Step 1: Access Your Google My Business Account

1. Go to Google My Business Dashboard:
   Open your internet browser and visit the Google My Business dashboard at https://business.google.com/.
2. Sign In to Your Google Account:
   
   • Use the Google account associated with your business.
   • If you don’t remember which account is linked to your business, try the account where you receive GMB notifications.
3. Locate Your Business Profile:
   
   • After signing in, you’ll see your business listing(s) on the main dashboard.
     
     

Tip: If you are not the owner but need access, you can request management rights from the business owner.

Step 2: Locate the Business Hours Section

1. Click the pencil icon on the business listing you wish to edit
2. Scroll down the “Info” page until you see the “Hours” section or select “Hours” in the tab.
3. Look for the pencil/edit icon next to “Special Hours”.

Step 3: Add Special Hours

Special hours are used for holidays, events, or one-time changes to your normal schedule.

1. Select the date(s) for special hours, then add the temporary opening and closing times.
   • For example, “December 25th: Closed” or “December 24th: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.”
2. Save changes.

Step 4 (optional): Edit Your Regular Business Hours

1. Click the pencil icon next to the hours.
   
2. A list of days (Monday–Sunday) will appear.
   
   • To set or adjust hours for a day:
     
     • Enter the opening time in the “Opens” field.
     • Enter the closing time in the “Closes” field.
     • For example, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
   • For split hours (e.g., morning and evening shifts):
     
     • Click “Plus Icon” for the day, then enter the second set of opening and closing times.
   • To mark a day as closed:
     
     • Toggle off the switch next to the day or delete the hours entirely.

Step 5: Save and Submit Changes

1. Once you’ve finished updating, click “Save.”
2. Google will review your updates, and changes should go live within a few minutes to a few hours.
3. You’ll receive an email confirmation when the changes are approved.

Step 6: Verify Your Changes

1. Check your live GMB listing to confirm the updated hours.
   • Search for your business on Google or Google Maps.
   • Ensure the hours are displayed correctly under your business name.

The post Step-by-Step Guide to Updating GMB Opening Hours for Christmas first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

We are incredibly grateful to share the amazing news to all our Dental Focus clients over the 21 years since we began our story.

Dental Focus won two prestigious awards in the dental industry. We are proud to announce that we have been awarded…

Winner – Website of the Year

Winner – Customer Service of the Year

It’s been a truly epic journey with the very best individuals coming together for the mission and each other, always dreaming big together!
Without our clients’ trust and support, these achievements wouldn’t have been possible. A special thank you to Dr Manny Vasant MBE who was our very first client 21 years ago, and joined us on our special night where we all remembered how he gave our Founder & CEO Krishan Joshi his very first opportunity. Our clients’ guidance and support has been invaluable for our continued improvement and growth.
Also to our amazing team, each member has contributed to these achievements through their dedication to delivering exceptional service and maintaining the highest level of care.

Why this means the world to us

We care about what we do because we come from a family of dentists. For us, customer service has always been a result of caring for clients, like we care and go the extra mile for our family. As we celebrate these awards, we recommit ourselves to serving you with even greater dedication and innovation in the future. We are driven by a desire to consistently grow and these awards serve as a testament to our continuous pursuit of excellence.

Thank you once again for being part of our success story. We look forward to continuing our journey together and achieving our goals and visions together.

The post Celebrating Success Together! first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

How Dentists Can Appeal More to Their Patients 5 Effective Strategies

By Chris Olson

Dentists are in a unique position when it comes to marketing. On one hand, they need to be careful not to market themselves in a way that is too aggressive or “in your face.” On the other hand, they need to do enough marketing so that patients know who they are and what they offer. In this blog post, we will discuss five strategies that dentists can use to appeal more to their patients!

Strategy #1: Use Patient Testimonials in Your Marketing

One of the best ways to appeal more to your patients is by using patient testimonials in your marketing. When potential patients see that other people have had a good experience with your practice, they are more likely to trust you and feel comfortable coming in for an appointment. Patients also want to read and listen to stories from patients similar to them. Do people like me go to a dental practice like that?

