Improving local ranking for your dental practice is a moving target from year to year. We can prove that the ranking factors that Google takes into account when determine results. Learn what the experts have determine what these factors are and which are most important.
Google Local Ranking Factors Study
The Dental SEO strategy is based on industry research related to the Google Local Pack/Finder Ranking Factors algorithm. An annual report was developed starting in 2008 by David Mihm and was passed onto Darren Shaw of Whitespark.ca in 2017.
The exact Google algorithm is a highly protect secret of Google but Darren Shaw’s study collects data, industry experts analysis and independent research to reach his conclusion.
Rank in Google
Local ranking search factors are organized into 7 groups:
Links- Google Business Profile(Google My Business)
- Reviews
- On-Page SEO
- Citations (Business Listings)
- Personalization
- Behavioral
These 7 factors are then weighted to determine their importance to the past years algorithm. The data feeds two charts, Local Pack and Organic Rankings, that give us the most critical groups of factors to focus on to help your dental practice get found online.
Organic Local Ranking Factors
Organic Ranking Factors are directly tied to the content that is returned on a search page. The most recent Local Search Ranking Factors study, 2021, illustrates the importance of the of having a Google Business Profile page. According to Darren Shaw Whitespark research, this factor has been increasing in importance steadily since 2015, from 15% in ’15 to 34% in ’22.
The next largest factor are Links or what many call “Back Links”. Links are when other websites link back to your website which help create referral traffic. The links and corresponding traffic generated signify to Google that your site is a quality resource on particular topics. Links are 31% of Ranking Factors and couple with a good Google Business Profile account for 2/3 of the formula.
Local Ranking – Google 3 Pack/Finder
The Google 3 Pack and Finder are the businesses returned from a search that are most closely tied to the search entered by an individual. Being listed in the top 3 in Google Pack is critical to your success in driving search traffic to your website. The vast majority of the generated “click through rate” after a search go to the top 3 places in the 3 Pack. Similar to the Organic Search Factors, your Google Business Profile is tops coming in at 31%. However the importance of Links drops from 31% to 13%.
The rise of importance for Review scores is clearly visible when looking at today’s emphasis, 17% in ’21 from single digits in ’15. The rise of importance in Google’s eyes maps to the overall importance that consumers have been placing in their importance, 92% of consumers more likely to make a purchase after reading a review according to learn.g2.com.