utf8_encode(Smart Dental Search Engine Optimization)

Dentistry is a constantly developing arena. Dental technology is always getting better, with newtools, techniques, and treatments being developed on a regular basis. At the same time, many of theapproaches and procedures that dentists mastered in dental school are being dumped in favor ofthese new technologies. That means for dentists the learning never comes to an end. They mustspend time outside of treating patients to read trade journals and attend conferences and seminarsto stay abreast of the shifts in their industry. Given the continuous state of change within the dentalprofession, it should come as no wonder that dental practice marketing strategies have changed aswell.

Historically, dental marketing was comprised of taking out an advertisement in the local paper,getting an enlarged listing in the yellow pages, and in some cases sending out the infrequent directmail advertising flyer. The paper and yellow pages ads could be contracted out for a year at astretch, meaning that the regular dentist really didn't have to invest much time on getting hispractice seen. But with the increase of the Internet and social media, things have significantlychanged.

The reality is that nearly all people aren't reading the papers or using the yellow pages any more.Rather than being locked into one local paper, people use the Internet to gain access to continuouslyupdated news from sources that they prefer, rather than being locked into one local paper. And thephone book and yellow pages have been replaced by a comparatively new world-wide giant: Google.Google's Internet search engine has become so entrenched in our society that they are now a verb,with people often Googling any piece of data that they need. And that encompasses their researchfor a dentist.

The majority of dental practices came to grips in the late 1990's or early 2000's with the reality thatthey would have to have some kind of website. These days the website is almost as commonplace asthe sign outside a dental practice. They are now a required element to launching a dental business.But what quite a few dentists don't realize is that the website design doesn't only need to beaesthetically attractive for prospective customers. To get your web page (and therefore yourpractice) discovered by people it first has to be found, understood, and found to be relevant by

Google. Enter the role of dental Search Engine Optimization.

With any given search generating hundreds or thousands of results, it is crucial for dental offices torank at or near the top of the search listings. Individuals have always tended to choose the firstresult they see in any search. That is the reason why the yellow pages were filled with companieslike A1 Towing and AAA Auto Repair. Dentists with last names that began with lettershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_page from the tail end of the alphabet were forced to brand theirpractice differently, or spring for a much larger display advertisement to attempt to get the attentionof searchers.

Things are not much different in the on-line searches today. Dental practices can either pay Googleto advertise in the paid results segment of relevant keyword searches, or do the Search EngineOptimization labor required to top the organic listings. With the price of Google ads for dentalkeywords running from $5 to $20 or more per click in reasonably competitive markets, it is wise fordentists to invest in Search Engine Optimization services to save money in the end.