SEO is one of the best tools for orthodontists who want to attract qualified traffic to their websites.
But, how do you start?
Artonic is a digital marketing agency with over 19 years of experience in digital marketing, and we have prepared this comprehensive guide on how to get started with orthodontist SEO.
Keep reading to learn more.
What is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results, with the most popular search engines being Google and Bing. SEO involves improving and optimizing a website’s content, backlink profile, and technical aspects to rank higher for relevant search terms, such as “orthodontist in michigan” or “affordable orthodontist in michigan.”
Effective SEO helps attract potential patients and is one of the most important marketing channels today. Research reveals that there are an estimated 3.5 billion searches on Google each day.
As a local digital marketing agency with over 19 years of experience, we can guarantee that a portion of those searches are potential patients for local orthodontists!
What Are the Benefits of SEO for Orthodontists?
SEO has many benefits for many local businesses, including orthodontists.
SEO Helps Attract More Relevant Website Visitors
By targeting specific keywords related to your services, you can potentially attract people searching for these services to your website. This means you’re reaching an audience already interested in what you offer, increasing the chances of turning visitors into patients.
SEO is Cost-Effective
Compared to traditional advertising methods, SEO provides long-term value with relatively low ongoing costs. Once your website ranks high in search results, it continues to attract traffic without the need for constant paid ads. This makes SEO a sustainable marketing strategy for orthodontic practices looking to maximize their marketing budget.
However, you must keep in mind that the cost-effectiveness of SEO will highly depend on your strategy and partner. A custom strategy and an experienced partner can make a huge difference.
SEO Improves Brand Awareness
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more visibility your practice gains. Even if users don’t immediately convert, consistent exposure builds brand recognition, helping your practice become a trusted name in the industry.
SEO Helps You Understand Your Customers
SEO gives valuable insights into what potential patients are searching for, what concerns they have, and how they interact with your site. This data allows you to refine your services and marketing strategies to better meet their needs.
How Does Orthodontist SEO Work?
Here’s a quick overview on how orthodontist SEO works.
Keyword Research
Keyword research involves identifying the phrases potential patients are likely to search for, such as “orthodontist michigan” or “how much do braces cost.”
Tools like Google Keyword Planner help you find high-traffic, low-competition keywords that align with the services you offer. Targeting the right keywords ensures that your website reaches a more relevant audience, driving potential patients to your site.
By the way, both “orthodontist michigan” and “how much do braces cost” are real keywords!
Google Keyword Planner – United States
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of the elements present in your website to improve its search engine rankings. This includes optimizing meta tags (titles, descriptions), headers, and incorporating relevant keywords into your website’s content.
Content Creation
Content creation is the cornerstone of SEO, whether you are an orthodontist, mechanic, or anything else.
Content creation includes Blog Posts, FAQs, and patient success stories. However, content creation also includes creating high-quality, informative service pages so that your customers can learn more about your services. Search engines favor websites that provide valuable, accurate content.
Off-Page SEO (Link Building)
Off-page SEO focuses on increasing your website’s authority through external factors, specifically, through external links. The more high-quality backlinks your site acquires, the better its chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO involves optimizing the backend of your website to ensure it’s easy for search engines to crawl and index. This includes factors like page speed, mobile-friendliness, security protocols (SSL certificates), and proper site architecture. If Google or other search engines can’t find or crawl your website, you won’t appear on search engine results.
Local SEO
Local SEO can be confusing for professionals not familiar with the digital marketing field. In summary, Local SEO involves optimizing your website and external profiles to appear for local searches.
For example, a non-local keyword would be “what is an orthodontist”, while a local keyword would be “orthodontist tecumseh”.
Local SEO is critical for orthodontic practices looking to attract patients in their geographic area.
Here’s an example of a Google Business Profile of an orthodontist in Ann Arbor, MI – McNamara Orthodontics.
And here’s an example of a map pack (aka local pack) and organic search results that appear for the keyword “orthodontist michigan”.
If you are an orthodontist in Michigan, you really want to be in this local pack and organic search results.
How to Get Started?
Here’s a quick guide on how to get started with local SEO for orthodontists. Keep in mind that this is just an example strategy and is not tailored for every orthodontist website.
1. Keyword Research
The first step to successful orthodontist SEO is creating a keyword research. Start by identifying the phrases potential patients are searching for, such as “orthodontist ohio” or “pediatric orthodontist cost michigan”.
