Join Ross Dunn as he dives into essential strategies to protect your dental practice from Google suspensions. Learn about common pitfalls and how to navigate them effectively. Plus, uncover fascinating insights about AI and its impact on the SEO landscape.

🔥 In This Episode:

1. Search Volumes Are Soaring
Did you know Google now processes over 5 trillion searches per year? That’s 158,548 per second! The opportunity to be discovered is greater than ever—make those listings count.

2. Google’s Fingerprinting Ban Is Gone—What Does That Mean for You?
Google has lifted its ban on “fingerprinting”—a way advertisers track you across different browsers by collecting info like your OS and screen resolution. Firefox offers better protection, but privacy is harder to maintain. Watch for those "creepily accurate" ads!

3. Chegg vs. Google: The AI Overview Controversy
Educational giant Chegg is suing Google for using their content in AI Overviews—those summary answers at the top of search results—without sending any traffic back. This matters for dental practices: If Google uses your content for its own summaries, you might lose visitors. Stand out by sharing unique details and going deeper than your competitors.

4. Behind-the-Scenes of Dates on Your Content
If you show both “date published” AND “date updated” on your articles, Google may get confused and prioritize the older date—hurting click-throughs. Best practice: Display a single, relevant date to showcase freshness. In your SEO schema (the hidden part), it’s okay to list both.

5. Google Business Profile: Avoid Major Changes!

• Suspensions Are Up: Innocent edits (like changing your practice name or categories) can get you suspended for a month or more.
• Stick with Minor Updates: Adjust hours, photos, and videos—it’s safer and even encouraged.
• Local Ranking Trick: If your homepage ranks organically, use a service or location page as your website URL on your Google Business Profile. This could help you show in BOTH local (map pack) and organic results—without filtering yourself out.

6. Survey Says: Google Is Losing Trust

• 42% of people say Google is less useful
• 61% of Gen Z use AI tools instead
• Quality and trust are slipping—now’s your time to stand out with genuine, quality content

7. AI Search: Proceed with Caution
New research shows AI chatbots make mistakes (over 60% wrong answers!) and even fabricate citations. Rely on quality, well-attributed sources for your content—and be wary about trusting AI for accurate references.

Takeaways for Dental Practices:

• Keep your content up-to-date, but don’t clutter it with too many dates.
• Make only minor, strategic changes to your Google Business Profile—consult with your SEO if in doubt.
• Add detail, local flavor, and regular updates to your website to appeal to both users and AI-powered search.
• Stay cautious with new AI tools and watch your website’s traffic like a hawk.
• Unique, high-quality content will give you the edge as Google—and your patients’ search habits—change rapidly.

• (00:00) - Intro

Episode 4 of the Dental SEO 101 Podcast is packed with can’t-miss news and actionable tips to help dental practices like yours stay sharp, compliant, and ahead of the competition.

Here’s a quick rundown of what we covered:

🚨 New FTC Review Guidelines = Big Fines

• FTC has dropped new review regulations with penalties of up to $50,000 per violation for fake, paid, or suppressed reviews—even if they’re AI-generated or come from insiders.
• Your best move: Keep reviews authentic and never incentivize with discounts or gifts.

😬 6 SEO Practices to Stop ASAP

We break down what’s outdated and risky for your website, including:

• Buying expired domains for SEO benefit (doesn’t work anymore!)
• Purchasing links solely for rankings
• Keyword stuffing (Google’s smarter than that)
• Copying competitors—be unique and add your expertise
• Adding content “for Google” instead of your patients
• Blindly following broad SEO case studies without considering your unique situation

🏆 What Sets Top Dental Sites Apart?

Learn the secrets from the most successful local practices:

• Show genuine personality and real patient moments on your website
• Keep your Google Business Profile fresh (including updating hours and posting photos!)
• Respond to every review, personalize your thanks, and always handle negatives gracefully
• Be active and authentic on social media—show your practice culture

📱 SEO News You Need to Know

• SearchGPT is coming: It uses Bing, not Google! Make sure your site is indexed on Bing to maximize future AI search referrals.
• Core Web Vitals: Don’t obsess—focus on good user experience, not perfection.
• Content length myths: There’s no magic word count. Unique, valuable content wins, whether it’s short or long.
• SEO tools: Use them wisely, but don’t rely on them entirely. Real-world experience matters most.

💬 Got Questions?

We love answering your SEO questions—email them to [email protected] for a chance to be featured on the next episode!

Listen to Episode 4 now for the full insights and more practical tips to empower your dental practice’s online presence.

