Gain online visibility points with Google Business Profile with 10 easy steps!

If you work in the medical field, you’re probably aware of the benefits of a Google Business Profile (ex Google My Business) for your business. Better online visibility, ease of use for patients… there’s no shortage of benefits! But just how can you be sure your profile is up to scratch? Here are 10 ways to improve your profile if you’re in the healthcare sector.

Score 10 improvement points on your Google Business Profile

Creating a Google Business Profile is a bit like creating your own virtual business card. It’s vital that it includes all the information your patients need. To help you optimize your Google Business Profile you can play a little game.  Imagine that every action you take to optimise your profile adds one point to your total. The more points you have, the more likely Google is to feature you prominently. With a good Business Profile you don’t even need Google Ads! To change or edit this information, simply go to “Edit info”. Most changes are just a few clicks away!

Enter your name and activity: +1 point

You probably already have this point, and if you don’t, it’s an easy win: make sure that the name on your profile is the one your patients will be looking for. In concrete terms, this means highlighting your specialty and location in your establishment title, e.g. “Dr. Mies, general practitioner in Geneva”, “Ophtalmology Center Visiolab Lausanne”, “Michelle Müller, massage therapist in Zürich”, and so on.

Add your address: +1 point

You’ve probably already done this when you created your Google Business Profile, so it’s worth a second point! Make sure that the address you’ve entered is actually the address where the consultations will take place. Including this information on your profile will make it easier for customers to find your practice on Google Maps. More importantly, it allows Google to highlight your practice when your patients search in your area. Without it, your profile is unlikely to appear correctly in search results.

Enter your working hours: +1 point

One point that’s easy to set up, and which will be much appreciated by both Google and your patients, is to set your consultation times! Let your patients know when they can make an appointment with you.

Share links to your platforms: +3 points

Google Business Profile allows you to highlight the platforms on which you are present:

• Link to your website
• Link to your online booking solution (like a OneDoc link, for example)
• Link(s) to your social networks

For each link you add, you can count an extra point! In fact, these links will be very useful for your patients to find information that isn’t on your Google profile.

Add your phone number: +1 point

As on your website, we recommend that you include your telephone number if you have a secretariat. Some patients may prefer to call if they have questions about your services, for example.

Showcase your practice with beautiful photos: +1 points

To make your profile more attractive, we recommend adding a few photos. These can easily be added by clicking on “Add photos” on your Google Business Profile. In particular, you can add:

• Your logo (if you have one)
• Photos of the doctor(s) or practice team
• Photo of the practice (waiting room, exterior, etc.)

This point is particularly important since, according to Google, profiles with photos receive 35% more clicks!

Monitor your online reviews: +2 points

Perhaps the most difficult points, but nevertheless essential! A much-appreciated feature of google are online reviews. 60% of patients consider online reviews to be “very important” when choosing a doctor. So don’t hesitate to ask your patients to share their feedback by leaving a Google review.

If you receive a bad review, it’s important to respond. This will enable you to set the record straight if the comment is abusive, and show that you care about your patients’ feedback.

Update your account regularly, and keep your points!

Take a look at your Google Business Profile on a regular basis. This will enable you to update any information that may have changed, such as vacation times, public holidays or new employees for example.

How many visibility points have you earned?

If you’ve scored these 10 points: congrats! Google Business Profile no longer holds any secrets for you! If you don’t have all the points yet, we hope this guide will help you earn the ones you’re missing. Most points are easy to earn and will make a real difference to your Google ranking!