Reviews are one of the most powerful levers for your dental practice’s visibility — but not always in the way most dentists think. In this episode, I sit down again with local SEO thought leader Colan Nielsen from Sterling Sky to cut through the noise about Google reviews, rankings, and how to actually get found by more patients.

Colan and his team run ongoing SEO testing (so you don’t have to) and bring real data on what matters — and what’s just hype. We discuss what moves the needle on your Google Business Profile, how review quantity and recency affect map pack rankings, and why hitting that “magic 10” review milestone matters more than you realize.

If you’ve been guessing at local SEO or feel stuck competing with practices with hundreds of reviews — this conversation will give you clarity and actionable next steps.

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What You’ll Learn From This Episode

• The truth about keywords in reviews — why telling patients to mention “dental implants” or “Invisalign” doesn’t help you rank.
  
  
• The magic number to hit first — how going from 9 to 10 reviews gives a measurable boost in local rankings.
  
  
• Why recency beats volume — keeping a steady stream of new reviews is more important than chasing huge totals.
  
  
• Primary vs. secondary categories — how your Google Business Profile category choices impact visibility.
  
  
• Tools & metrics that matter — see how Sterling Sky measures you against top competitors month to month.
  
  
• When (and when not) to run branded Google Ads — stop wasting budget where it’s not needed.

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Key Takeaways

00:46 Introduction to Google Reviews and SEO

04:50 The Importance of Customer Service in Rankings

07:50 Understanding Local SEO and Google Business Profiles

12:57 The Impact of Review Text on Rankings

22:24 Review Velocity and Its Effect on Rankings

25:38 The Magic Number: 10 Reviews

27:58 The Role of Review Recency in SEO

34:35 Primary and Secondary Categories in Google Rankings

39:13 The Future of Reviews and AI in SEO

40:44 Branded AdWords and Their Effectiveness

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Connect with Colan

Website & Newsletter: www.sterlingsky.ca

YouTube Channel: Sterling Sky Inc

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Learn proven dental marketing strategies and online reputation management techniques at DrLenTau.com.

This podcast is sponsored by Dental Intelligence. Learn more here.

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This podcast is sponsored by CallRail, call tracking & lead conversion software for dentists. Find out more here.

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Raving Patients Podcast is your go-to place for the latest and best dental marketing strategies that will help you skyrocket your practice. Follow us for more!

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