Starting a successful medical practice is no easy task. But there are several things you can do to ensure that your practice gets the attention and traffic it deserves. SEO optimization can help your medical practice rank locally when someone is searching for the services you offer. One major step in SEO optimization is setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business (GMB). The new update has made GBP easier to navigate than ever, but this article provides a handy guide on the best practices for posting on your profile.
It isn’t enough to simply claim your Google Business Profile. Many business owners do this and never look at it again. This causes them to miss out on countless leads. GBP has several tools to help you engage with online users and generate clientele.
Optimizing Profile
The first step is ensuring your GBP is set up, and all information is correct, including full business name, address, and hours of operation. To do this, click on Edit Profile and look at the information. If it is incorrect, simply click on the little pencil and make the edit. One of the most important parts of your profile is the Description section. This is your opportunity to sell your business and implement SEO strategies to help your profile rank higher in a Google search.
Add Services
The next step in optimizing your GBP is adding the services you offer. We recommend choosing “Medical Spa” for your primary category if you provide services like Neurotoxins, body contouring, dermal fillers, or other nonsurgical and surgical medical aesthetic services. However, choose the primary category that best showcases your services. You can also add secondary categories if you offer other services that don’t fall under the primary category.
The important thing is to make sure your services are up-to-date and optimized. GBP allows you to add services under the “Edit Services” tab. You can also add a description for each service listed with up to 300 characters. We recommend utilizing all the characters and using as many keywords related to the service as possible.
Create Posts
Another way to help your profile rank higher in a Google search is by adding regular updates, photos, and videos that showcase your medical practice. GBP provides two ways to do this.
Adding Updates
Medstar Media suggests posting once or twice a week. To do this, click on the “Add Update” section on your GBP. It is recommended to upload a photo with your post that corresponds with the content. GBP allows you to write up to 1500 words per post, but only the first 100 show up in the knowledge panel, so it is crucial to add the most relevant information at the beginning is crucial.
These posts can highlight services, team members, awards, the medical practice space, and more. There is also an option under “Add Update” to add events and limited-time offers. We suggest adding a call to action to these posts, such as “Book Now,” “Learn More,” or “Buy,” with relevant links to attract clicks. We highly recommend you utilize this handy GBP tool to attract customers and improve your ranking.
Adding Photos and Videos
You can also add photos and videos to your Google Business Profile by clicking “Add Photo.” This option allows you to add an image or video that showcases your services, staff, events, and more or add a logo or cover photo to your profile. This option doesn’t require a description and can be an easy way to keep people engaged with your business profile.
One crucial step when adding photos via “Add Update” or “Add Photo” is to ensure you rename the image to be SEO optimized before adding it. We suggest using a keyword related to the photo, such as the service it shows, the name of the practice, and the city and state where the practice is located in the photo name.
Optimize Q and As
The Q and A section of GBP is an often-underutilized tool. Consider common questions that patients have and use those to optimize the Q and A section of your GBP. People often ask questions on a business's Google profile that go unanswered. Check your Q and A section often and answer questions in a timely manner.
If you aren’t getting regular questions from internet users, it is okay to use your own profile to ask and answer questions. This isn’t the time for long-winded responses. Answers to questions should be short and to the point. Answer the question and suggest the potential client call or visit your practice to learn more.
Attract Reviews
Patient reviews can help grow the online visibility of your medical practice. Reviews that mention specific services or products are a great way to help your business appear in relevant Google search results. Patients don’t always leave positive reviews after great experiences but will often leave negative reviews when they have a bad experience. You might find yourself wondering how to attract more positive reviews.
Luckily, the answer is simple. Don’t be afraid to ask for them. If you know a patient had a wonderful experience at your medical practice, asking them to leave a review is perfectly acceptable. If they are unsure of the steps to take to do it, feel free to show them. We recommend providing them with a direct link to your Google Business Profile to make it easier for them. Positive and negative reviews can contribute to the SEO optimization of your GBP and help improve your ranking. Click here to learn more about how to attract customer feedback online.
Respond to Reviews
Many potential patients read online reviews prior to choosing an establishment to help with their goals and needs. Having an online presence with reviews is crucial for establishing rapport with the community in addition to online search optimization. Replying to both positive and negative reviews holds as much importance in establishing rapport and increasing search engine ranking.
This can be a bit tricky, though, because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, which serves to protect patient privacy. It is vital to consider that all responses to reviews are HIPAA compliant. It is easy to make a mistake and break the guideline, even if the intention was not meant to do so. It also seems controversial because patients can often give away their own confidentiality when posting a review, but the established wellness practice must still adhere to the guidelines in responding.
By following these strategies in responding both to positive and negative reviews, the practicing wellness provider can manage their online reputation with more ease while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
GENERAL REPLYING TIPS
When responding to any review, positive or negative, these tips will help with creating a response that acknowledges the reviewer in a general and anonymous manner that does not confirm the person leaving the review was, in fact, a patient.
● Refer to the standards of the practice establishment that mirror what the review talks about. For example:
Review: “I am so grateful for Dr. Doug and his great attention to my needs. Everyone at The Wellness Center was so kind and attentive, and informative. I am grateful for the answers that have come from being in their care.”
Non-Hippa Compliant Response: “Thank you for your kind words about Dr. Doug. We are so happy to hear your feedback and grateful to have been in service to your needs!”
HIPAA Compliant Response: “At The Wellness Center, we strive to provide enjoyable visits for all patients. We love to hear about positive experiences!”
● Even if the person leaving the review leaves detailed information, the medical practice cannot comment or talk about any of the details in the reply.
● Do not mention names.
● Be general in responding.
● Keep patient privacy intact.
● Create a response strategy for managing less desirable reviews and negative reviews.
● Take anything critical offline for resolution.
● Thank them but keep it anonymous.
● Refer to the practice, policies, and goals when replying.
REPLYING TO NEGATIVE REVIEWS
It is equally, if not more important, to reply to less desirable and negative reviews to maintain rapport in the community and online. Having an established protocol for how to reply to these kinds of reviews can save a lot of time. Some helpful tips for responding to these types of reviews are as follows:
● Don’t answer when feeling reactive to the comments. Give it space and come back with a calm mind.
● Do not mention names.
● Thoroughly examine the review to assess the feedback.
● Respond to direct having the resolution made offline. For example: “We always strive to provide the best care and service, and we are always open to discussing how we can do things better. In order to protect patient privacy, please call {Name} at xxx-xxx-xxxx to discuss this further.”
● Never retaliate.
● Address any internal issues that are relevant to the review.
● Be positive.
● Never threaten.
● Don’t post fake positive reviews to try to negate the negative ones.
How Medstar Media Can Help
We know that managing your Google Business Profile can be time-consuming, but we have seen the results of an excellent GBP firsthand. The expert team at Medstar Media is happy to help your medical practice make the most of your Google Business Profile. Our SEO package includes profile optimization, including adding services and descriptions and Q and As, as well as two SEO-optimized updates and one photo or video per month. We work hard to help you improve your local ranking in Google searches and attract as many new clients as possible. To learn more, click here.