We’re going to dive into on-page optimization—how to adjust your website’s content to rank higher for the keywords your potential patients are searching for. If you haven’t seen our previous video on Keyword Research, start there. For those who have, you’ve done your research and chosen some great keywords. Now, let’s discuss how to make your dental website perform better for those keywords.

On-page optimization is likely the part of the SEO process that most dentists are familiar with—things like adjusting title tags, optimizing meta descriptions, and adding the right keywords to the page. However, this aspect of SEO is also surrounded by a lot of misconceptions. We often see dentists and even the marketing companies they’ve hired, using on-page SEO strategies that stopped being effective years ago. So, let’s begin by addressing some of these misconceptions to help you avoid wasting time and money on outdated tactics that won’t improve your rankings.

Many dentists believe that “Google likes content,” so they focus on writing a lot of content, like blog posts, thinking this will help them rank better. While it’s true that Google values content, it’s looking for well-written, informative, and genuinely useful content. If you’re simply churning out content for the sake of having more pages—like many dentists do—with blog posts that cover a lot of topics superficially, it won’t improve your rankings. In fact, it might not help at all.

Another common misconception is that ranking better is all about “putting the right keywords on the page.” While keywords are important, it’s not the whole story. Google’s algorithms are advanced enough to understand that your website is a dental practice and that your Invisalign page is discussing Invisalign, even if you don’t mention the keyword 50 times. Overstuffing your content with keywords can actually hurt your rankings, making your page appear unnatural and less user-friendly to both Google and potential patients. Instead, focusing on providing high-quality, relevant information is what will truly set you apart.

On-page SEO used to be about tricks and technical hacks that could fool the search algorithm into thinking your page was more relevant than a competitor’s. But today, achieving better rankings is less about tweaking technical details and more about creating high-quality, engaging content. Let’s explore how you can do this effectively:

For example, if you want to attract more Invisalign patients, you need a high-quality, value-driven landing page dedicated to Invisalign. The key is to create a page that answers the questions people are typing into Google when they’re researching Invisalign. There’s a fantastic tool for this called Answer the Public.

Simply visit www.answerthepublic.com, type in a dental service like “Invisalign”, and the tool will display a list of common questions people are searching for related to that topic. Let’s walk through some examples and think about the kind of content that would best address these questions.

Example Question: Why is Invisalign better than braces?
This is a great topic to cover on your website. You could write a detailed paragraph explaining the differences between Invisalign and traditional braces, include a pros and cons list, or create a video that visually compares the two options. This kind of content provides clarity and value to your readers.

Example Question: What does Invisalign look like on teeth?
For this question, you could take photos of a patient with and without Invisalign trays to show how discreet the aligners are. A visual demonstration can reassure potential patients about the appearance of Invisalign.

Here are a few more valuable questions people are asking:

• Can Invisalign fix overbite?
• Can Invisalign fix underbite?
• Does Invisalign give you a lisp?
• What insurance covers Invisalign?

These are all great questions—real, practical concerns that potential patients have. This is exactly the type of content you want to include on your website to provide value to potential patients and earn Google’s favor. You can answer these questions through various formats such as written content, photos, videos featuring you as the dentist, patient testimonial videos, frequently asked questions (FAQ) sections, or even interactive dropdown menus.

Using Answer the Public, you can discover many valuable content ideas that will make your website more helpful and engaging. Remember, ranking high on Google isn’t about technical tricks or keyword stuffing; it’s about building pages and a website that genuinely provide useful information for people searching for dental services. By focusing on what your potential patients want to know, you’ll create content that both engages them and signals to Google that your site deserves a higher spot in search results.

A common mistake many dentists make when they want to promote services like Invisalign or dental implants is creating a simple webpage that says, “We do Invisalign, call us!” This approach doesn’t work anymore.

Think about how things used to be in the 70s, 80s, and 90s—back when, if you needed a service, you’d pull out the YellowPages, flip to the relevant section, whether it was a plumber, dentist, or mechanic, and see a bunch of small ads. One might say, “Looking for an oil change? Give us a call!” and you’d pick up the phone and call that business to learn more.

Today, that’s not how people make decisions. Now, people want to do their own research before ever reaching out. They aim to understand 80-90% of what they need to know about a product or service before making a call. Your website needs to provide potential patients with the information they need to feel confident about their decision. When they eventually call, it’s because they’re ready to confirm that what they’ve learned matches up with what you offer, and to finalize their decision about choosing your practice.

If you want to rank better on Google for keywords like Invisalign, dental implants, or any other dental procedure, focus on understanding the questions and concerns people have about those services. Then, create content that answers those questions thoroughly. Make sure your website is clean, well-organized, and easy to navigate, so visitors can find the information they need quickly. This approach not only helps with search rankings but also ensures that potential patients see you as a trustworthy and knowledgeable provider.

A common mistake we see many dentists make is taking great questions and turning each one into a separate blog post. This approach is often taught by marketing companies, and while it was effective about a decade ago, it’s not the best strategy today and is mostly unnecessary.

For example, let’s say you want to rank for a popular search term like “What does Invisalign cost?” There are likely hundreds or even thousands of people in your area searching for this each month. Many dentists who have some digital marketing knowledge might think the best way to rank for this is to write a blog post with a title like “What does Invisalign cost in Toronto?” and address the question in that post.

While this strategy worked well ten years ago, today it’s likely to harm your website’s performance. You could end up with hundreds of low-quality blog posts that each cover a different topic or question but lack depth. This makes your website cluttered and dilutes its authority. Instead, it’s much better to consolidate this information into a few comprehensive, high-quality pages.

Google’s algorithm has become smart enough to identify when a question is answered within a specific section of a page. It can even direct users to that exact spot on the page. You don’t need 100 different pages to address 100 different questions; you can place all those answers on one well-organized landing page.

For example, if someone searches for “What does Invisalign cost in Thunder Bay?” Google might show a snippet from one of our landing pages that directly answers this question. This page ranks as the #1 organic search result, appearing right below the ads.

A well-crafted landing page that answers common questions about a particular dental service, like Invisalign, will always perform better than a website cluttered with dozens of separate blog posts on minor variations of the same topic.

Now, writing a dedicated blog post or article can still make sense if a topic genuinely requires 500-1,000 words or more to cover thoroughly. However, many dentists end up with websites full of blog posts addressing questions that could have been answered in just a few sentences. Avoid this outdated approach. Focus on creating in-depth, helpful pages that provide real value to potential patients. It’s a smarter strategy that aligns with how Google’s algorithm works today.

Don’t just stuff your website with keywords—make it truly helpful for your patients. By answering the real questions your potential patients are searching for, you can turn your website into a valuable resource that Google loves.

Use simple tools like Answer the Public to find out what people want to know and create content that guides them. It’s not about tricks or technical hacks—it’s about being genuinely helpful. Ready to see your website work harder for you?