Neel Dentistry showcases excellent patient videos right on their homepage.

Website Tip: Make sure your website has lots of patient testimonials on all the main pages – especially treatments you would like to get busier with.

Strategy #2: Use a Variety of Marketing Methods

In order to reach as many potential patients as possible, dentists should use a variety of marketing methods. This could include things like a modern Google Ads, Google Maps & Organic, Facebook, Instagram, and Leaflet Drops. By using a variety of methods, dentists can ensure that they are reaching people in different ways and that they are not relying on just one form of marketing.

Weybridge Orthodontics – also known as Surrey Braces – dominate Google in their local area.

Website Tip: Make sure your website is optimized for search engines so that potential patients can easily find you online. Book a consultation with one of our SEO experts if you want your website to be higher on Google. 

Strategy #3: Make Sure Your Website Is User-Friendly

In order for people to actually visit your website, it needs to be user-friendly. This means that the website should be easy to navigate and that the information on it is clear and concise. If potential patients can’t find what they are looking for on your website, they will most likely go elsewhere.

Peacock Dental Spa recently launched a beautiful new, fully-responsive Dental Focus website.

Website Tip: Book a free Website MOT with a Dental Focus team member so we ensure your website is user-friendly and optimized to attract your ideal patients.

Strategy #4: Make yourself available

Dentists should also make themselves available to their patients. This could mean having extended hours or being open on the weekends. By making themselves available, dentists are showing their patients that they care about them and that they want to make it easy for them to get the dental care they need.

Stretford Road Dental Practice recently added the Dental Focus Chatbot to help increase leads and reduce phone calls for FAQs.

Website Tip: Consider adding the Dental Focus Chatbot to your website. This acts as a 24/7 concierge on your website, answering questions and generating leads even during evenings and weekends – the typical times that patients are searching.

Strategy #5: Offer Incentives for Patients

Another way to appeal more to your patients is by offering incentives. This could be something as simple as a free toothbrush when they go ahead with Invisalign treatment or a discount on their next visit. By offering incentives, dentists are showing their patients that they appreciate them and want to thank them for choosing their practice.

De-ientes Dental include a terrific New Patients page that showcases the numerous items patients get for their exam.

Website Tip: Utilise homepage banners and special offer pages to ensure patients are aware of all the incentives you provide – and be sure to promote these on social media.

If you would like to book a chat with one of our senior marketing team, please click here.

The post How Dentists Can Appeal More to Their Patients: 5 Effective Strategies first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Over the past 20 years we have helped 1,000s of dentists put their business on the map across UK, Ireland and Australia, creating award-winning, Google dominating websites!

In this webinar we will be deep-diving into the following 3 areas of success:
Content
(The 7 P’s of Dental Marketing Websites, The 8 Patient Concerns)
Patient Flow & UX
(Homepage Structure, Sitemap, Website Speed)
 CTA’s
(Virtual Consultations, Send a Selfie, Online Booking)

SPEAKERS:⁣
Jordan Beynon – Senior Website Manager⁣
Sunil Patel – Website Manager

If you are a Dental Focus client please contact our Client Service Team, who can review the above with you. If you’re not a client please feel free to book a Discovery Consultation with a website manager here www.dentalfocus.com/contact-us.html.

The post The Dental Website Utility Belt: Dental websites that convert patients⁣ first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

We want to help you make 2021 the best year yet in your dental practice!

Our team is here for you, book a consultation with one of our specialists and we can review your website, SEO or social media.

Book a website MOT with Chris Olson,

Senior Team Manager here

Book an SEO consultation with Jamal King,

SEO Manager here

Book a social media consultation with Dom Haslam,

Social Media Manager here

In the meantime, check out our top marketing tips to help you attract your new ideal patients in 2021: 

Tip 1: Great Leadership and Communication

Every practice needs great leadership. As a dental practice owner, you need to set aside time in your calendar to create, and then articulate to your team, a clear vision for your practice in 2021. 

