Local SEO for Healthcare: How to Get More Patients from Google Maps
When a patient goes online to search for a doctor, a dentist or a specific clinic nearby, there is a high probability that they will be making their search through Google Maps as it is the most convenient way to find your way around along with being a trustworthy option. Which means that if your healthcare practices aren’t well optimized for a local search, chances are that you’re losing around 90% expected traffic, showing that simply having a website put up isn’t enough – what really pumps your online game will be a strong online presence on local search results.
One of the most impactful and effective ways to enhance your online presence is by streamlining your Google Business Profile, that includes mentioning accurate contact information and business hours, along with photos and list of services you provide. But that’s not it. It is crucial to positively encourage visiting patients to leave a good review, for ensuring that your information is consistent across all existing online platforms and utilizing targeted local SEO strategies such as closely relevant keywords and citations are important for popping on top of maps and search engines.
Below we’ll walk through some essential steps which will help to improve and amp up local presence so you can attract more patients through Google Maps and help you grow in the digital era.
Get Your Google Business Profile Optimized (GBP)
Verify & Claim: Shield and secure your GBP listing for mitigating how your practice shows up Google Maps and Search.
Update & Complete Your Profile: Add required information such as full business name, complete address, phone number, visiting hours, website and services provided – in order to help patients locate and reach you without any hassle.
Pick Relevant Categories: Choose categories or subcategories that mirror your services such as ”Pediatricians”,”Dental Clinic” for appearing in the needed search.
Upload Quality Photos: Upload professional, attractive and welcoming portraits of your clinic, staff, and treatment rooms so trust and attention can be built.
Enable Public Messaging: Enabling potential patients to send direct messages through their GBP for fast inquiries or requests for appointments.
Keen Check on Q&A: Constant checking on questions and answering them to provide helpful information and mitigate your online presence and reputation.
Encourage & Mitigate Reviews
Get Reviews: After any appointment with your patients, encourage your [patients to leave positive reviews for building and boosting credibility and ranking.
Get Back Customers On Their Reviews: Appreciate and thank patients online for their positive reviews and professionally address any of their negative reviews.
Express Your Concern & Care: Handling negative reviews with empathy and presentable solutions represents your value and care for your patients improvement and satisfaction.
Implementing Local SEO Strategies
Use Local Keywords: Mention geographic terms such as your city or neighborhood area in content you will upload on your website, GBP description or blog posts.
Create Local Citations: Structure a list consisting of reputable directories such as Healthgrades, Yelp and Zocdoc for strengthening local authorities.
NAP Consistency Ensured: Maintain your practice’s name, location and contact information consistent and identical across all online platforms such as websites or social profiles.
Optimize for Mobile: Make sure your website is structured to be mobile-friendly and fast processing, since a lot of local healthcare searches happen on the phone as it’s easy to access.
Track & Check Your Results
Monitor TraffIc on Website: Utilize tools such ad Google Analytics for tracking the intensity of traffic that your website receives through local search and where or how you can improve it.
Review Your GBP Insights: That helps from the built-it analytics to review how patients find your listing and what they make then.
