In today’s generation, it is believed that Google has already been a part of our day to day lives. Whenever we need to know something, we go to Google. When we want to know the latest news, we go to Google. Weather forecast? Google is right there. Because of it, businesses have been utilising Google features to drive more people to their businesses.
As a medical professional, let’s face it: you are not the only one practising the field you’re in. If you want to get more potential patients going your way, it’s time you utilise Google tools to your advantage. One of which is the Google My Business. One of these tools is Google My Business. Let’s see how you can use Google My Business for your medical practice business.
What is Google My Business?
Before we talk about how this tool can help you, let’s briefly learn what Google My Business is about. Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google to businesses of all sizes to manage their presence through their online business profile. Your profile can include information about your clinics, such as service offerings, clinic hours, location details, contact number, and other relevant information. Through this, you can also control your presence on other Google-owned properties such as Google Search and Google Maps. These are just some of the most popular search tools by Google today.
Why Do Medical Professionals Need a Google My Business Profile?
Simple – through your Google My Business Listing, it would be easier for potential patients to find you! As mentioned earlier, Google has already become part of our lives that even health-related issues are searched by people over the Internet. Patients will use Google to look for information about the symptoms they’re feeling, conditions, treatments, injuries, and health professionals that can address their concerns.
What makes your Google My Business account different and important from the others is how the information is presented. These are some of the information that your Google My Business page can show people:
- Service offerings
- Clinic hours
- Location details
- Contact information
- Patient reviews
Before potential patients can click on any link they see, the first thing that pops up is the relevant information that they are looking for. According to insights from BrightLocal, it is said that 84 per cent of online searches for businesses are “discovery” searches. This means that more internet users do not search the name or brand of their inquiry – instead, they search for the type of service that suits their needs. As you can see, if you use Google My Business to your advantage and effectively, your online presence will boost up.
How Can You Use Google My Business for Your Medical Business Practice?
No one wants to waste time researching for answers. People want to visit a website that meets their criteria right away. This will be an excellent time for you to manage Google My Business because brick-and-mortar businesses generate the most clicks.
Claim Your Google My Business Listing
Start claiming all the listings related to your medical practice first before managing them. Try looking up your business on Google. At first, you will see the 3-pack listings of your area. The Google 3-pack shows 3 local listings on your site underneath a map with pins where the business is located. Plus, these 3 are the first listings potential patients will see when searching for your service. Once you find your business’s listing, you will see the “Own this business button” to claim it. If it’s not there, someone might have claimed it. Even if a listing is already generated, this will not matter unless your take ownership of it.
Optimise Your GMB Page
One of the most important things you can do for your Google My Business profile is to optimise it. Adding the name of your clinic, address, and contact number/s are often the most important details to be added to your listing. This is also essential Local Search Engine Optimisation. Make sure you are consistent with every bit of detail you put out on the Internet. For instance, when you abbreviate the word “street” to “St,” do it everywhere. It will also help if your information is visible across all devices, from desktop computers to smartphones.
Map Optimisation
The physical address of your clinic is the most critical aspect for search engines and potential patients. Some addresses may not be enough for people. Make sure to include directions and landmarks to help them locate your clinic quickly.
Add Photos of Your Medical Practice
Nowadays, people are more engaging with businesses when they see photos of staff, doctors, or even equipment in your clinic. They want to see the people behind your medical practice. Heartwarming pictures of staff and doctors attract more potential patients your way. If you don’t have many photos of your people, you may want to get one. You can also have a picture of your clinic to tell people what they need to look for when searching for your medical clinic.
Medical Marketing Australia
Learning about Google My Business requires time and effort to know more about how you can utilise it. If you want to learn more about it and how to make it work for you, let Medical Marketing Australia do it for you. We understand you are already doing many things. Focus on what you do, and we’ll take care of boosting your online presence. Learn more about our services and how we can help you contact us at +61 2 8006 9662.