At Dental Focus, we can help you build a strong marketing strategy, create the right focus for your practice, and stick to the plan before reassessing later in the year. The most successful practices that we work in partnership with have great principal dentists driving them forward. These principals understand the importance of getting the right marketing strategy in place for success. Whether it be your website, SEO or Social Media.

Tip 2: People Trust People

Remember that people trust people. It sounds cliché, but it’s very true! In all of your advertising, whether it’s on your website, in your social media posts, on dental flyers, your prospect patients want to see that there are real people behind the words and images. They want to know that you are the experts at what you do and can deliver great customer care and service. Personalise your communication as much as you can. And remember, try not to bore the public with just dentally related posts, personalise and keep things interesting!

Tip 3: Stay Compliant

GDC have their latest guidelines on advertising, using social media and what you should be aware of. Make sure that your whole dental team who deals with any of your marketing is aware of the advertising guidance and social media guidance. Our team at Dental Focus have a strict checklist that we use internally before posting anything online for our clients.

Tip 4: TouchPoints

Did you know that your new prospect patients need to see or hear about your practice at least 14-16 times before they consider taking up your dental services? This is how long it takes to build trust through marketing. This could be through word-of-mouth from another patient, through your website, seeing your practice on social media, flyer drops, phone calls, or Ads on Google/Facebook etc. In 2020, we saw a huge rise in the use of social media by dental practices, making the online space even more crowded and competitive! Make sure your practice is showcased online consistently to promote your brand awareness.

At Dental Focus, our team can help you streamline your advertising for brand awareness or lead generation for specific dental services, such as Invisalign or Implants to a targeted audience. This focused advertising for lead generation allows you to track and see the return on investment much more easily.

Tip 5: Don’t forget Google

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a must in 2021. If you want a steady stream of new patients, your practice needs to be found at the top of Google Page 1. This doesn’t happen overnight, so plan to start early to reap the rewards. Start thinking about where you want your practice to be found in 1-2 years time, and you should be starting your practice SEO groundwork now. This is a long-game investment to build your online presence on Google, which is your asset. Our team of experts can help you get there.

Take your dental practice to the next level this year. 

If you would like to stay focused for 2021 and get the right marketing strategy, book a complimentary consultation with a member of our team.

Book a website MOT with Chris Olson,

Senior Team Manager here

Book an SEO consultation with Jamal King,

SEO Manager here

Book a social media consultation with Dom Haslam,

Social Media Manager here

The post What’s your 2021 strategy? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

GDPR – WTF?

Download the FREE Dental Focus White Paper to understand what GDPR is and how to take the steps to cut through the noise and start getting the right things done.

Find answers to questions such as:

– what is GDPR?
– who in my practice should be aware of the new regulations?
– why should I make this a priority?
– what do I need to do with my existing data?
– what do I need to do differently moving forward?
– what is the best practice for total compliance?

Download the White Paper here.

The post GDPR – WTF? A guide to cutting through the noise and getting the right things done. first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Is every new patient worth at least £1,000 to you?

Just think about how much business you lose when you’re closed for lunch or at nights. LIVE Appointment Booking on your Website has been a must since 2012.

Dental Focus highly recommends that you have LIVE Appointment Bookings on your Website which shows your availability because patients expect to book dental appointments like they book hotels, train and plane tickets, holidays and the cinema.

Video Interview from March 2010.

Three major benefits for your Dental Focus Website:

1. You have the peace of mind that you are always in control of clinicians, times and type of Appointments available. This ‘Cloud’ software works with ALL dental practice management systems i.e. SOE, R4, etc. and perfect if you’re still paper-based but want to go digital.
2. Your Dental Focus website converts and secures more new patients because once patients can “book 24/7” they stop looking on Google to compare (even when you’re closed at lunch or nights).
3. You increase your immediate profits by charging for Appointments online which reduces the risk of “no shows”. Automatically charge for missed Appointments too.

