What happens when you search “dentist near me”?

Get in touch

What happens when you search “dentist near me”?

Superior Dental • Aug 04, 2022

We all do it—whether it’s for a hair salon, the nearest pharmacy, or a pizza delivery place, we all start typing and then tap the clever suggestion by our favorite search engine to add “near me”. But what are we really seeing at the top of that search?

Three ways your Dentist Near Me search isn’t what you think it is

1. Ads!

As in advertisements that are paid for by those particular businesses. Ads that could actually be for businesses that are not so close by.

Uberall is a digital marketing tool that helps businesses boost their SEO (search engine optimization) and help them grow organically in online searches for their location(s). The company did a huge study on search engine optimization, analyzing 73,000 businesses. The study showed that only about 4% of physical locations are optimized for local search queries on Google, Yelp, or Bing, which are the top three search engines we use online.

WHAT?! That’s a lot of places we’re not able to find without driving around town through every parking lot or strip mall.

The kind of “dentist near me” you’re really looking for could be at the bottom of the page, or at least further down than you’re going to scroll. Why? Because you’re more likely to go with whatever you see at the top of the first page that comes up from your search. And that’s understandable! We have a lot on our plates, we just want to get a dental appointment scheduled and cross that off our To-Do-List.

Here’s the trouble…the thing about the ads, of course, is that people are paying to be there. They didn’t earn a spot as the very first listing, they just bought it. And this is in hopes that you just pick the first listing you see because scrolling past them would be…exhausting…?? (insert that emoji, the thinking one, or the slightly confused one, you can pick your favorite <wink>)

The sad thing is, they’re up there at the top, shining like a beacon in the night, but it’s not because they really are near you. In fact, when a business pays for the ads on a search engine, they get to customize the area so they can target certain locations! Yes! They can do that! They could be several miles past a perfectly wonderful dentist like Dr. Cannon, which means your “dentist near me” search is leading you in the wrong direction!

2. The ads you see have nothing to do with Google reviews

Something else we all do—we read reviews! We do! They’re important to us because they give us insight based on another real person’s experience. There’s a lot of value in that. The majority of consumers rely on reviews to aid in their decision for a product or service.

Businesses that have ads may or may not have good reviews, but the listings below these ads are in the ranks because of their reviews and the integrity of their website.

So though it may seem like those top listings are “on top” based on performance or great services, doesn’t make it the right place for you based on your “dentist near me” search.

When you’re looking for a new dentist, there are lots of things to consider, but the location of the office is important because it motivates you to actually go. Convenience is a great motivator, always! Dr. Cannon’s practice in Paulding County speaks about this in their blog on tips for finding a new dentist.

*** Side note: Google Reviews (especially if you’ve had a good experience somewhere, and not just at our office) are so important to businesses. Wanna do a good deed for the day? Leave a kind review at a business or e-commerce store. It is crucial to getting the greats out there who are striving to impress you found in online searches :) Thanks in advance!

3. You want more than just a busy dentist, you want the right dentist!

So what’s important to you? Do you want to be a patient at a dental practice that simply has a lot of patients because they spend a bunch of money on advertising? Or…do you want to be a patient at a practice that spends its efforts providing quality care? One that is growing naturally in the Google rankings by being the sort of dentist you are comfortable going to? And taking your family to?!

Because the truth is, anyone can pay for ads. But being a great dentist means investing in the patients with time, care, and education for dental health.

And where is “near” you? Is it better for you to have a dental office close to work? Or home? Or on the way to your kids’ school? This is something to consider— “on the way” to where you’re heading can be more convenient than down the road from your home.

What to do

The answer is easy. There is little effort to go beyond and dig a little deeper to find the perfect dentist for your needs and comfort level. Going to the dentist isn’t on anyone’s top five favorite things to do! This means that taking a moment to look into the options is well worth the while. You can make going to the dentist easy with this one tip.

KEEP SCROLLING.

Yep! That’s it. Scroll down, not a lot even! Just a little! And discover dentists truly based on your location, perimeters, and the offices that are providing great care and valuable information on their websites. These are the kinds of dentists you’re looking for. The “Dr. Cannons” of your very own community.

Are you on the search for a “dentist near you”? We’d love to meet you and have you become part of our practice so that the search can end, once and for all.

*This is when you shout for joy!

Call our office at 770-977-1611 today!

Your Bonus Tip

Think we forgot? No way! Check out this post on askdavetaylor.com to learn how to customize your Google searches and get the best results it has to offer you.

*More shouts of joy? Go for it!