Google Business Profile for Dentists

Your Google Business Profile is the first thing patients see when they search for your practice.

Essential Information to Include:

Photos That Build Trust:

• Outside of your practice
• Clean, modern reception area
• Treatment rooms
• Your team (with permission)
• Happy patients (with written consent)
• Before/after treatment photos (with consent)

Practice Website Basics

Your website should answer the questions patients have:

Homepage Must Include:

Service Pages Need:

• Clear descriptions of treatments
• Prices for private treatments
• How long treatments take
• What patients can expect
• Before and after photos

Targeting Your Local Area

Primary Location Keywords:

Neighbourhood Targeting: If you’re in Manchester, also target:

Service + Location Keywords:

• “teeth whitening Manchester”
• “dental implants Birmingham”
• “emergency dentist Leeds”

Creating Location-Specific Content

Write content about your local area:

• “Dental Care for Families in [Your Area]”
• “Emergency Dental Services in [Your City]”
• “NHS Dental Care Available in [Your Location]”
• “Serving [Nearby Neighbourhoods] for 20 Years”

Content That Attracts Patients

Educational Content:

Treatment Information:

Local Health Topics:

• “Dental Health in [Your City]: Local Statistics”
• “How [Local] Water Quality Affects Your Teeth”
• “Community Dental Programs in [Your Area]”

Keywords That Work for Dentists

High-Intent Keywords:

Treatment Keywords:

Problem-Based Keywords:

• “toothache treatment”
• “broken tooth repair”
• “missing tooth replacement”
• “gum disease treatment”

Getting Patient Reviews

When to Ask:

How to Ask: “If you were happy with your treatment today, would you mind leaving us a quick review on Google? It really helps other patients find our practice.”

Review Request Email Template: “Hi [Patient Name],

Thank you for choosing [Practice Name] for your dental care. We hope you were pleased with your recent treatment.

If you have a moment, we’d be grateful if you could share your experience by leaving a review on our Google page: [direct link]

This helps other patients in [your area] find quality dental care.

Kind regards, [Your Name] [Practice Name]”

• After successful routine cleanings
• Following completed treatment plans
• When patients compliment your service
• Via follow-up emails after appointments

Responding to Dental Reviews

Positive Review Response: “Thank you for taking the time to review our practice, [Name]. We’re delighted you were happy with your treatment. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment.”

Negative Review Response: “Thank you for your feedback, [Name]. We take all patient concerns seriously. Please contact our practice manager at [number] so we can discuss this privately and address your concerns.”

Important: Never discuss specific medical details in public review responses due to patient confidentiality.

Mobile Optimization

65% of dental searches happen on mobile phones. Your website must:

• Load quickly on phones
• Have large, clickable phone numbers
• Show your address clearly
• Make appointment booking easy on mobile

Page Speed

Slow websites lose patients. Speed up your site by:

• Optimizing images (compress before uploading)
• Using reliable hosting
• Minimizing plugins
• Enabling caching

Schema Markup for Dentists

Schema markup helps Google understand your practice information:

• Practice name and type
• Address and phone number
• Opening hours
• Services offered
• Accepted payment methods
• Patient reviews

Local Link Building for Dentists

Community Involvement:

Professional Relationships:

Educational Outreach:

• Speak at local schools about dental health
• Write for local newspapers
• Appear on local radio
• Offer free dental health seminars

Content Marketing Ideas

Seasonal Content:

Patient Education:

• “How Often Should You Visit the Dentist?”
• “What Your Dental Insurance Covers”
• “Preparing Children for Their First Dental Visit”
• “Managing Dental Anxiety: Tips That Help”

NHS Patient SEO

Keywords for NHS Patients:

Content for NHS Patients:

• “NHS Dental Services at Our Practice”
• “Understanding NHS Dental Charges”
• “What NHS Dental Treatment Includes”
• “How to Register with an NHS Dentist”

Private Patient SEO

Keywords for Private Patients:

Content for Private Patients:

• “Private Dental Treatment Options”
• “Cosmetic Dentistry Services”
• “Advanced Dental Technology”
• “Premium Dental Care Experience”

GDC Advertising Guidelines

The General Dental Council has strict rules about dental advertising:

You CAN:

You CANNOT:

• Make unrealistic treatment promises
• Use misleading price claims
• Share patient information without consent
• Make false or exaggerated claims

Patient Data Protection

Website Privacy:

Review Management:

• Never share patient details in responses
• Get written consent for testimonials
• Respect patient confidentiality
• Follow data protection guidelines

Key Metrics to Track

Google Business Profile:

Website Analytics:

Practice Growth:

• New patient enquiries
• Appointment bookings
• Treatment plan acceptance rates
• Patient retention rates

Monthly SEO Tasks

Week 1:

Week 2:

Week 3:

Week 4:

• Analyze patient inquiry sources
• Review and respond to patient feedback
• Update website content
• Plan improvements for next month

This Week

1. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
2. Check your practice information is consistent everywhere
3. Ask recent patients for reviews
4. Set up Google Analytics on your website

This Month

1. Create location-specific content for your website
2. Join local business directories
3. Start a monthly email newsletter for patients
4. Connect with other local healthcare providers

Next 3 Months

Dental SEO isn’t about tricks or shortcuts. It’s about making your practice easy to find online for patients who need dental care in your area.

