Dental SEO 101 - Google's Core Update

📰 Major Google Core Update—What It Means for YouThe Google August 2024 core update is officially done! This shakeup caused serious ranking movement, but—good news—if your content’s human-friendly, unique, and updated regularly, you’re in a strong place. Experiencing volatility? Don’t panic! Major drops may resolve only after the next core update. In the meantime, focus on creating content that genuinely educates, informs, and cares for your patients.🕰️ Internet Archive—Your Website’s Past Is Getting Easier to AccessGoogle’s now linking up with the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine in search results. Anyone can check what your dental site used to look like, for better or for worse. Got outdated or sensitive content you’d rather not have in the public eye? You can request removal from archive.org, but there are no guarantees.🗣️ Forum Content Is Rising—Don’t Miss Out!Google is testing a feature that highlights top comments and content from forums such as Reddit. What does that mean for your practice? Patients—and potential patients—may see forum discussions about you right in their search results. Participate professionally, offer valuable advice (even to people in other locations), and you might gain both authority and new patients!🚗 Local Rankings Hack—A Word of WarningThere’s a buzz about local SEO companies artificially boosting local rankings by simulating driving directions to dental clinics. While some see quick gains, this is a risky, “black hat” tactic. Our advice: stick to above-board methods for lasting results.📸 Keep Your Photos Fresh!Google Maps is now more often highlighting business photos above reviews. Old or irrelevant photos could hurt your reputation—keep those images current and inviting! If you’re a First Dentist client and we’re nudging you for new photos, this is why.🔢 Don’t Obsess Over the NumbersNoticed big percentage swings in your traffic or rankings? Google’s John Mueller says tiny traffic numbers can make graphs look wild. Focus on long-term trends and real results, not daily ups and downs.📝 Heading Tags & Link “Rules”: Relax!Strictly following “2–5 internal links per post” or worrying about H1/H2 order won’t move the SEO needle on established sites. Use headings logically for humans and accessibility, and add links where they make sense—write for your patients, not the algorithms.🤖 AI Overviews: Top Spots MatterAlmost half of the links in Google’s AI Overviews come from the top organic search results. In short: if you’re ranking well, you’re also likely to be featured in these new AI results. Keep optimizing for quality!⚖️ Yelp vs. Google: Antitrust DramaYelp is suing Google for “dominating” local search, but honestly, neither platform has a stellar rep for support. Still, any legal shakeup could have ripple effects for dentists—stay tuned!Quick Tips to Take Action:Review your website for dated info and request removals from archive.org if needed.Respond to or join dental discussions in forums like Reddit.Update your Google business photos—today!Settle in for the long SEO game. Don’t chase quick fixes. (00:32) - Aug 2024 Google Core Update (03:21) - Google Adds Wayback Machine Links (04:26) - How to Remove Your Site from the Wayback Machine (05:40) - Reddit for Dentist Recommendations (08:24) - Influence Local Rankings with Directions (09:53) - Google's Local Spam Oversight (11:32) - Business Photos Next to Reviews (12:52) - Long-Term Focus Beats Daily Metrics (15:03) - Non-Sequential Heading Tag Question (16:29) - Yelp is Suing Google (18:03) - AI Overview Research Results (19:41) - Link Quantity vs. Quality Debate (20:57) - Guidelines vs. Customized Expert Solutions