Dental Website Statistics You Should Know
With more potential patients finding their dentist online, a fast, brand-friendly dental website is more critical than ever. Your website serves multiple functions: it increases your visibility online, establishes your dental branding, makes vital patient information easily accessible, and creates a first impression for prospective patients who visit.
At My Social Practice, we understand the importance of your dental website in attracting and retraining patients. And because we’re a bunch of nerds (very cool nerds), we like to support our statements with cold, hard facts.
We’ve compiled dental website statistics and data to help you learn why you need a website, and best practices for designing yours.
General Statistics
More than 93% of website traffic comes from Google
Statistics from website visitors indicate that more than 93% of the world’s web traffic is routed through Google. Additionally, Google search stats reveal that the platform processes over 8 billion searches daily. Dentists should adhere to Google’s best practices and focus on SEO tactics that focus on the search giant.
Only about 40% of websites rank on the first page of search engine results
Did you know that the activity on your dental practice’s social media platforms are included in the ranking algorithm? That’s right, dental practice SEO and dental social media marketing work in tandem. Staying active on your social media accounts presents yet another opportunity to improve your Google rankings.
When you post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or any of the other social media platforms, your followers can comment, share, and like the posts. We call this social media engagement. Engagement is easily recognized by search engines and helps to identify authorities in an industry.
More than 58% of total website traffic comes from mobile
When designing your website, it’s crucial to prioritize a mobile-first approach. In the first quarter of 2023, statistics show that 58.3% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. This marks a steady increase over the past five years and reflects a 7% rise from 2020. As smartphones become more advanced, people use them to search for local businesses like family dentists with increasing frequency.
Blogs get you 67% more leads every month
After creating a user-friendly dental website, the next important step is to add a blog. Stats show that blogs can increase leads by almost 70%. Blogging is an excellent way to add a personal and human touch to your brand by sharing its values with your audience. Additionally, dental blogging can improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) by demonstrating its authority in your industry.
Design Statistics
38% of people report they would stop interacting with a badly-designed website
The abundance of dental websites means that potential patients have plenty of choices. If a website is difficult to navigate, 38% of users are likely to leave and visit other sites that offer the same content without the hassle. It’s important not to miss the chance to engage your visitors by ensuring they don’t bounce off your page right away. Use dental website design best practices to ensure your site appeals to visitors.
38.5% of users make a judgment about a business based on its website
According to a recent survey, almost 39% of professional web developers believe that poor design is a factor that pushes users away. Let’s put optimization aside for a moment and focus on the visual appeal of your site. Is it visually appealing? Does it contain high-quality images? Is it navigable? Dental website statistics indicate that these types of questions are important to users.
39% of users value a website’s color scheme
Color plays a significant role in how people perceive your dental brand. A website’s color scheme is the element that attracts consumers the most, even more so than quality images or typography. Almost 40% of users focus on color when visiting a website, and 46% of consumers prefer blue in a site’s design.
Great dental branding can increase website conversions by 33%
It’s crucial to maintain consistent branding across your website and all online marketing materials, as it significantly influences purchase decisions and is vital for brand recognition. Ensuring that your imagery, language, and colors are aligned can increase conversions and revenue by as much as 33%.
57% of say they won’t recommend a business that has bad mobile design
Above all, make sure your website looks good on all devices. 57% of consumers say they wouldn’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile website (Zippia).
38% of customers pay attention to links and navigation
In dental website design, layout and navigational links are essential for the overall user experience. These act as maps that guide patients around your website and direct them to the information they need. This is often the first thing that many users look for when visiting your website: a survey revealed that 38% of customers consider a website’s layout and navigational links when visiting it for the first time.
AI Statistics
Having AI in your website can lead to a 15.4% increase in traffic
Integrating AI into your website enhances its functionality, leading to improved user experience and increased traffic. For example, Bing experienced a 15.4% rise in traffic after integrating an AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT. Projections suggest that this growth could result in a steady 10% annual increase in website traffic rankings.
Chatbots are the #1 generative AI tool consumers use
Generative AI, which creates new content such as text or images, is becoming increasingly popular. Studies have shown that the AI chatbot is the most widely used form of generative AI, with usage ranging from 14% to 15%, surpassing gaming and online search. Whether for marketing, sales, or customer service, incorporating the best AI chatbots into your website can significantly enhance the online customer experience.
91% of users think that company websites should have AI chatbots
In a survey conducted in 2022, 91% of consumers expressed that they found AI chatbots on company websites to be valuable and believed that they improved their overall customer experience. Only 9% of respondents held a contrary opinion. AI chatbots enhance a website’s customer service and significantly improve the customer experience.
