Website content optimization is a small part of a wider strategy known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short. It’s an essential aspect when publishing content online and can be the difference between being found by potential, clients, customers, or patients, or being buried somewhere on the umpteenth page.
So, when it comes to dental practices and their dental websites, in particular, the right balance of content optimization can make all the difference between obtaining a steady stream of new patients or struggling to grow their dental practice.
So what is website content optimization exactly?
In essence, content optimization is the practice of tweaking on-page copy or content to make it more appealing to the search engines and by default, for human searchers. Think about it this way…
If you have a state-of-the-art dental practice in the Melbourne CBD that specialises in kids dentistry, wouldn’t it be handy to have content that contains the words ‘kids dentist in Melbourne CBD’? The same applies if you happen to be a Sydney-based specialist orthodontist. Wouldn’t it be great to include the key phrase ‘Sydney Orthodontist’ in prominent places throughout your dental website?
The reason for this is simple…
When someone is searching online for say, a dentist in Melbourne, particularly one that specialises in kid’s dentistry, they are highly likely to type in something like ‘children’s dentist Melbourne’, or ‘kids dentistry Melbourne CBD’. This is how search engines and their rankings work. They return the pages that are the most relevant to a particular search.
In other words, perfectly executed SEO is ROI and by default, on-page content optimization is necessary to help you to achieve that.
Just one thing before we move on… you notice that we’ve used the phrase ‘on-page optimization’ several times so far but what exactly does that mean?
As the name suggests, the on-page optimizing of content refers to all content optimization techniques that occur within the parameters of a website. This includes optimizing both copy and meta data (H1 titles URL’s and alt tags etc). Alternatively, off-page website content optimization is in reality everything else that occurs outside the parameters of any dental websites and includes optimizing techniques like link-building, social media marketing, and PPC advertising.
So, how do you practice the best optimization of content?
Some of the steps that content writers, digital strategists, and media companies take when looking to SEO a dental website’s content are factors like:
- Optimizing meta descriptions
- Title tags (H1’s)
- Mobile responsiveness
- Internal linking and
- Outbound linking
However, as far as your dental content is concerned, all copy including home pages, treatment/service pages, and blogs, can and should also be optimized using relative key phrases.
If you think about it, every piece of content written or added to your dental website is a process and a chance for your dental practice to climb the search engine rankings. Therefore it pays to ensure that it’s well-optimized
…but here’s the thing…
Any content written for dental websites still needs to adhere to many of the other core processes that can help to propel you up the search engine rankings. Factors like having quality content but also content that is detailed enough and visually compelling.
What not to do with website content optimization?
Just as there are rules to follow when it comes to the successful optimization of your content, there are one or two optimizing processes that you really shouldn’t do.
Things like…
Duplicate content
By all means extract elements of great content for inspiration and infuse it with your own take on things but Google will heavily penalise dental website content that has been duplicated. In other words, content that has been directly copied will have you drop out of the search engine rankings quicker than you can say ‘osseointegration’.
Keyword spamming
In the early days of the search engines, this method of content optimization was rife. People would put up poor content and stuff it full of keywords and guess what? It would normally rank. Nowadays, however, Google, Bing et al, are far more astute and demand quality meaningful content that helps the searcher first. As a result, the best dental websites utilise keywords carefully – key phrases that flow naturally throughout the content. Overzealous usage of keywords can really hurt your content optimization efforts and will ultimately affect your search engine rankings.
Directing all links to top level navigation pages
Internal and external linking throughout your dental website is a great way of driving traffic by aiding the optimization of content. However webmasters looking after dental websites fall into the trap of directing every link back to top navigation pages including their home page.
Of course you want links, but Google may deem the optimization of content unnatural when a ton of links all lead to the contact us, about us, or home pages. These pages should incur links naturally and instead, linking optimization should be strengthened by spreading quality links evenly throughout your dental website.
So what’s the key takeaway for dental websites?
The process of constructing appealing dental websites and the optimization of content should go hand in hand, but it needs to be done with forethought, care, and caution. Create a site with perfectly technical SEO and you create a site that will always rise to the top.
If you would like to find out more about website content optimisation and how it can help your dental business, contact the team at Mediboost.
As a specialist medical marketing agency, we give you the boost you need to get new patients through the door. We can assist with website design, content, and strategic content optimization that collectively positions you as one of the top dentists in your area.
Call today for a strategy consultation on 1300 163 058.
