Alternatives to Google?
So why do we always focus on Google anyway? My generic answer is “that is where the majority of your potential patients are searching for a dentist”. Whilst I stand by this statement, I thought I’d unpack it a bit to provide a more comprehensive answer next time.
We are all aware that Bing – having (not so recently) been made the default search engine for Microsoft Windows – is unsurprisingly the stand-out runner-up to Google. However, there is still a difference of 1,200,000,000 users per month between Bing and Google.
ebizmba.com provides a monthly update of the top 15 search engines across the world based on an average of each website’s Alexa Global Traffic Rank, and U.S. Traffic Rank from Quantcast. They have provided a list of the top 15 search engines based on these factors. Click here to see them in detail and see a snapshot below.
The list compiled above is global and very American biased. So, I thought I’d delve deeper by using Google to search for “Search Engine” and then exploring the results as a patient looking for a new dental practice
Yes, it’s clearly very interesting that Google ranks Bing so low on the results page for this term, but we won’t go into that one for now.
Searching for “dentist near me” on the other search engine options provided, produced some interesting results.
DuckDuckGo
Not a bad result with local dental practices (and a lab!) shown for me at the top. By the rest of the results, I found fairly useless as they are poor quality, old looking directories. Also, I would like to see a map in results in relation to where I am. I am looking at this on a PC with an easy IP to find. DuckDuckGo’s USP is that they don’t collect data – hence not being able to provide any personalised, hyper-local results.
DogPile
A much better result than DuckDuckGo for me, as it does show a couple of dentist websites that are actually in my area (searching from my home PC in Ringwood, Dorset). However, I’m missing a map again – which I would find incredibly useful for this type of search.
MoJeek
Described as the only true British Search Engine who became the first search engine to not track users. I had hoped for more from this search, but received a denture clinic in Surrey (I’m not searching in Surrey), then a practice in Aldershot (again, not in Aldershot, but there is an Alderholt nearby?) Following by some poor quality directories, one of which links to a broken site..
e.g http://www.denplannumbercruncher.co.uk/find-dentist-near/
Bing
And finally, we look at Google’s nearest competitor.
I do get an advert for an American directory of dentists, which says a little but about the setting on the advertising platform for Bing. This wouldn’t really be an option on Google’s Adwords. However, there is a map with my location correctly identified.
So, to answer the query “Why do we always focus on Google?”, I can confidently say that with a search of “dentist near me” (a very strong term used by potential new patients) Google provides the best results for the user, which leads to YOUR website listing being clicked on.
Google really understands ‘searches with local intent’, which are the very type of searches your potential patients are typing into the search engine.
Contact Dental Design to discuss your presence on Google. Call 01202 677277.
More posts from our team
Five Star
Reviewed Marketing
"Would definitely recommend to a friend"
"I cannot recommend Dental Design highly enough"
"Really great company to deal with"
"Very professional, efficient & adaptive to new situations"
"I cannot recommend them highly enough"
"Has been invaluable and gone out of her way to help us"
"We love the look of our practice website. Very professional!"
"Dental Design stood out both in their knowledge of the industry and their professionalism"
"The team and package offered at dental design was unrivalled"
"absolutely fantastic and are always on hand to help"
"Dental Design are fantastic to work with"
"always met with a swift and professional response"