Focus on providing excellent patient care, building relationships in your community, and helping people understand how you can help their dental health. The search rankings will follow naturally.

1. Build relationships with local community groups
2. Create educational content about dental health
3. Monitor your local search rankings
4. Develop a system for getting regular patient reviews

When to Ask for Reviews

Best Times:

Times to Avoid:

• When there’s been a problem
• Right before solving an issue
• When customers seem rushed
• During complaints or disputes

How to Ask for Reviews

In Person: “We’d really appreciate if you could leave us a quick review on Google. It helps other local customers find us.”

Via Email: “Thanks for choosing [Business Name]. If you were happy with our service, would you mind leaving a quick review? Here’s a direct link: [link]”

Text Message: “Hi [Name], thanks for using our services. If you have 30 seconds, a review would really help our small business: [link]”

Making It Easy for Customers

Provide Direct Links: Don’t make customers search for your business. Send them straight to your review page.

Give Simple Instructions: “Click the link, choose how many stars, and write a sentence or two about your experience.”

Follow Up Gently: If someone agrees to leave a review but doesn’t, send one polite reminder after a week.

Response Templates for Good Reviews

Short and Sweet: “Thanks so much for the lovely review, [Name]! We’re delighted you were happy with our service.”

More Detailed: “Thank you for taking the time to review us, [Name]. We’re thrilled you were pleased with [specific service mentioned]. We look forward to helping you again.”

For Specific Compliments: “Thanks for the kind words about [specific team member/service], [Name]. We’ll make sure to pass your compliments along to the team.”

What to Include in Positive Responses

• Thank the customer by name
• Mention the specific service they used
• Keep it professional but friendly
• Invite them back
• Keep responses under 50 words

Your Response Strategy

Respond Quickly: Reply within 24 hours if possible. Quick responses show you care about customer concerns.

Stay Professional: Never get angry or defensive, even if the review is unfair. Other customers are watching how you handle problems.

Take It Offline: Invite the customer to discuss the issue privately rather than arguing in public.

Fix What You Can: If there’s a genuine problem, acknowledge it and explain how you’ll prevent it in future.

Response Templates for Negative Reviews

For Valid Complaints: “Thanks for your feedback, [Name]. We’re sorry our service didn’t meet your expectations. Please call us at [number] so we can discuss this further and make things right.”

For Misunderstandings: “Thanks for bringing this to our attention, [Name]. It sounds like there may have been a misunderstanding. Please contact us at [number] so we can clarify and resolve this issue.”

For Unreasonable Reviews: “We appreciate all feedback, [Name]. We’d like to discuss your concerns privately. Please contact us at [number] at your convenience.”

What NOT to Do

• Don’t ignore negative reviews
• Don’t argue in public
• Don’t ask friends to leave fake positive reviews
• Don’t offer bribes for review changes
• Don’t threaten legal action in responses
• Don’t share customer’s private information

Identifying Fake Reviews

Warning Signs:

• Reviewer has no profile photo
• Account created recently with only your review
• Review mentions competitors positively
• Claims about services you don’t offer
• Identical wording to other reviews
• Unusually harsh language

Reporting Fake Reviews

Google Business Profile:

Other Platforms: Each platform has its own reporting process. Look for “Report” or “Flag” options near reviews.

1. Find the review
2. Click the flag icon
3. Select “Inappropriate”
4. Choose the reason
5. Submit your report

Evidence to Provide

When reporting fake reviews, include:

• Screenshots of the review
• Proof the person wasn’t a customer
• Evidence of coordinated fake review attacks
• Any communication showing malicious intent

Free Tools

Google Business Profile App:

Social Media Platforms:

• Facebook Page Manager
• Instagram Business tools
• LinkedIn Company Page analytics

Paid Tools

Reputation Management Software:

Local SEO Tools:

• Many include review monitoring
• Help with citation management
• Track local search rankings

Daily Tasks

• Check for new reviews on all platforms
• Respond to any reviews from the last 24 hours
• Note any issues that need addressing