• (00:35) - A fake review could cost you $50,000

📰 Major Google Core Update—What It Means for You

The 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 Access

Google’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 Warning

There’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 Numbers

Noticed 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 Matter

Almost 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 Drama

Yelp 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

🚀 Google’s Big Move: A $23 Billion Bet on Cybersecurity Google’s parent company Alphabet is in advanced talks to acquire Wiz, a rising cybersecurity startup, for a staggering $23 billion. While this buyout is focused on cloud services, the ripple effect could soon touch areas like organic search security and digital marketing. Stay tuned—improved security could mean better search filtering and safer web experiences for everyone.

✨ Tracking Success: Ad-buyer Trends & What Matters Big brands are finally focusing less on how often their ads are seen and more on the business they actually generate. For dental practices, this mirrors the importance of tracking results: it’s not just about clicks, it’s about getting new patients in the chair! Ross and Scott urge practices to invest in meaningful call tracking and analytics—but remind us it’s tough to be perfect, especially with growing privacy restrictions.

🦷 Google’s Core Update: Hope for Those Hit by Helpful Content Changes New Google core updates are coming, with an emphasis on giving proper credit (and rankings!) to creators who are genuinely helping their audiences. If your site struggled after past updates, help may be on the way. Practices that provide authentic, useful information could see a lift.

🌐 The Truth About Domain Names for Dental Practices Does it matter if you have a .com, .ca, or .net? According to fresh research, not really—as long as your domain matches your location and the site quality is high. Scott and Ross recommend checking for domain history and spammy backlinks before buying an “amazing” domain. Sometimes, a cheap or available name is hiding a messy past!

👀 Google Testing: New Local Search & 3D Images Google is experimenting with new AI-powered local search layouts, including horizontal scrolling results and smarter “packs.” Plus, 3D and AR images could soon make listings pop, especially for practices that showcase tech or products. Imagine letting patients virtually tour your office or dental tech right in search results!

💡 Key Takeaway:
SEO and digital marketing are always evolving. Whether it’s AI-organized search results, privacy challenges for tracking, or Google’s changing expectations for content—staying informed is your best weapon for ongoing growth.

• (01:06) - Google Eyes Major Acquisition of Wiz

In this debut episode of the Dental SEO 101 Podcast by First Dentist, host Ross Dunn breaks down the recent Google algorithm document leak and explains what it means for dental practices and their SEO efforts.

About Your Host

Ross Dunn is the Director of SEO and Co-founder of First Dentist, bringing over 27 years of SEO experience to the podcast. Since 1997, Ross has worked with businesses of all sizes - from Fortune 500 companies like Time Inc., Sports Illustrated, and People Magazine to small local businesses. He's also the longtime host of the award-winning SEO 101 Podcast on WMR.FM, which has garnered over 3 million downloads and recognition from Google's John Mueller.

Episode Highlights

The Google Leak: What Happened?

• A substantial internal Google document was leaked, revealing details about Google's search ranking algorithms
• The document appears to be accurate as of March 2024
• It contains over 14,000 ranking attributes across 2,596 modules
• Google has cautioned against "making inaccurate assumptions about search based on out-of-context, outdated, or incomplete information."

Key Revelations From The Leak

User Behavior Factors

• Google DOES use clicks for rankings, despite previous denials
• If users click on a result but quickly return to search, Google considers this a negative signal
• Google uses Chrome browser data to track user behavior on websites

Website Evaluation Factors

• Google maintains a "sandbox" for new websites until they prove trustworthy
• Link velocity matters - gaining too many backlinks too quickly can trigger suspicion
• "Disavow" reports for bad links are no longer useful in Google's algorithms
• Anchor text should match what the link is pointing to (relevance matters)
• Pages with poor navigation experience face ranking demotions

Content Factors

• Font size and weight (bold text) have minor impacts on rankings
• Put your most important content near the top of the page, as Google may truncate long documents
• Title tags that match page content receive positive ranking signals
• Properly dating your content is crucial - Google prioritizes fresh content
• Video-heavy sites (>50% of pages containing videos) are evaluated differently

Domain Factors

• Exact match domains (like "bestdentistnewyork.com") no longer provide direct ranking benefits
• When buying expired domains, check their history for potentially harmful past SEO tactics

Practical Takeaways for Dental Practices

1. Create gold standard, original content - Even one excellent article per month is valuable
2. Include different media types in your content (audio, video, etc.)
3. Establish author expertise - Have fewer, more qualified authors with proper credentials
4. Seek quality backlinks from relevant sites with actual traffic
5. Properly format content with appropriate headings, font weights, and structure
6. Keep content fresh and properly dated

Critical Warning: Google Business Profile "Pin Hack"

• A serious exploit allows anyone to move your business location pin on Google Maps
• This can completely destroy your local rankings
• Attempting to move the pin back yourself may result in account suspension
• Contact an SEO professional immediately if this happens to your practice

Connect With First Dentist

For more dental SEO and marketing information, visit FirstDentist.com or contact Ross Dunn directly via [email protected].

• (02:45) - How First Dentist Began