Use Google Local to promote your brand & reduce missed appointments
Many cosmetic dentists offer “a free consultation” to patients looking for dental implants, veneers or invisible braces. The problem is that many patients fail to attend their appointments.
Key Takeaways
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Automated reminders significantly cut no-shows: The page highlights that automated appointment reminders (via text/email) dramatically improve attendance compared to manual methods.
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Multi-channel contact reduces missed patients: Using both SMS and email together boosts reminder reach and patient engagement more than relying on one channel.
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Reminders need to be timely and clear: Sending reminders at the right intervals (e.g., 24–72 hours before appointments) with clear call-to-actions reduces confusion and increases attendance.
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Patient convenience matters: Allowing patients to confirm, cancel or reschedule easily within the reminder message can further lower no-show rates.
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Tracking and follow-up make a difference: Monitoring attendance patterns and following up on missed appointments helps identify trends and gives insight into how reminders could be adjusted to work better.
Reduce the number of patients who do not attend (DNA) a free consultation
One problem is that dentists are finding that the free element results in a large number of no-shows. Very frustrating. However, there is a very inexpensive fix that could decrease DNAs by 12%.
Why do patients just not show up?
- We have found that this problem is more prolific with PPC and Ads.
One reason is that with adverts, there is potential for the patient not to trust the brand and believe in the treatment results. After all, they simply clicked on a link and filled in a form.
Through a Google organic search, a patient can browse your website, connect with your brand, meet the team, and view before-and-after images, among other benefits.
You are probably thinking that this cannot be true, given all the no-shows, and of course, you would be right. Perhaps it is time to look at your own data with your TCOs. See why optimising your site for Google is more effective.
What can I do?
However, whichever channel you use to generate enquiries to promote your dental practice and literally get bums on seats, there is still an element of new patient time wasting.
- We have tried taking refundable deposits, but this seems to dramatically reduce the stream of free consultations.
- We have attempted to enhance the value and worth of the offer in fiscal terms (now up to £350+!), which has resulted in increased take-up but not ‘turn-up.’
Use Google Local’s image library strategically
There is much said about Google Local in promoting businesses in their locations. See local search marketing solutions. This is by returning a website or telephone link for a local search. Great, it works, but this is not what we are talking about.
- Much less is written about the images that companies add to their profiles.
These are often added randomly without considering the audience or what they might need to see.
Nor are they often updated, and often contain images of interiors, receptions and frontages that are often out of date.
Imagine a simple scenario.
- A daughter books a free consultation with local dentists for a full set of veneers.
- She can afford the financing and is interested in learning more about the process and the results she can obtain.
- Having coffee with her mother, she discusses her appointment with the local dentist.
Then they do what everyone else in the world does and ‘Google the practice’.
When you Google the name of the business invariably Google’s first result is a Google Local result. As we discussed, Google local offers images of the practice.
The images are invariably out of date or not well thought out
This is our first port of call for our imaginary example, where mother and daughter begin to have second thoughts as they see pictures of how the practice looked in 2010 and examine images of people who suspiciously resemble models and probably never attended the dentist.
Doubts begin to form, and questions arise: “Is it really a good idea?“ and “Perhaps I want to find another dentist in the area.” This is where a fresh set of eyes from a top dental marketing expert can help keep your diary full.
As it is a free consultation, I don’t need to bother cancelling with the dentist doesn’t cost me anything, and so I don’t turn up.
The solution
A simple antidote to this is to arrange images on Google Local so that they tell a story that can be read and understood in under 30 seconds.
What does a potential patient need to know?
The first thing to consider is whether they are attending a modern, clean, and attractive practice. An ideal photo of the outside of the practice, accompanied by its logos and signage, would be a very good idea.
Many dentists we work with have beautiful reception areas and waiting rooms, which often draw the attention of interior designers. This is the second photo, preferably with a welcoming receptionist.
- Then, ideally, I would like to see a picture of all the staff and get an idea of the people I’m engaging with.
- A photo of actual dentists looking friendly but professional.
- Before and after images (nothing gruesome, always with a face)
- Then, you guessed it, a photo of a happy patient leaving the practice, shaking hands with their dentist.
- The next image can be like a box advert with some reassuring words or a patient review, the sort of thing that talks to me, again, more reassurance that I have made the right decision
- A text reminder, “We are looking forward to meeting you.”
The simple exercise probably takes a few hours of work. We know many practices which spend fortunes on rebranding and improving the practice’s frontage.
However, we also know that most don’t carry this branding exercise over to Google Local.
Bear in mind that many images on Google Local have been viewed over a million times.
It’s a simple fix to an annoying problem.
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