If you want to attract a deer, would you put a bowl of warm milk on your doorstep?   By doing  specific research, you would easily discover that a block of salt in a treed area would do a much better job of attracting a deer.

In short, to attract an  animal you need to know how to attract them and what attracts them.

In the same way, keyword research provides you with specific search data. This data identifies what  word  or combination of word phrases attract clients to your website and to your business.

Keyword components

Keyword searches can be divided into three main components:

Head: the focus of the user’s search – the primary search is for a dentist

Modifier: can be interchanged with other words and frequently describes location, style or brand

Tail: adds detail

Neither the modifier or the tail changes the search and the order of the modifier and tail doesn’t matter. The primary focus of the search is centered on the 1^st keyword – dentist.

Using three or more words in a search is called a longtail keyword.

Keyword searches

A potential patient may start by searching for dentists in their local area that cater to their specific needs.  They may use  the below keywords;

1. Dentists
2. Chicago dentists
3. Emergency Chicago dentists
4. Chicago dentists for seniors

Keyword tools

This is where using tools such as Google Analytics,  Google Ads Keyword Finder or Ahref’s Keyword Explorer software, or SEMRush Keyword Magic Tool   can provide  you with information about the keyword’s  search volume and competitiveness.

These tools can give you ideas about the best keywords to utilise.  You can  then combine those keywords with the keywords or keyword themes of your practice’ specialties such as emergency dentistry, cosmetic dentistry or senior’s dentistry.

From there you can target your keyword search to common themes.  To define themes, you need to get into the heads of your clients – not just their mouths.  Let’s meet your potential patient Bob.

Getting into Bob’s head -  keyword themes

Bob is a senior living in the NW suburbs of Chicago. He’s had intense pain and can’t stand it any longer. He’s looking for a dentist right now. The pain is blinding him, and he doesn’t want to have to travel long or far. Bob had similar pain two years ago and discovered he needed a root canal.  He wants a dentist who is skilled and patient with seniors. He’d  like to get a couple reviews to build up his confidence in his choice. He may even want to know the dentist’s credentials. Lastly, he’s on a limited budget and would like a ballpark of the costs and payment options.

From Bob’s story the keyword themes can be broken down into the below list:

1. Location
2. Service
3. Reviews
4. Education/Experience
5. Price/Payment Options

Putting it all together

After you’ve identified your theme or themes, you need to choose precise keywords and place them in strategic places on your website. Selecting the right keywords helps your site rise to the top of the search engine results which means poor Bob and many patients like him can find you quickly.  The less time it takes for patients to find your website, the faster your dental practice will grow.