What are clients saying?

£30,000 boost in sales

“Great site construction, bright, fast and bang up to date with features. “

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Jason Drewett, Walton Park Dental Practice

£24,000 boost in sales

“Keep up the good work”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Anthony Inman, Beechwood Dental Practice

£30,000 boost in sales

“Excellent service”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Caroline Mann, Mawsley Dental Clinic

The post LIVE Appointment Booking first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

http://www.dentalwizards.co.uk/

At Dental Wizards in Essex, we emphasise prevention as well as personalized attention, an we offer a complete range of dental services. You can choose whether to maintain the smile you have or change any elements of it that you are unhappy with
 

http://www.twickenhamdentalcare.co.uk/

Twickenham Dental Care in Twickenham is a state-of-the-art practice, offering you and your family the very best in modern dentistry.

We have created the practice to meet all your dental care needs. As well as investing in the latest dental technology to ensure you receive the highest possible standard of clinical care, we have also created a relaxed ambiance and comfortable environment to help you feel calm and at ease when you visit us.
 

http://www.pearldental.co.uk/

Pearl Dental is a completely unique kind of dental practice. From initial design through to the decor and furnishings, every detail has been with patient comfort and care in mind. Our team of experienced dental professionals are committed to delivering the latest knowledge and expertise in preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry. We provide a full range of state-of-the-art dental treatments to suit each and every individual need whether you are looking for a more attractive smile or healthier teeth and gums.
 

http://www.battlesmiles.co.uk/

We’re a family dental practice based in Battle, in the heart of East Sussex. We welcome new NHS, Denplan and Independent patients. We provide a first class, friendly and caring dental service within a clean and comfortable clinical environment. Our state of the art facilities ensure we can maintain, repair and enhance your teeth and gums with efficiency and comfort, while offering a tailored service to meet your personal requirement.
 

http://www.thedentalconnection.co.uk

The Dental Connection in Surbiton is a state-of-the-art practice, offering you and your family the very best in modern dentistry.

We have created the practice to meet all your dental care needs. As well as investing in the latest dental technology to ensure you receive the highest possible standard of clinical care, we have also created a relaxed ambience and comfortable environment to help you feel calm and at ease when you visit us.
 

http://www.periodonticsandimplants.co.uk/

Our goal is to provide the highest quality evidence-based treatment for our patients. We deliver individualised treatments always recognising the specific needs and wishes of our patients.

Our clinic serves our South-East community of referring dentists by providing the very best specialist periodontal, endodontic and restorative care for their patients. We have over 100 referring dentists and many see our clinic as an extension of their own practice.

Come back next week for more dental websites!

The post Dental Websites that make patients love visiting! first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

A good website is at the heart of any successful marketing campaign, and is an excellent way of showing patients just who you are and what you do. You website may for example include patient testimonials, picture of your team, or even before and after photos from completed cases. Whatever you choose to include, visitors to your website will experience a fantastic ‘snap shot’ of your practice, and what they see, and what they read will persuade them either to call you, or search elsewhere.

Set yourself apart

To make the most of your practice website, it is important to remember that not all websites are created equal. In this day and age, merely having a website alone is not enough. This is because there are literally thousands of dental practice websites out there now, and unless you are able to successfully differentiate your website from the competition, then you may find your local rivals rank higher on Google than you do.

To help you get the most out of your practice website there are many different steps you can take, and the support of an experienced online dental marketing team can make the whole process an awful lot easier. Whichever route you decide to take – whether you employ the services of an outside agency, or choose to ‘go it alone’ – it is useful to be aware of the various features that help set the best dental practice websites apart.

Detail in the design

The design is an important part of any website, and in dentistry in particular, an eye-catching design helps to establish a strong first impression. The best websites will work as an extension of the practice setting, and will even use the same branding and colour scheme. Aside from the branding element, you should also be sure that your website isn’t too cluttered, or overwhelming on first glance, and that menus are clear and easy to follow. Remember, your practice website is reflection of your practice, and if your website doesn’t look professional, then rightly or wrongly, patients will assume the same is true of your dentistry.

