Quick Jist
An optimized Google Business Profile is vital for boosting website traffic and attracting new patients. In fact, 60% of patients are more likely to click on a website with a Google Business Profile listing.
Claiming and actively managing your Google Business Profile grants you control over the displayed information and helps avoid any potential confusion caused by incorrect details. Ensuring information accuracy significantly enhances your chances of achieving a higher ranking.
Optimizing your profile involves actions such as adding photos, enabling online scheduling links, fostering reviews, and more. These engagements send positive signals to Google, indicating the value of your listing to potential patients.
Benefits from a Google Business Profile Page
Google Business Profile enhances local awareness of your practice, providing quick access to vital information like your address, contact number, and operating hours for online searchers. If you haven't actively claimed your Google Business Profile, you might already have one, but without management, it can lead to confusion with inaccurate data. Furthermore, if your practice has multiple locations, each one requires a dedicated Google Business Profile page.
Failing to establish or manage your Google Business Profile can impact your online reputation, especially concerning online reviews. A survey by Tech Target revealed that 72% of patients prioritize Google reviews when selecting a provider.
Maintaining a presence on Google also allows you to stay informed about patient satisfaction surveys related to your office, ensuring you're attuned to your practice's performance.
Google Business Profile
Creating a Google Business listing is a straightforward process that can greatly benefit your practice. Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Begin by visiting google.com/business and select "Manage now".
Step 2: As you proceed, keep these four important guidelines in mind:
Maintain Consistency: Ensure that your practice name is consistent across all platforms.
Provide Detailed Information: Be thorough in providing key details about your practice.
Define Your Identity: Clearly state, what sets your practice apart from others.
Showcase Patient-Approved Experiences: Share positive patient experiences.
Step 3: You will be prompted to "Provide a business name" or "Find and manage your business." Enter your practice name, making sure it matches your listings elsewhere online.
Step 4: Next, you'll encounter the "Choose your business type" screen, where you can select from three options. Afterward, specify your primary business category by typing your specialty and selecting from the dropdown menu. Be as specific as possible; Google understands that an orthopedic surgeon is a medical professional.
Step 5: On the "Add your services" screen, highlight the services your practice offers, particularly those that set you apart in your market. While you can include around 5 to 7 services, you have the flexibility to focus on 1 or 2 that align with your practice strategy. Remember that this isn't an exhaustive list; concentrate on the services that matter most to patients and align with their interests. If you offer additional revenue streams, such as a medspa or supplements sales, be sure to include these as well.
Step 6: Google then inquires, "Where do you serve your customers?" While this field is optional, it's highly recommended that you complete it. This step is crucial for local visibility. Here's where you input your practice address, ensuring that it's discoverable on Google Maps when potential customers search for your business. For practices with multiple locations, creating a dedicated profile for each one is essential.
Step 7: The subsequent screen poses the question, "Do you also serve customers outside this location?" If you're a mobile physician or provider who offers house calls, selecting "Yes" here is advisable to broaden your service area.
Step 8: Now, Google requests your contact details. Even though Google labels this information as optional, consider it a must to maximize your patients' access points. Provide a phone number and share your practice website URL to make it easy for potential patients to connect with you.
You're almost finished with the fundamentals! Before delving into advanced optimizations, you'll need to verify the business listing you've just created as yours.
There are several ways to do this. If you have a brand-new practice with a new phone number, Google will likely send a postcard for verification. For existing listings that you're now trying to claim, you might receive a phone verification option if you've never verified the business before. In cases where you've had your own practice website for a while and have already verified it through the Google Search Console, you might not need additional verification. Tebra, as a Google partner, can facilitate and streamline this process for practices, making verification more seamless and convenient.
Maximizing Your Google Business Profile
Once your Google business profile is verified, it's time to maximize its potential. Make sure to log in to Google using the same email account you used to claim your business listing.
Here are some essential features to consider utilizing:
Create a Captivating Photo Album: Showcase your practice with a collection of well-optimized images. Include pictures of your providers, staff, as well as interior and exterior shots of your office.
Add an "Appointments" Link: Make it easy for patients to schedule appointments by providing a direct link to your website's online scheduling system. This streamlined process encourages patients to book without leaving your profile.
Leverage the "Questions & Answers" Feature: Take advantage of this feature by posing common patient inquiries and providing informative answers. Addressing these questions proactively can enhance the patient experience.
Encourage Patient Feedback: Actively seek feedback from your patients to boost your review count. Google is more responsive to practices with higher engagement, and reviews play a vital role in showcasing patient satisfaction.
Utilize Google Posts: These serve as mini-billboards for promotions and information. Ensure each post directs visitors to your website for further details.
By making the most of these features, you can enhance your Google business profile and engage with potential patients effectively.
Claim your Google Business Profile
Regardless of whether patients are conducting a discovery search or specifically searching for your practice, creating and upkeeping a strong first impression on Google is a vital element of any medical marketing strategy.
Beginning with the fundamentals, such as claiming your Google Business Profile and ensuring consistent information, and then infusing it with unique character and specific details, you'll place your practice in an excellent position to shine in local search rankings.
Click HERE to get started with Google Business
