that will impact more Dentists bottom lines than we’ve seen in almost 5 years, and the worst part is this change drives your existing and prospective patients right to your competitors!!!
For Dentists, the proximity to the searcher’s location has become even more important as a ranking signal thanks to a Google algorithm update nicknamed “Possum”. With the Possum algorithm change, Google is continuing down a path it has been traveling for quite some time, which is the merging of local and organic ranking signals. This has a major impact on the local dentist and how patients are finding you (even if they’re a word of mouth referral).
Google is now applying filters to reward certain dental practices that are not only physically closest to searchers but that also are optimizing their location data, branding, Google reviews and content for search far better than anyone else. To understand the impact of this Google update and how it impacts your patients and how they find you, let’s look at the following scenario:
- Before Possum: Let’s say Kelly, a resident of Austin, Texas, requires some dental work and is doing a search for dentists in the area. An area Dentist, Dentist A, that publishes location pages for dozens of dentists might dominate the local pack results — not necessarily because Dentists A optimizes its content better than anyone else, but because it is the largest Dental practice in the area and has enough online presence strength to make those pages relevant from Google’s standpoint.
- After Possum: Kelly conducts the same search for Dentists. Instead of a single practice dominating search results, Google allocates more real estate to other practices nearby based on their location and the usual ranking signals — unless Dentists A’s content and data are so well optimized for search that they outperform other dentists by a wide margin.
What Does All This Mean For The “Local Dentist”?
BOTTOM-LINE: Greater competition with your neighbors
The physical location of the patient searching searcher is more important than it ever was before.
How to use this Google update and beat the competition
Regardless of whether you’ve been affected, now is the time to get more rigorous about how you manage your online presence, data and content as assets to make your brand more visible where people conduct “near-me” searches.
It also matters who you use to manage this for your practice. In this day and age having a “web guy” or shudder to think…. a staff member attack this online quest is a fools errand. This online marketing world is becoming extremely complicated by the day and we’re seeing it impact dentists bottom-line. Even some of the largest companies in the online marketing space can’t keep up with the changes because of their inability to tell the truth due to the fact that it doesn’t fit their long term agenda and profits, which is unfortunately selling you marketing that doesn’t produce any results and just empty’s your bank account.
Here at Local Search For Dentists®, we have an entire engineering team dedicated to monitoring google updates, and our clients are always protected against major Google changes because of our proprietary online marketing system.
Ask questions like:
- Do you have multiple businesses listings on Google that violates their terms and conditions? Resulting in Google favoring your competition over you every single time (98.6% of dentists are breaking Google’s rules and have ZERO clue about it and are on the verge of losing everything)
- Are my Google, YouTube, directory sites all branded properly to enhance the searching patients experience so that you’re differentiated to make my brand stand out?
- Is my deep content, such as long-form description of my business, or visual imagery, optimized properly for Google search?
- Are you getting 10-15 “fresh” Google patient reviews every single month?
If you’d like us to help you figure all this “techie” stuff out and see if we can help you achieve your production goals click here => lsfd1.wpenginepowered.com/actionplan
Here’s Why I’m Willing To Help You!
I love the Dental Industry. I’ve been helping people just like you in dentistry for years. And it’s become clear after 5+ years of data analysis and testing that EVERY type of new patient no matter where they come from goes DIRECTLY through your google local listing and your Google reviews… no listing = fewer new patients… no reviews = fewer new patients.
Here’s the reason why reviews and local rankings impact EVERY form of new patient attraction…whether it’s…
• Word of Mouth Referrals
• Reactivations
• Direct Mail
• TV
• Radio
• Newspaper
• Public Relations
• Billboards
In 2016 EVERY single new patient BEFORE they call your office will look up your name/practice on Google. Google has become the MOST “trusted resource” when people want to know if YOU are reputable or not.
Let us to help you figure all this “techie” stuff out and FINALLY get that leg up on your competitors! click here => lsfd1.wpenginepowered.com/actionplan