What you say matters

Of course it’s all well and good having a practice website with an appealing design, but all this is worth nothing if you don’t have anything to say. Content is vitally important to a good website, and is one of the key determining factors behind how well your website ranks on Google. Content should be easy to read and professional, you should avoid jargon wherever possible, and you should never copy and paste text from another source. You should also ensure that your text is up to date, and ideally, you should add new content regularly. One of the best ways you can do this is by writing a practice blog. Blogs are an excellent way of engaging with patients, and making your practice seem ‘real’. Not only that, but Google loves blogs, and you will find your search ranking rises as a result.

Online compliance

While you will be familiar with the need for strict compliance protocols in-practice, you may not be aware of the need for a similar level of compliance when it comes to your practice website. In addition to the requirements outlined by the GDC and CQC, you should also ensure your website meets the ICO’s policy regarding the use of cookies. If you’ve never heard of the ICO regulations then it may well be worth your while to call in some expert support. After all, you may be an excellent dentist, but that is not to say you are an expert web developer, and factors such as ICO compliance should not be overlooked.

The mobile web

Online trends are changing, and more and more people are now surfing the web from portable devices such as smart phones and tablets. If your website doesn’t cater to this ample market then you won’t be achieving the maximum return on your marketing spend.

While size-responsive websites can be effective to a certain extent, the most effective dental practice websites will have a fast-action mobile version for patients who are searching on the go. These streamlined websites are far easier to browse on small screens, and will be optimised so they are easy to navigate and extremely fast to load. Typically, they will include just the core information and services from your main website, and will include a ‘call now’ function so patients can contact you in just the touch of a button.

Staying ahead of the game

Effective online dental marketing is no easy task, but is one that is vitally important if you are to stay ahead of the local competition. To achieve this, it is important that you have a website that is both appealing to patients and is ultimately something that you and your team can be proud of. This website should excel in areas such as design, content, compliance and mobile compatibility, and should fully reflect the quality of dentistry that you can provide. With these factors in mind, your practice website will be well on the way to online success.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dentalfocus.com

About the author:

Alfie Jones aka the Guru is Project Manager at Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’. Alfie has worked as a web designer, copywriter, college tutor and charity fundraiser in his time, and is called the Guru because he has a ‘guru-like’ knowledge of the web. As an expert in social media and website technology, Alfie is the first port of call for any dentist who is serious about their online marketing.

The post What’s In A Website? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

Often, practices that aren’t focused on their online presence don’t think enough about how a website can build brand recognition and how they could be getting more out of their online investment.

When managed correctly, a website can be a powerful asset to any practice that is trying to grow – by attracting more patients, generate more appointments and increase brand recognition.

Here are five important questions you should be asking yourself to make sure you are getting the most of out of your website.

Five things to ask:-

1) What kind of ROI are you getting on your investment?

2) Is your target patient able to find your website?

3) Is your website optimized for mobile devices?

4) Where does your website fit in to the rest of your dental business?

5) Are you able to give your website the attention it needs, for it to be truly effective? If unsure or if you are in need of some advice, contact Dental Focus on: 020 7183 8388 Also for an extended article, see this link:

http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/07/28/website-really-helping-business-grow-five-things-need-ask/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-07-29&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

The post Is Your Website Really Helping Your Practice To Grow? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

New GDC ‘Standards for the Dental Team’ became enforceable in September  2013. To make sure your website complies with all GDC standards, contact Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

At Dental Focus ® we have over 12 years’ experience creating high quality dental websites that are fully compliant with all relevant GDC, CQC and ICO standards. For your complete peace of mind we are offering solutions to ensure all our clients stay compliant with the latest GDC regulations.

