Answers to the most common Dental SEO marketing questions we get asked by dentists all the time, before they start their SEO contracts.
Click on the question to jump to the answer:
We get it, everyone wants to be top in their market and area. SEO Marketing has changed. There are lots of top Google results.
We need context. Do you mean paid ads, the map pack, organic listings, or inclusion in the new AI-generated Gemini answers?
Ranking #1 in organic search results is very possible. It depends on three main factors.
This depends on three factors.
If the answer is no to any two of these, you will not rank in any AI platform with the exception of factor 3. ChatGPT and other platforms use Google as their search engine.
This is harder to control and optimise for a number 1 position. This is because search results may vary slightly based on your device’s location. ANY agency that claims they can get you to number 1 is lying.
Google states that if you fully optimise your GMB profile, you will appear #1. This is not accurate; it simply means you will appear on Google Maps, but not necessarily at the top.
Vanilla Circus have a well-optimised GMB but is beaten by another listing we created a year ago, which has no optimisation at all.
Google has further clouded the waters by allowing ads into Google Maps packs, so the likelihood of random ‘map’ results is even higher.
This depends on two factors:
If your website is brand new, we expect to see results in 12 months.
If your website is over 4 years old, then results can appear as soon as new content is indexed by Google/AI.
Local SEO marketing is always faster than national SEO, which is due to the competitiveness of keywords.
Yes and no. You can use AI to provide page or even website summaries, you can use it for comparison facts, etc.
Basically, you can use it to create content that it has not seen before.
If you use it to create, for example, your Invisalign page, Google may not index it because it can clearly see it was created with AI.
One of the major disadvantages of AI content is context. It does not seem able to sell dental treatments and too oftern just gives you facts. None of which is really what your practice needs.
The only results that we can guarantee is that you will have a much better website when we are finished with it
Does this mean you can guarantee results like the first page of Google in three months?
No, we do not control search engines or AI platforms; we cannot guarantee any results.
Any agency that can guarantee results should not be trusted.
Agencies will supply you with all sorts of metrics to show that your SEO Marketing is working.
If you hear the terms “hits,” “impressions,” or “page views,” you are being conned.
With our dentists, we need two metrics
At the end of every month, we have a Zoom meeting with the practice manager or the principal and compare notes.
We then dissect the results by dental treatment. How many patients book which treatments?
VC works with over 50 dentists at a time, so we can share the average traffic/conversion/new patient rates.
We can’t disclose which dentist receives which traffic, as it’s confidential.
Clients agree on a package of hours. all pacakges come with a minimum set of deliverables.
This would include:
Unless agreed in advance, the package price will not change.
If work remains from the previous month, it is completed in the next.
Packages are flexible, and dentists can adjust their hours as needed. To cancel the contract, we need 30 days’ notice, given at any time.
We need to speak to the dentists once. This is because each dentist has their own methods and styles for veneers and implants etc.
Once we start, we don’t need anything from the practice other than a sign-off on content and pages.
We are always in touch and available by phone.
Yes, we have, and yes, we can. The proof is in a phone call.
We would like to think our dental knowledge is on par with a dental nurse or TCO.
Case studies of past work are all here for you. If you would like more detail please call 01483 921741
At Vanilla Circus, we have a team of 5. Your main points of contact will be Ben and Libby, who manage the accounts.
The team is very stable, and everyone has worked here for more than three years.
We have been researching dental keywords for over 20 years.
All dental practices use keywords similarly. Where the differences lie is in their range of treatments and their locations.
We target top-of-funnel keywords (informational search intent). These would include keywords such as “yellow teeth” or “are dental implants painful.” It is patients who have an issue and want to learn about it.
Even at this early stage, we want to put our clients’ brand firmly in front of them.
We then target the middle of the (sales) funnel, or what we call transactional search intent.
These keywords include “price of porcelain veneers”, “dentist + location”, and ” dentist near me.”
All keywords that indicate that a patient is ready to buy.
This is one reason we have to create so much content: a single Invisalign page cannot possibly rank for all possible keyword variations.
Examples
We usually start with local SEO and then move on to long-tail keywords.
Although we always optimise for core keywords, such as dental implants, high-volume keywords like teeth whitening are typically classified as vanity traffic.
Unless you have multiple dental practices, these keywords have high traffic but low conversion.
This is the disadvantage of dental SEO marketing and brick-and-mortar businesses.
Once, the use of high-volume keywords was to attract patients from further afield.
Always the pages that are closest to the money, i.e., pages that are closest to generating traffic and sales
The second page to create is missing. These are content gaps. We identify these by studying keywords and studying the competition.
We usually work methodically by starting with the treatments that are the most popular or profitable at the practice and then moving on to the next treatment.
Dental search engine marketing is all about hurry up and wait. We are waiting for Google and AI platforms to index our new/improved content and score us accordingly.
We write all content for you.
Blog content supports our treatment pages and introduces new keyword-rich content.
Blog content is aimed at top-of-funnel patients. Patients who are considering treatment and seeking information and advice.
We use this content to get our clients’ brand into the user’s subconscious and begin (hopefully) a relationship with the user.
This depends on what you have now.
The average dental website is 40 pages, including a blog. Of the 13,000 dentists in the UK, only 3,000 practices are actively marketing themselves.
NB: Newer websites require substantially more content to compete with established dentists in the area.
no not really. We will be honest with you and tell you what we think about your current design and the patent journey.
There is always a temptation when the website is not generating new patient enquiries to get a new site designed, but 9 times out of 10, it is because the SEO and the content are poor.
If you have high traffic and a low conversion rate, this would be a strong case for redesigning the website.
All of them. Whilst all sites can be improved their are some fixes that are urgent.
Google Core Vitals clearly informs SEOs that page loading and site speed are ranking factors.
But on a simpler note, anything that puts a patient off buying your services is a major problem.
Indexing is about Google/AI discovering your web pages and including them in their search results or index.
Most searches for dentists and general dentistry are on mobile, so if your site does not display properly, it should be a priority.
Higher value treatments tend to include laptops and desktops, as the patient wants to see and read more information before making a decision.
Will you implement fixes, or do we need our own developer? We fix everything.
Link building or backlink building is safe.
At Vanilla Circus, we have been building links for dentists for 20 years.
We have a network of websites where we can exchange content for backlinks. We can also include local citations and local directories.
Do we buy links?
No we don’t buy links as it is against Google’s rules.
We typically arrange between one and five new backlinks per month on a drip-feed basis, and we earn links through infographics and content.
This should be as natural as possible and avoid attracting any adverse attention from Google.
Adverse attention from Google actually comes from anchor text. This is the test used in the link.
If you built 100 links with the anchor text best London dentists ” then this would raise alarm bells.
“Top of Google” could mean ads, map pack, organic, or AI answers — each needs a different approach.
Rankings come from intent-matching content + authority (links) + solid on-page/E-E-A-T.
No one can guarantee #1 (especially Maps/AI) — guarantees are a red flag.
Timing depends on domain strength: new sites can take ~12 months; established sites move faster; local is quicker than national.
AI is a tool, not the strategy — don’t rely on it for core treatment pages.
Measure success by tracked calls/enquiries + appointments, broken down by treatment (not vanity metrics).
Work is hours-based monthly, covering content, tech SEO, links, optimisation, and site updates.
Start with money pages first, then build treatment clusters + supporting blogs.