Some free tools that may help with this include Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest.
Once you have a good list of keywords for your primary service pages and some Blog Posts, then you can start building your website. These keywords will be helpful for planning the architecture of your website.
2. Build a Modern Website
A well-designed, modern website is crucial for SEO success. Your website should be fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate, with a clean, professional look. Technical SEO plays a significant role here.
Optimize your website’s speed, ensure it’s mobile-responsive, and check that all pages are secured with an SSL certificate.
Search engines favor websites with a solid technical foundation because they offer a better user experience. Additionally, organizing your site with a clear structure, including easy-to-find service pages, will help both users and search engines crawl and index your content effectively.
Here’s a very simple yet effective site architecture example:
3. Create Useful, Relevant Content
Develop blog posts that answer common questions and create detailed service pages for each orthodontic service you offer, ensuring each page is optimized for specific keywords. If you are starting your website from scratch, we recommend that you begin working in the following order:
- Home
- Service pages
- Blog posts
As an additional tip, make sure to include your experience and expertise as a professional orthodontist in your content. This not only helps build credibility but also helps you differentiate from the competition. You will be surprised by the amount of professionals who outsource their content creation without providing any additional value.
Just for reference, here are some article ideas:
- What Is An Orthodontist, And How Does Orthodontics Work?
- How To Choose An Orthodontist (& Avoid Bad Professionals)
- How Often Should You Go to the Orthodontist?
4. Build Relevant Links
Focus on acquiring links from relevant, local sources such as dental associations, local news websites, and other health-related websites.
Google views backlinks as a vote of confidence, especially from authoritative and local sources. The more quality links you build, the more trust search engines place in your website, improving your visibility in search results.
Here are a few backlink ideas for orthodontist websites:
- Dental associations or reputable health professional directories
- Guest posts in health blogs
- Featured articles and success stories on local news websites
Extra: Local SEO
If you are a local business, local SEO ties together all aspects of SEO, including keyword research, link building, and content, making it an essential part of growing your practice’s local presence.
When doing keyword research, make sure to prioritize local keywords, the same applies when building links as local links are exceptionally powerful in the local algorithm.
Other local SEO activities include claiming and optimizing a Google Business Profile, maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information across reputable business directories such as Yellow Pages, and Better Business Bureau, and more.
Expert Quick SEO Tips for Orthodontist Websites
Here are some additional expert tips for doing local SEO for orthodontists. This list has been reviewed by Artonic’s SEO experts.
- Take advantage of the online tools available to you such as Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and even Google itself.
- Ask previous patients to leave you an honest review in your Google Business Profile.
- Add real photos of your dental clinic to your website and Google Business profile.
- Add a comprehensive description and accurate categories to your Google Business Profile.
- Make sure that your website is responsive and loads fast.
- If you happen to participate in a local event, make sure to ask the organization behind the event to add a link to your website from their website.
- When adding your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) to local business directories, make sure to be consistent and use the same information everywhere.
Start Your SEO Strategy With Artonic
Even with a comprehensive guide like this, orthodontist SEO can be confusing, and very time-consuming, and that’s why hiring a professional digital marketing agency like Artonic is important.
At Artonic we have over 19 years of experience helping local businesses in Michigan convert their website visitors into customers through comprehensive digital marketing strategies, including SEO.
For example, we helped one of our clients, Dr. Flue, a local chimney sweep in Southeast Michigan, increase the organic users coming to their website by over 520% in a span of 4 years. Learn more about this case study by visiting our Dr. Flue SEO Case Study.
Learn more about our SEO services in Michigan or contact us to get started today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about local SEO for orthodontists.
How Does SEO Compare to Pay-Per-Click for Orthodontists?
Unlike PPC, which requires continuous spending for immediate results, SEO builds organic traffic over time, leading to sustained visibility without ongoing costs.
What Are the Most Common SEO Mistakes Orthodontists Make?
Common SEO mistakes orthodontists make include neglecting local SEO, such as failing to optimize for location-specific keywords and ignoring Google My Business listings. Many also overlook technical SEO, leading to slow-loading websites or poor mobile optimization.
How Long Does It Take to See Results From Orthodontist SEO?
The time frame to see results in local SEO for orthodontists can vary depending on several factors such as competition and available budget. However, a common reasonable time frame can range from 6 to 12 months.