For years, online business directories were hosted on individual websites, and all essentially functioned the same way until Google My Business (now renamed Google Business Profiles, or GPB) came along. Not only is Google’s business directory integrated into the search engine experience, but it also makes a point to display the “best” businesses first in search results. For this reason, Google Business Profile optimization has a direct impact on local search engine optimization (SEO) for businesses.
However, the benefits of a well-optimized Google Business Profile extend beyond mere visibility. It can effectively convert digital seekers into real-life patients, serving as a potent instrument in growing your practice. But how do you optimize your Google Business Profile? This article outlines what it means to optimize GBP.
Understanding Google Business Profile Optimization Local Ranking Factors
Understanding how to optimize Google Business Profiles for local ranking factors can be a game-changer for your medical practice’s visibility. Google uses an intricate algorithm that determines ranking of businesses in local search results based on:
- Relevance is the extent to which your business matches search queries. Providing comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date information about your practice can enhance your relevance score.
- Distance refers to the proximity of your local business to the searcher’s location. While this is a factor you have little control over, ensuring your practice’s address is correctly listed in your Google Business Profile can help improve your ranking. This is why business owners will enhance their profiles with explicit service area information.
- Prominence reflects your business’s standing online through reviews and SEO efforts. It is essentially the “off-page” aspect of optimization involving external factors such as your website’s SEO authority and customer reviews.
Google’s algorithm isn’t rigid; it prioritizes listing rank to closely matching a user’s needs, even if the “best” match is further away. This mechanism should incentivize local businesses to optimize their profiles so that they are more likely to match specific Google search intent.
Benefits of Google Business Profile Optimization
Google Business Profiles that are optimized not only earn preference in rank making it easier for patients to find your practice in search results, but they are also more inviting to healthcare consumers who are actively looking for care services. In digital marketing, you are constantly competing for attention with short attention spans, so when your profile is visually appealing and provides ample details, you give plenty of information for consumers to absorb in a glance.
Local businesses can also compete for a limited number of top spots for the most visibility in Google Business Profiles search results. This is known as the “local pack.” Only three businesses will be chosen for the top Google Business Profile rankings, and these will frequently appear first for Google search users. Optimizing Google Business Profiles is part of your complete strategy to gain this coveted placement.
Putting more care and focus into optimizing your GBP also introduces opportunties to be more engaged with the public through online reviews and peformance tracking. GBP doubles as a an online reputation managment hub where you can improve your star rating over time, and demonstrate your committment to service quality by replying publicly to patient reviews. GBP also offers a performance reporting feature that provides insights into how the public interacts with your profile.
7 Tips for Google Business Profile Optimization
By tapping Google Business Profile’s local SEO power through a well-optimized profile, your practice can significantly boost its frequency and prominence in local search results, helping attract more local patients. A robust and engaging GBP not only makes it easier for potential patients to find you, but also facilitates their engagement with your practice. In the following sections, you can explore key strategies for how to rank higher on google Business Profile.
1: Create and Verify Your Profile
Creating and verifying a Google Business Profile is the first step. A verified and accurate GBP sets the stage for effective local SEO Google Business Profile strategies that can boost your visibility and patient engagement.
This process allows you to affirm the accuracy of your business information with Google, ensuring your practice is appropriately represented online. To ensure the best online visibility, details such as Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) must consistently match everywhere including your GBP and website.
2: Ensure Complete and Accurate Business Profile Information
Ensuring that your Google Business Profile is complete and accurate involves meticulously filling out all the available fields in your profile, including up-to-date contact details, hours of operation, and a comprehensive business description. Optimizing GBPs is not complete without choosing the best fit among the business categories while also providing other noteworthy details in the “more” section such as accessibility, amenities, service options, and more.
3: Use Keywords in Your Business Profile
Digital marketers with the most ambitious SEO goals are always looking for areas to expand keyword strategy implementation including how to use Google Business Profile to their advantage. While the bulk of SEO keyword strategy is oriented towards website contents, you can take it even further by using keywords in your GBP. SEO Google Business Profile optimization means taking search terms you believe your target audience are most likely to search for that also have local search intent such as, “sliding scale therapy in Springfield.”
4: Engage with Your Customers
Encourage patients to leave positive reviews and keep your profile fresh by regularly updating it with posts, adding photos, and uploading videos related to your practice. This not only keeps your business relevant but entices potential patients to interact with your profile.
Make use of features like Q&A and instant messaging to interact promptly with potential patients, providing them with immediate answers to their queries. Due to patient privacy regulations, medical practices must be careful not to gather any patient protected information via Google message transmission, and instead encourage patrons to direct care-specific questions to a secure channel.
5: Monitor for Consistency Across Online Directories
Any inconsistencies in your business name, address, or phone number could potentially confuse patients and negatively affect your search rankings. Regularly audit your presence on these online directories and update for maximum accuracy to ensure a unified and credible online presence.
6: Respond to All Your Reviews (Yes – Even the Negative Ones)
Whether the feedback is positive or negative, responding to each and every review sends a strong message to potential patients. It signals that you value the opinions of your patients and are proactive in addressing their concerns.
Also, bear in mind that from Google’s perspective, a responsive business is a trustworthy business. Positive signals received by Google’s algorithms can have a direct positive impact on your overall search visibility helping you edge out the competition for online presence.
7: Utilize Google Business Profile Insights Data
Google Business Profile insights provides a view into customer behavior and trends, informing decisions that can further refine your digital strategies. By analyzing your profile’s performance over time, you can identify what works and what needs improvement.
Additionally, it can be used to identify the keywords your profile is showing up for, uncovering new opportunities to optimize your profile and improve your visibility–yet another net benefit from Google Business Profile optimization.
Summary: Google Business Profile Optimization for Improved Local SEO
When competing for market share in your local territory, special attention must be given to how you appear in Google search results. Google Business Profile listings integrate with Google Search and Maps, as a user experience enhancement. The reality is that today’s healthcare consumer is becoming more reliant on search engines like Google to begin, continue, or finalize a search for care services from a new provider. Google Business Profile optimization is instrumental in making sure your online presence is strong enough to compete in your area.
As a business owner, topping your Google Business Profile optimization checklist is to verify your business and ensure that information about your business is accurate. Critical areas to check for accuracy include business hours, holiday hours, service area, business description, and business categories.
High quality images, including a logo and branded cover photo makes your profile more visually compelling to potential customers. Enhancing your profile with more details about your services clearly communicates your product and service offerings.
Giving attention to the quality of your business listings on Google also can introduce opportunities to further refine your digital strategy. This includes managing your online reputation through Google’s ratings and reviews feature or implementing keyword strategy by infusing your business description with keywords with strong local search intent.
iHealthSpot is Your Partner for Effective Google Business Profile SEO Optimization
Being listed in Google Business Profiles is not only your ticket to being found in an online directory with the most traffic, but it is also a place to better compete for your local market share in search results. iHealthSpot’s digital marketing strategies focus on winning local SEO techniques, online directory management that emphasizes Google Business Profile optimization and online reputation management (Google ratings and reviews). Start putting together your plan to gain more market share in your territory by contacting us today.