User Experience Statistics
40% of people will leave a slow website
Nobody enjoys using a slow website. While it’s nice to have high-quality images, GIFs, and videos, unfortunately, they can significantly slow down your website and eventually drive away your audience. Studies show that 40% of consumers will leave a website that takes more than three seconds to load. These dental website statistics about page load times mean that while having a visually impactful website is great, if your audience doesn’t stick around to see it, your design will be useless.
Conversions drop 7% per second of load time
It’s important to ensure that your website loads quickly. Website load time statistics indicate that every second counts. For instance, for each second a website spends loading, there’s a potential loss of up to 7% in conversions. Furthermore, these statistics show that the problem worsens as load times increase. For example, a page that takes 10 seconds to load could see its bounce rate increase by up to 123%.
Poor user experience can cause half of users to choose a competitor
User frustration isn’t isn’t only about poor design and optimization. Website statistics prove that a bad user experience actively drives 50% of potential customers straight into your competitors’ arms. User experience isn’t a one-time thing either: Consistently improve your site’s UX, as around 80% of a business’ profits come from 20% of existing customers.
Search Statistics
Did you know that the activity on your dental practice’s social media platforms are included in the ranking algorithm? That’s right, dental practice SEO and dental social media marketing work in tandem. Staying active on your social media accounts presents yet another opportunity to improve your Google rankings.
When you post on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or any of the other social media platforms, your followers can comment, share, and like the posts. We call this social media engagement. Engagement is easily recognized by search engines and helps to identify authorities in an industry.
62% of customers ignore businesses without an online presence
It’s important to have a dental website because most potential patients will ignore your practice if it doesn’t have an online presence. Nowadays, not having a website can make your business seem untrustworthy. When building a site, make sure to include important information such as your products and services, physical address (if available), and contact information. Statistics show that having all of this information on your website helps to build trust.
86% of users check Google Maps before visiting a business
Before visiting a business, 86% of potential customers check it out on Google Maps. Once you have your dental website up and running, be sure to set up and optimize a Google Business Profile and list your business on other directories such as Yelp. If you’re not sure how to set up and maintain listings, or you don’t have the time, consider contacting a dental marketing agency that offers comprehensive dental SEO.
96% of potential patients learn about local businesses online
If the dental website statistics we’ve shared so far still don’t convince you to invest in a website, consider this: 96% of customers (so, um, everyone) use the internet to read local business reviews and learn about a business. Of course, dental social media marketing plays a role in this number, but all your online marketing efforts can be accelerated by creating a website to showcase your brand’s presence online.
Nearly 50% of all Google searches are for local businesses
Local SEO is important for your dental practice. Forty-six percent of people search for local businesses, and many of them end up visiting those businesses in person. At least 45% of these searchers are likely to visit a physical location afterward. To capitalize on this traffice, it’s crucial to have a well-designed website and strong online presence through local SEO for dentists.
Dental Website Statistics: The Bottom Line
Hopefully these fast facts have given you some insight into why your practice needs a beautiful dental website. Your website isn’t just an online business card—it’s the cornerstone of your dental marketing strategy, building online presence and a critical tool for patient acquisition. The statistics we’ve covered highlight just how vital a well-designed, SEO-optimized, and user-friendly website is for standing out in a crowded market. Whether it’s making a strong first impression, ranking on Google’s first page, or ensuring a smooth mobile experience, every element of your site plays a role in attracting and retaining patients.
By prioritizing your dental website’s design, functionality, and content, you’re not just keeping up with the competition; you’re setting the stage for sustained growth and patient loyalty. Investing in a high-performing dental website is no longer optional—it’s essential for the success of your practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a dental website important?
A well-designed dental website improves your SEO, solidifies your dental brand, and establishes your local online presence. Additionally, you your website gives you an opportunity to build trust with your local patient base and attract new patients. Dental website statistics show that a great website helps your practice succeed.
Why is a fast website important for dentists?
Most users online don’t have much patience for a poorly-optimized, slow site. Dental website statistics show that most users will leave a website if it takes too long to load, and will go to a competitor with a more reliable site.
Do dentists need a website?
Yes! It’s vital to have a well-functioning, beautiful dental website to build your authority with your potential patient base. You’ll attract new patients, retain old ones, improve your SEO, and create trust in patients with an effective website.
About the Author: Megan Nielsen is an SEO strategist and the Grand Overlord of copywriting at My Social Practice. My Social Practice is a dental marketing company that offers a full suite of dental marketing services to thousands of dental practices throughout the United States and Canada.
