SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is not always easy to understand or navigate, but there are free tools that can help! When trying to decipher where to begin with your dental SEO strategy, keyword research is a great place to start.
Google Trends is a fantastic resource for anyone curious about what people around the world are searching for on Google. The feature is straightforward and can be customized by country, time period (2004 – present day), category, and type of web search (Image Search, News Search, Google Shopping, or YouTube Search). 
Why are keyword search trends important? SEO is all about search intent. Users won’t find your website if it doesn’t answer the questions they’re asking, and those questions change all the time!
An effective way to keep track of user intent is by following keyword trends. It is important to keep in mind though that not all keyword trends will apply to your dental practice.
If the trends do apply, how can you use them to your advantage? Use them in your content!
To Google, content is king and it is important to keep it fresh. Google ranks content based on E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trust).
If the trends don’t apply, how can you leverage them? If you know what is trending, you can stay on top of your competition!
Trends are fleeting, so we recommend checking for them regularly. For example; keywords relating to COVID-19 were extremely relevant in 2020, but those keywords are now trending down. Dental practices that jumped on those keywords early were rewarded.
The 7 Most Popular Search Terms for Dentists in 2021
While your dental practice SEO strategy should always include the most popular search terms (dentist, dentist near me, etc.), don’t sleep on the following emerging keywords. With COVID-19 vaccinations ramping up, soon people across the United States will be scheduling long overdue dental appointments. It’s vital to strike while the iron’s hot, so now is the perfect time to focus on attracting new dental patients!
The following dental search terms have been trending in Google Trends over the past 30 days in the United States:
1. Dentists who accept Medicaid (Breakout, >5000%)
Many people lost their jobs in 2020 and the beginning of 2021 due to the coronavirus, so they are looking for cheaper new dentists, based on changed insurance coverage.
Now is a great time to call attention to dental insurance options, as well as clubs and membership treatment plans on your website. Google has recently started displaying insurance information on your Google My Business profile. You can enter this information manually if you claim and optimize your Google My Business profile, but if it is easy to find, Google can also pull it automatically from your website.
2. Buofort Ultrasonic personal dentist (+3950%)
The Buofort Ultrasonic is an electronic plaque scraping device that customers can purchase and use for at-home dental care. People who don’t have access to cheap dental care sometimes resort to riskier, often dangerous, options.
When potential patients can read about the huge advantages of professional teeth cleaning, they are less likely to take such risks with their oral health. If you don’t currently have service pages on your website providing in-depth information about dental health and procedures, remedy that as soon as possible!
3. Kid dentist near me (+350%)
Kids need dental care too! Parents may have been hesitant to keep up with their child’s dental hygiene appointments when the coronavirus was at its peak, but with reports showing that kids have milder symptoms, and with dental teams now fully vaccinated, parents have begun scheduling these vital dental appointments again.
Tired parents don’t want to be placed on hold while trying to schedule a dental appointment for their child. Make it easier for them by offering online scheduling. For more time-saving advice, check out our blog 5 Ways To Modernize Your Practice For New And Existing Patients.
4. 24 hour dentist near me (+200%)
Time is always of the essence, especially when you have a dental emergency. If you offer treatment for dental emergencies, don’t forget to mention this on your dental practice website! It should be easy to find, preferably on your homepage, but we also recommend listing it as a service and/or mentioning it on your FAQ page. Check out Our Work to view examples of how to best optimize your website for patient conversions.
5. Walk in dentist near me (+130%)
In a similar vein, many people don’t currently have the time or energy to weigh choosing a new dentist. Walk-in dentists are a great option for those looking for quick and efficient dental care. If you impress them during their first visit, you may have a new customer for life!
6. Dentist open on Saturday (+120%)
As more people start returning to the office and the typical Monday through Friday work day, their schedules will become less flexible. If you haven’t considered opening your dental office on the weekends, even if only temporarily, now is a good time to do so. This will also free up more time for the influx of patients coming your way as coronavirus cases lessen in your community.
7. Teeth whitening dentist (+60%)
Believe it or not, in a few months we may be able to retire our face masks! While it will be refreshing to see facial expressions again, many people will be anxious about displaying their not so pearly whites to the world. Professional teeth whitening is a great option for them. Start marketing this service now before post-pandemic events begin.
For more digital marketing advice, check out our Marketing Tips. If you have any questions or if you’d like to schedule a consultation, give us a call today!