Weekly Tasks

• Send review requests to recent customers
• Analyze review trends
• Update review response templates if needed

Monthly Tasks

• Review overall rating trends
• Identify common complaints
• Update customer service processes
• Report any fake reviews

Common Complaint Patterns

If multiple reviews mention:

• Slow service – look at your processes
• Poor communication – train your team
• High prices – review your pricing strategy
• Dirty premises – improve cleaning routines

Positive Feedback Insights

When customers consistently praise:

• Specific team members – consider promotions or bonuses
• Particular services – promote these more
• Your speed – use this in your marketing
• Your location – highlight accessibility

What You Can and Cannot Do

You CAN:

You CANNOT:

• Pay for positive reviews
• Write fake reviews yourself
• Threaten customers over negative reviews
• Offer discounts in exchange for review changes

GDPR and Reviews

Be careful about customer data in your responses:

• Don’t share private customer information
• Don’t mention customer’s personal details
• Keep responses focused on the service issue
• Respect customer privacy in all communications

How to Claim Your Profile

1. Go to Google Business Profile website
2. Search for your business name
3. If it appears, claim it
4. If not, create a new profile
5. Verify your business with the postcode Google sends you

What Information to Include

Fill out every section completely:

• Business name (exactly as it appears on your storefront)
• Full address including postcode
• Phone number (use a local number, not a mobile)
• Website URL
• Business hours
• Business category
• Description of your services

Adding Photos That Get Results

Photos make your profile 35% more likely to get clicks. Include:

Update photos every month to keep your profile fresh.

• Outside of your business
• Inside your shop or office
• Your team at work
• Your products or services
• Happy customers (with permission)

Types of Local Keywords

Direct Location Keywords:

Near Me Keywords:

Neighbourhood Keywords:

• “dentist Didsbury” (area of Manchester)
• “plumber Moseley” (area of Birmingham)
• “accountant Headingley” (area of Leeds)

Finding Your Local Keywords

1. Think like your customers – what would they search for?
2. Use Google’s autocomplete – start typing and see what appears
3. Look at your competitors’ websites
4. Check Google Trends for your area
5. Ask your existing customers how they found you

Title Tags and Headers

Your page titles should include your location:

• “Emergency Plumber in Manchester | 24/7 Service”
• “Family Dentist in Birmingham | NHS & Private Patients”
• “Chartered Accountant in Leeds | Small Business Specialists”

Location Pages

If you serve multiple areas, create separate pages for each location:

Each page should have unique content about that specific area.

• yourwebsite.com/manchester
• yourwebsite.com/birmingham
• yourwebsite.com/leeds

Local Content Ideas

Write about local topics to show Google you’re part of the community:

• Local events your business sponsors
• How your business helps the local community
• Local landmarks near your business
• Area-specific services you offer

Important UK Directory Sites

Make sure your business is listed on:

• Yelp UK
• Thomson Local
• Yell.com
• Foursquare
• Bing Places
• Apple Maps
• Local council websites
• Industry-specific directories

Keeping Information Consistent

Your business information must be exactly the same everywhere:

• Use the same business name format
• Use the same address format
• Use the same phone number
• Don’t abbreviate randomly (if you use “Ltd” on one site, use it everywhere)

How to Get More Reviews

Ask at the Right Time:

Make it Easy:

Follow Up Professionally:

• Thank customers for all reviews
• Respond to negative reviews professionally
• Fix problems and ask for updated reviews

Review Response Templates

For Positive Reviews: “Thanks for taking the time to review our service, [Name]. We’re delighted you were happy with [specific service]. We look forward to helping you again.”

For Negative Reviews: “Thanks for your feedback, [Name]. We take all concerns seriously. Please contact us at [phone] so we can discuss this further and make things right.”

Local Schema Markup

Schema markup is code that helps Google understand your business information. Include:

• Business name and type
• Address and phone number
• Opening hours
• Reviews and ratings
• Services offered

Mobile Optimization

60% of local searches happen on mobile phones. Your website must:

• Load quickly on phones
• Be easy to read on small screens
• Have clickable phone numbers
• Show your address clearly

Page Speed

Slow websites rank lower in search results. Speed up your site by:

• Optimizing images
• Using a reliable hosting company
• Minimizing plugins
• Enabling compression

Google Business Profile Insights

Check monthly:

• How many people viewed your profile
• How many clicked to your website
• How many called your business
• How many asked for directions

Website Analytics

Monitor:

• Organic traffic from local keywords
• Calls from your website
• Contact form submissions
• Visitors from your local area

Local Rankings

Check where you rank for:

• Your main service + your city
• “Near me” searches
• Your business name