What does the rest of 2025 have in store for us? If you’re a dental practice considering a change in marketing partners, that future might include some unexpected roadblocks from your current vendor. I’ve been taken aback by some of the arrangements we’ve seen dental clients locked in with other agencies. The barriers, obstacles, and sometimes downright unscrupulous tactics that emerge when practices decide to move on—whether for performance issues or relationship concerns—can be stunning.
After nearly 15 years in search engine optimization and working with competitive industries like legal and dental, I’ve developed what I think is a pretty thorough understanding of what constitutes ethical business practices during transitions. My background spans in-house roles, consulting, freelancing, and advisory positions – I’ve seen it all. And quite frankly, some of what I’m seeing in dental marketing transitions lately wouldn’t fly in other professional service sectors.
While I’d love for any client to work with Market My Market for as long as we provide value, the reality is that professional relationships sometimes end. That’s business. What shouldn’t happen is being held hostage when you decide to make a change. Let me walk you through the top five red flags you should be aware of before initiating a transition from your current dental marketing vendor:
1. Domain Ownership Disputes
This is fundamental: your practice’s domain should be yours. Purchasing a domain is straightforward and hasn’t changed much in likely three decades. A “.com” domain typically costs $12-15 annually through registrars like GoDaddy.
What we’re seeing, however, is agencies that “lease” domains to dental practices – a practice that was more common a decade ago but should raise immediate concerns today. While keyword-rich domains like “CharlotteCosmeticDentistry.com” might have some inherent marketing value because of vanity keywords and non-conformity to a brand/entity, your branded practice domain (like “CharlotteSmilingFaces.com”) belongs with you.
If your agency is charging a premium ($50-100 monthly) for domain “ownership” – often disguised as website maintenance or hosting fees – you’re being overcharged for something that should cost $15 annually. If that isn’t exactly the issue, then the idea of a “purchase” or “transference” fee is what really stands out.
Should disputes arise, organizations like ICANN provide remedies for businesses whose domains are being held hostage. You can identify domain ownership through WHOIS lookups and report abuses like domain squatting or hijacking.
2. Excessive Contract Lengths
Another concerning trend is unusually long contract terms. Today’s standard marketing agreements typically run 6-12 months. Anything extending to 18 months, 24 months, or beyond should raise immediate questions.
The only legitimate reason for such lengthy commitments would be steep discounts – usually paired with hefty early termination fees. This approach is increasingly uncommon because modern marketing requires flexibility. Unlike software subscriptions that deliver consistent experiences year after year, agency relationships need room to evolve or end if performance declines.
If you’re seeing multi-year commitments without reasonable opt-out provisions (30-60-day cancellation notices), you’re looking at an outdated and problematic business model.
3. Recycled Content Sold as “Custom”
This particular issue is rampant in dental marketing. Some agencies recycle identical content across multiple dental clients, sometimes with minimal changes. While they might technically disclose this practice, they rarely explain its impact on your marketing effectiveness.
Here’s what they don’t tell you: Google recognizes canonical content, meaning only the original publication receives SEO value. Every subsequent usage is essentially invisible to search engines. While patients might find this content helpful if they happen to visit your site directly, recycled content delivers virtually no SEO benefit for attracting new patients.
From an optimization standpoint, this content is practically useless and will need to be completely rewritten to drive meaningful traffic. If your current agency is holding recycled content hostage during a transition, they’re actually doing you a favor – it wasn’t helping your practice anyway.
4. Website Ownership Limitations
Before signing with any agency, you need clarity about what happens to your website if you leave. Will you own the design? Can you transfer the site? Will you need to rebuild completely?
We’ve seen contracts with language specifically prohibiting practices from recreating similar designs elsewhere after termination – sometimes threatening legal action if you try. This creates an artificial dependency that keeps practices tethered to underperforming agencies out of fear of starting over.
Your practice website should be an asset you control, not a leased property that disappears when you change marketing partners.
5. Analytics Data Retention
This one is particularly egregious. Some agencies withhold historical Google Analytics and Google Search Console data when clients leave. These platforms are free Google tools that provide essential insights into your website’s performance – they aren’t proprietary agency technology.
There is absolutely no legitimate reason for an agency to deny access to this historical performance data. It doesn’t belong to them; it belongs to your practice. Withholding this information not only harms your marketing continuity but likely violates Google’s terms of service.
What This Means for Your Practice
The dental marketing landscape shouldn’t be the wild west. These tactics aren’t standard practice among reputable agencies – they’re desperate measures to create artificial dependencies that keep clients locked in regardless of performance.
At Market My Market, we operate with a different philosophy. Our core value of “Complete Honesty and Transparency” means we would never employ these tactics. We believe in earning client loyalty through results and relationship quality, not contractual handcuffs.
If you’re considering a transition or experiencing any of these issues with your current vendor, I’d welcome a conversation about how a true marketing partnership should function. Because at the end of the day, your marketing should be generating new patients, not headaches.
How Market My Market Can Help
If you’re considering a new marketing agency for your dental practice, you need a partner that prioritizes transparency and results, not roadblocks. We don’t believe in holding your website, domain, or data hostage. Your practice deserves marketing that works for you—not a contract that works against you. Our approach is built on clear communication, ethical business practices, and a commitment to delivering measurable growth.
At Market My Market, we take pride in our client relationships. With our real-time reporting, customized strategies, and honest approach, we make transitions seamless and stress-free. If you’re ready to work with an agency that earns your business through performance, not restrictions, let’s talk. Call us at (800) 997-7336 or reach out through our contact form.
