You might not have noticed it yet, but Google is the world's most visited website. As it stands, the search giant holds more than 92% of the search engines' market share. Especially in the healthcare industry, you need to boost your local search, online presence, and better engage with your potential patients online.

Google My Business (GMB) also adds to your overall marketing strategy to attract new patients and improve your bookings rate. If you have multiple locations for your business, this platform can simultaneously help you reach all your patients with information relevant to their geographic location.

What is Google My Business?

If you sign up with Google My Business, you can manage how your business appears across Google Search and Maps. It is a free tool that allows your potential patients to spot local businesses like your healthcare practice business by improving online visibility and location information.

For instance, if a patient is looking for healthcare services within your region and is searching for "hospitals near me" on Google Search, they can immediately find information on your services. This information may include your physical location, business hours, the services you are offering, and an updated list of patient reviews.

Benefits of Google My Business

Even though it's easy to sign up and get started with the Google My Business tool, most businesses have still not enrolled with the services, and you might be wondering how it might be helpful for your healthcare practices as well.

The platform is designed for small businesses and franchisees alike, and it's not complicated to manage multiple location groups under one main brand account.

Allow Your Potential Patients to Find Your Business Easily

It is possible that a patient may be looking for healthcare services within your location but has no idea where to go. In the current fast-paced technological world, one of the most obvious things that an individual can do is go online and search for medical service providers near them. In this situation, this patient is ready to see the doctor, and they are just looking for options for where to visit.

By signing up to a Google My Business listing, you create a profile that allows such potential patients to find your business quickly. Searchers will know where you are located, your visiting hours, and whether you have other similar services in different locations.

Put Your Online Business Information in Your Hands

The type of information that Google My Business profiles are one that you want to share. Whether it's contact information, business hours, or other relevant details, you have control over what content you want your potential patients to see.

For instance, you can post updates about your services offered depending on the practice's demands. You can give COVID-19 updates, emergency details, and any other relevant information that you may want to pass on.

Given that Google My Business profiles have strong local SEO, the information you share is like to rank on the search giant's front page as long as it is up-to-date.

There is No Limit to What You Can Post

This tool allows you to include photos, videos, and everything else relevant to improving your business. If anything, Google says that practices that add photos to their business profiles have a better chance of receiving 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks through its websites than the ventures that don't.

Improve Your SEO Ranking

Search Engine Optimization, SEO, refers to boosting your website's ability to rank highly in various search engines such as Google. Since Google My Business is a product of Google itself, you have a better chance of improving your SEO ranking by signing up with this platform. It is one of the mandatory tools to boost your website's visibility for multi-location businesses.

How to Setup Google My Business for Multi-Location Medical Practices

The process of signing up with Google My Business is mostly straightforward. Here's a step-by-step overview:

1. Sign in to Google Business Profile Manager

If you are already logged into your Google account, it automatically means that you are logged into your Google Business Profile Manager as well. Supposing you haven't, you can log into your Google account using your login details or create a new one to claim your Google My Business account. As a business owner, you have the keys to the GMB platform, but you can also make your staff individual account managers and help manage your GMB listings.

2. Add Your Business Name

The second step is to add your business name. Usually, relevant suggestions will appear on the drop-down menu. If it doesn't, click on the "add your business to Google" option.

3. Enter Your Business Address

Provide details of your business location. You may also need to position a marker for the service area on Google map.

4. Choose Your Business Category

Choose an appropriate business category for your healthcare service provision business.

5. Add Your Business Phone Number and Website

Key in your business phone number and website so that your potential patients can easily contact you for more information and inquiries. You do not have to provide your phone numbers, though.

6. Verify Your Business

To verify your business, provide your address and click "next," where you should find suitable options for verifying your account. When you receive the five-digit code, key it in, and your business will be verified.

How to Manage and Optimize Google My Business for Different Locations

Signing up for Google My Business (GMB listing) is one thing; it is another to optimize and maintain it to serve your practice purposefully. Basic Google My Business optimization includes:

• Providing accurate information about your practice. This may include the name of your business, address, business category, and phone number. There's an add location option to list all your branches under the main brand. Remember to update your GMB listing when you have a new location. If you have too many practice locations, there's even an option to bulk upload locations using a template.
• Provide at least 5 high-quality photos for all your locations.
• Manage locations to make sure they each have quality and authentic reviews.
• Link to your homepage and social media accounts.

Advanced Google My Business Optimization for managing multiple locations:

• Selecting all the relevant categories under your GMB profile that suit your practice
• Uploading new photos for each of your locations regularly to your GMB account
• Looking for more reviews, especially on industry platforms
• Considering using Google posts to mark events, content, and promotions
• Manage and track your Google My Business Dashboard to ensure unique attributes about your practice are included

The Key Takeaway

Practicing in itself is not enough; you need to find ways to make more bookings. Listing your business in Google My Business is one of the most effective ways to improve your site's SEO ranking, improve your visibility, and stay ahead of your competitors.

DearDoc is a cloud-based practice growth platform that seeks to transform over 2,500 practices nationwide. With our latest technological features, a team of professionals, and eagerness to keep up with the latest trends, we can help you reach more patients as you focus on what you do best — attending to patients. Contact us today to learn more about our services:

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