Where your competition is in South Carolina
The largest concentrations of dental practices in our South Carolina data are in Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Florence, Anderson, Greenville, Sumter, Charleston and Summerville. Competition for the map pack is heaviest there, and so is the reward: the same review count that dominates a small town is invisible in Columbia.
The map pack in South Carolina
Google shows three businesses in the map pack for a search like "dental practice near me" in Columbia. In South Carolina the shops that hold those spots usually sit near the 90th percentile, 666 reviews, not the median. 43.4% of South Carolina dental practices have passed 100 reviews; the other 56.6% are competing for whatever is left below the fold.
The website gap in South Carolina
20.9% of South Carolina dental practices list no website on their Google profile, about as many than the national 21.5%. Nationally, dental practices with a website have a median of 103 reviews against 1 without. A five-page site with tap-to-call and a page per service is the cheapest gap to close.
How South Carolina compares
Of the 51 states in our data, South Carolina ranks 26th for the number of dental practices, 15th for median review count, and 28th for the share with no website. The review bar is higher than in most of the country, so plan on a steady review habit rather than a one-time push.
| State | Listed | Median reviews | No site |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 2,005 | 53 | 20.9% |
| Alabama | 2,186 | 19 | 29.4% |
| Delaware | 295 | 47 | 17.3% |
| District of Columbia | 31 | 24 | 32.3% |
| Florida | 1,886 | 211 | 10.1% |
| Georgia | 2,307 | 82 | 18.8% |
| Kentucky | 1,887 | 18 | 29% |
| Maryland | 2,586 | 40 | 20.4% |
| Mississippi | 1,355 | 5 | 36.8% |
What to do first in South Carolina
- Set a review velocity. One review per job day, asked at the door, moves a 53-review shop past the South Carolina 75th percentile (320) within a year. The guides have the scripts.
- Finish the Google profile: primary category, every service you offer, real job photos, and hours that match reality. It is free and it is where South Carolina customers decide.
- Follow up every lead within five minutes. Speed to lead beats ad spend in a trade where the customer is collecting three quotes. The calculator shows what slow replies cost.
- Then, and only then, spend on ads. Pointed at a profile with 53 reviews and no website, ads pay for your competitor's education. Pointed at a finished profile, they work.
The full national picture, with percentiles, ratings and hours, is in the benchmark report. The method is on the about page.