Keyword Research Strategies for Dentists

A keyword is used to describe the central theme of a piece of content. It is the search term that your content will rank for. Plus, a keyword is not limited to a single word. It can also be a phrase—key phrase. Additionally, you can use multiple keywords to rank for multiple search queries—for instance, this article.

The central theme of this blog is keywords and research. Therefore, the keyword or phrase is “keyword research.” Alternatively, you could use “keyword research for dentists” if you want to be specific.

Why are keywords important?

We use keywords when we need information on a topic. It is the search query a user inputs into a search engine.

So, what would you type if you wanted to look up dentists on Google? You’d probably key in “dentists.” That’s a keyword. Or “dentists in Brooklyn” if you live in Brooklyn and want a local dentist. Hence, the phrase “dentists in Brooklyn” is a key phrase.

Keywords are crucial because they directly impact SEO (search engine optimization). Consequently, SEO has a direct impact on the ranking of your content.

But why is ranking so important? The higher you rank on the results page, the more traffic you get. Here are some stats to give you an idea of why keywords and SEO are crucial:

• 61% of B2B marketers say they generate more leads through SEO and organic traffic
• 75% of users do not move past the first page of results
• 86% of users do not interact with paid banners, opting for organic search results.
• About one in three customers look for local business over the internet.

Keywords can single-handedly boost your ranking since they enable your content to pop up for a query. Therefore, a strong keyword strategy results in a high rank.‍

Why should you conduct keyword research?

Unfortunately, you can not put random keywords in any piece of work, since this defeats the purpose of a keyword. There is a science to using keywords in the same way there is a science to marketing. The stronger your foundations in science, the better your content will perform.Keywords research helps you zone in on the right keywords for the right piece of content. To understand the why, we first need to understand the how.

Google ranks pages based on their content. Thus, the words you use in your content are essential. Mainly because it clues Google into what you are writing about. Therefore, the more you use a precise word, the easier it becomes for Google to categorize it. Hence, the term “keyword.”Contrary to what people believe, focus on audiences instead of the algorithm when you work on your keyword strategy.

It is because Google prioritizes user experiences when they develop its algorithms. It means your content will never be outdated if you write for people. Additionally, by using the right keyword strategies, you are attracting your target audience, without which your potential customers would not be able to find you. The best way to create content that ranks well is to use keywords your audience use in a query. Hence, you need to think like your customers to understand their search queries.

The best way to achieve this is to conduct keyword research.You can attract your target demographic and generate quality leads simultaneously with keyword research. Thus, your business flourishes with the influx of web traffic. Additionally, your dental practice is easier to find because you rank high.‍

How to conduct keyword research?

Despite what many people believe, keyword research is easy. A bit challenging at times, but this is what makes it riveting. In fact, it can be the easiest part of your content and keyword strategy. Additionally, keyword research is a science. The best part of it is that you can evaluate your efforts and change your approach later on.

Identify dental keywords and include niche keywords in your keyword research

You can not end your research with the word “dentist.” Research extensively and exhaust every dental-related word you can think of. The two most important types of keywords are location-based and treatment-based keywords.

Location-based would include state and city. For example, “best dental clinics in Colorado” or “dental clinics near Boston.” It will help local customers find your clinic. Additionally, the resultant web traffic may boost quality leads.

Treatment-based keywords include terms such as root canals, braces, dental fillings, etc. By including treatment terms, you are signaling to your audiences that you provide such services.

Moreover, people search for specific treatment terms when looking up a dental query. Niche keywords are an excellent way to attract a specific segment of the demographic.

If you are a periodontist, you do not want patients that require root canals. Therefore, you need to highlight your niche in your keyword research. ‍

Optimize for long-tail keywords

A single keyword or a few keywords might seem like a good idea, but they are not. Keywords have a high search volume but they also have a lot of competition. Therefore, limit keywords if you can. Plus, most of the time, singular keywords do not yield satisfying results due to the vagueness of the search term.

When people look for something on the internet, they are looking for specific data. Therefore, they will use specific phrases to find it.A search query's intent is as crucial as the words they use. For example, a customer is looking for a dentist to get their teeth whitened. They are not simply going to use “teeth whitening.” The resultant page is going to include information about teeth whitening, but a lot of it might not be relevant to the customer.

Since they are specifically looking for dentists that provide the treatment, they might use phrases like “teeth whitening treatment near me”, “dentists who do teeth whitening”, or even “teeth whitening doctors in my city.

”All the above examples are of long-tail keywords. They are extremely specific, resulting in specific information. Moreover, long-tail keywords have lower competition. Therefore, people prefer them over single-word keywords.Remember, the more specific you are, the easier it is for customers to find you.

Include relevant topics in your keyword research

Dental literature is difficult to understand for amateurs. Therefore, many customers tend to query similar topics to gain an understanding of the topic. For instance, a customer will look up “root canal recovery”, “root canal cost”, and “root canal procedure” if they are trying to book a treatment. You can use the aforementioned keywords instead of simply using “root canal”.

Additionally, someone who is looking in the root canal will also look into anesthesia, types of root canal treatments, stages in a root canal procedure, and how long it can take to heal.

By providing relevant data, you are covering all the data your audiences might look for. Therefore, your audience has all the information they need in one place, so they won't look for it elsewhere. Plus, it is an excellent way to boost traffic and provide value before you even have a client.

What keywords do your competitors use?

You should always know what your competitor is up to, the treatment they are offering, how their social media is performing, and what keywords they are using. You are competing for clients as well as rankings. Therefore, keeping an eye on your competitors' keywords will give you an inkling as to what they are doing. Plus, it makes creating a keyword strategy so much easier.

Additionally, it gives you a chance to see what long-tail keywords are being used. You can use your competitors' keywords as a reference to create your own.

Tools you can use for keyword research

Like any researcher worth their salt, you must have an arsenal of research tools at your disposal to do the best job.

Google Search Console

It is a free service provided by Google wherein you can monitor your website's performance on Google search results. You do not have to sign up to be included in the search results but it gives you insight into how you can perform better. Moreover, you can conduct your keyword research and figure out how to optimize your SEO using this platform.

Google Search Console will show you the queries your page is showing up for and how it is ranking.

Google Keyword Planner

Another free tool offered by Google to help you conduct keyword research for your content and campaigns. The Planner will tell you keywords and key phrases related to your business and how many queries we ask on those. Additionally, you will be able to see the cost.

The Google Keyword Planner is an excellent choice for in-depth keyword research. You can also create a keyword plan. It will track the search volume for any uploaded keywords.

Moz Keyword Explorer

In addition to search queries and the keywords you rank for, Moz also offers your competitors the strength of ranking keywords. This is especially critical for your competitor research. Moreover, it allows you to save and organize your keywords in a list, making it easier to categorize your keyword research.

SEMrush

SEMrush is a popular choice in keyword research by many companies. It gives you keyword ideas based on the keyword you input and its “click potential.” Moreover, you can easily filter search intent and analyze it later. With SEMrush, it is so much easier to look up long-tail keywords and discover exact search phrases.

You can also compare your keyword strategy with your competitors to identify areas you lack in.

Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

It is the most widely used keyword research tool. The platform runs on a third-party database and supports queries from 171 countries. You can target audiences by search engines since Ahrefs includes platforms such as YouTube, Bing, and Baidu in their databases. Ahrefs also offers keyword difficulty scores, clicks metrics, and SERP overview and position history.