SEO isn't something you can invest in every now and again and expect great results from. It requires constant work, and of course, a little bit of know-how. The less time you spend guessing and checking your campaigns, the more energy you can focus on targeting the most viable opportunities to get patients in the door. 

Not sure where your campaigns are falling short? 

Interested in expanding your knowledge of how dental SEO works? 

Here are 3 things you need to do to better understand how to get to the top of Google rankings.

1. Target More Specific Keywords 

You won't get much online exposure if the only keywords you're using are things like "dentist" or "dentist office." These are way too generic. They don't help you reach your local audience and they don't tell users anything about the kind of dentistry you offer. 

You need to focus on long-tail keywords and make some of them focused on local SEO. Some great examples of this include:

• children's orthodontic care
• cosmetic dental service provider
• pediatric dentist in Bradenton, FL
• adult orthodontics in South Bend, Indiana

Mix these in with short, simple keywords as you're creating new content.

Avoid keyword stuffing, though. All the targeted phrases you use should feel conversational; they shouldn't be forced into the copy. 

2. Expand Your Online Presence 

Keep in mind you need to be utilizing keywords beyond your on-page optimization efforts. You have to expand your online presence by engaging your audience on social media and in email campaigns. 

These forms of content contribute to your search presence. They give Google bots more information to crawl and rank you by, and they provide your dental clients with more value. Such online channels increase brand recognition in your market and boost your search performance - it's a no-brainer to be using them!

3. Take Advantage of User-Generated Content

Maybe you're aware of all the benefits that having a social media account for your practice can offer, but you just don't have the time to build a content calendar each month. 

There are plenty of things you can do to make content management easier for you. You can learn how to recycle content, utilize content creation and scheduling tools, and maybe even hire someone to take care of your content creation and publishing efforts for you.

You can also leverage user-generated content. 

User-generated content builds trust with your audience and improves your Google rankings. Google bots crawl these just like they crawl the content you publish, and clients appreciate having reviews to read through when picking out a dental provider. 

All you have to do to generate more user-made content is to ask clients for reviews when they come in for an appointment. You can also run a social media contest or simply write CTAs that are focused on getting more patient reviews.

The #1 Secret About How to Get to the Top of Google

All of the tips mentioned above will put you on the right track to reach the top of Google rankings. But, there's one thing you need to keep in mind above all else: the only way to succeed in dental SEO is to put in the work and be consistent. 

The truth of how to get to the top of Google is that there's not a single way to be the best-ranked. Not to mention, Google's algorithms are constantly changing and new competitors are always going to pop up. 

So, you shouldn't be looking for a quick fix to boost your rankings. 

Rather, you need to utilize all the SEO tools available to you to build a strong presence that will eventually reach the top. For more tips and tricks to help you get the SERP position you're looking for, click here.