In the world of legal marketing, it seems most “best practices” for areas like SEO and local optimization are being observed and kept intact. Conversely, after just a couple of years in the dental space, it’s shocking to see how many glaring mistakes and gaps exist in SEO strategy and implementation on even a basic website. Here are the top five issues we still encounter and why it’s crucial to address them.
1. Plagiarized Content
We’ve seen plagiarized content in the legal field before, and when we bring it up with potential clients in this space, they’re often aware of the situation. Many times, they’re on a cheap payment plan or subscription that allows them to use content that isn’t exclusive to their website. Unfortunately, this content is usually found on multiple other websites, sometimes even dozens. Despite our best efforts to communicate the importance of unique, high-quality content, it’s often acknowledged but dismissed.
In the dental space, we’re noticing something different: clients are often unaware that the content is plagiarized, or it was never clearly communicated to them that they were getting unique content. This problem is rampant—not just in blogs but also on main service area pages and, shockingly, even home pages. It’s bizarre when talking about home pages, considering there should be enough distinct language to differentiate one dental practice from another.
So why is it important to have unique content? Think of every piece of copy on a website as being evaluated by Google to determine whether it’s worthy of being indexed and showing up in search results. Google aims to provide the best user experience possible, so when it crawls websites, it looks for unique, original, and helpful content that either covers existing subject matter or introduces new information. If the content is already on another website word-for-word, Google sees no value in indexing it again. If Google determines your content is plagiarized, it won’t be indexed, meaning it won’t appear in search results for any keywords you’re trying to optimize. This is a massive issue for SEO. While anyone can still navigate your website via internal links, a plagiarized website is highly unlikely to appear in search results, leading to poor visibility and limited traffic. Addressing this issue should be a top priority for any marketing company.
2. Proprietary Content Management Systems (CMS)
Another common issue is being built on a proprietary CMS or platform. While this might not always be a big deal, it becomes problematic when marketing companies have little or no access to make the necessary updates or optimizations to keep the website competitive. If a dental practice is stuck with an outdated CMS, an SEO professional can’t make even basic updates, whether they involve increasing site speed, updating the mobile version of the website, or improving responsiveness.
Modern platforms like WordPress offer more flexibility and ease of use, allowing for these essential updates. Even platforms like Wix or Squarespace, though not always ideal from a technical standpoint, still offer more functionality than outdated systems. SEOs appreciate the ability to make modern updates, such as implementing schema or structured data, which is backend information specifically for search engines. An outdated platform can severely hinder the effectiveness of an SEO campaign.
3. Absence of Geographic Optimizations
Another issue we frequently encounter is the absence of geographic optimizations. This often involves meta information, such as meta titles and descriptions that appear in search results. While it’s common for clients to include their brand name or dental practice in these elements, they often overlook the importance of including geographic information.
Why is geography important? Most dental practices serve local communities, and Google looks for geographic associations to determine a website’s relevance to a search query. For example, a dental practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, should include “Charlotte” or “NC” in its meta information to improve local search visibility. However, we often see clients missing this critical step, which leads to lost opportunities in search rankings.
4. Reviews and Google Business Profile Categories for Individual Practitioners
On a positive note, many dental practices excel at gathering positive reviews, which helps them remain competitive. However, there’s more that can be done. Many don’t fully optimize their Google Business profiles, missing out on a prime opportunity to attract new patients. By fully filling out their profiles and making the necessary updates to their websites, dental practices can significantly increase their visibility.
Another big gap is the category that people will select – which will oftentimes be very general (i.e., “Dentist”). If they are doing both cosmetic dentistry and periodontal work, it’s important to know that there is only one main category, and instead of listing the rest as secondary categories, it is more beneficial to create another individual practitioner Google Business Profile and allow for that profile to have a more dedicated category for what they do.
5. Citations and Auxiliary Marketing Campaigns
Finally, it’s important to have a consistent plan for citations, which displays your name, address, phone number, and other business information across various local, dental, and business directories. Properly managed citations can greatly impact a practice’s reach on maps and local search results.
As a bonus, auxiliary marketing campaigns, such as local service ads and Google Ads, are often poorly set up and optimized. If managed correctly, these campaigns could offer a competitive return on investment and be a worthwhile addition to a dental practice’s marketing strategy.
Why Addressing SEO Issues in Dental Websites Matters
At Market My Market, we’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to address SEO issues in specialized fields like dental marketing. The five common issues highlighted in this article—plagiarized content, outdated CMS platforms, lack of geographic optimization, underutilized Google Business Profiles, and inconsistent citation management—can severely limit a dental practice’s online visibility. Unlike general marketing firms, we focus on creating unique, high-quality content and ensuring your website is optimized on every level. Our approach is transparent, and we provide real-time reporting, so you’re always informed about what’s working.
By partnering with us, you’re choosing a team with decades of combined experience dedicated to making your practice stand out in a competitive market. We tailor our strategies to meet your specific needs, ensuring your website ranks well and converts visitors into patients. Reach out to us at (800) 997-7336 or through our contact form to learn how we can help your dental practice thrive online.