• Solution #1. Disclaimers will be automatically placed on all our 500+ client websites to protect you and ensure patients know not to send confidential medical details via email and website forms, which are not encrypted. This service is complimentary to all Dental Focus ® Customer Service Plan (CSP) clients.

• Solution #2. We are offering Valident v-Form services, which have been specially developed to comply with GDC, DPA and CQC legislation. These secure, encrypted forms are incredibly important for online referrals and are available at a special discount to Dental Focus ® customers.

To find out more about website compliance and how we can help you meet the new GDC standards, contact Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dental-focus.com

The post Keep your website compliant with Dental Focus ® first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

A good website is at the heart of any successful marketing campaign, and is an excellent way of showing patients just who you are and what you do. You website may for example include patient testimonials, picture of your team, or even before and after photos from completed cases. Whatever you choose to include, visitors to your website will experience a fantastic ‘snap shot’ of your practice, and what they see, and what they read will persuade them either to call you, or search elsewhere.

Detail in the design

The design is an important part of any website, and in dentistry in particular, an eye-catching design helps to establish a strong first impression. The best websites will work as an extension of the practice setting, and will even use the same branding and colour scheme. Aside from the branding element, you should also be sure that your website isn’t too cluttered, or overwhelming on first glance, and that menus are clear and easy to follow. Remember, your practice website is reflection of your practice, and if your website doesn’t look professional, then rightly or wrongly, patients will assume the same is true of your dentistry.

What you say matters

Content is vitally important to a good website, and is one of the key determining factors behind how well your website ranks on Google. Content should be easy to read and professional, you should avoid jargon wherever possible, and you should never copy and paste text from another source. You should also ensure that your text is up to date, and ideally, you should add new content regularly. One of the best ways you can do this is by writing a practice blog. Blogs are an excellent way of engaging with patients, and making your practice seem ‘real’. Not only that, but Google loves blogs, and you will find your search ranking rises as a result.

Online compliance

While you will be familiar with the need for strict compliance protocols in-practice, you may not be aware of the need for a similar level of compliance when it comes to your practice website. In addition to the requirements outlined by the GDC and CQC, you should also ensure your website meets the ICO’s policy regarding the use of cookies. If you’ve never heard of the ICO regulations then it may well be worth your while to call in some expert support. After all, you may be an excellent dentist, but that is not to say you are an expert web developer, and factors such as ICO compliance should not be overlooked.

Staying ahead of the game

Effective online dental marketing is no easy task, but is one that is vitally important if you are to stay ahead of the local competition. To achieve this, it is important that you have a website that is both appealing to patients and is ultimately something that you and your team can be proud of. This website should excel in areas such as design, content, and compliance and should also be fully compatible across all mobile devices. With these factors in mind, your practice website will be well on the way to online success.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dental-focus.com

About the author:

Alfie Jones aka the Guru is Project Manager at Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’. Alfie has worked as a web designer, copywriter, college tutor and charity fundraiser in his time, and is called the Guru because he has a ‘guru-like’ knowledge of the web. As an expert in social media and website technology, Alfie is the first port of call for any dentist who is serious about their online marketing.

The post What’s In A Website? first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.

We believe Emotional Branding is central to responsive dental marketing, i.e. understanding people’s concerns, fears and aspirations (especially as dentistry is a lot about appearance, confidence and trust).

Interestingly, we note that now SoftBank in Japan have developed a robot that is capable of deciphering emotions. 

It can tell if you’ve had a bad day and are feeling stressed or if you’re feeling sad and need a shoulder to cry on.

All very well – but for your dental marketing you’d be better off talking to Dental Focus, who as part of their strategy, interpret and understand how human emotions can drive dental patients.

For now, we do not rely much on human-like robots using proprietary algorithms and voice recognition technology. 

Call Dental Focus: 020 7183 8388

See more at:

http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/06/06/pepper-robot-can-read-human-emotions/?utm_source=newsletter+-+2014-06-07&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Article%2BUpdate

The post Emotional Branding first appeared on Digital Marketing for Dentists in UK | Blog by Dental Focus.