Consistent and accurate online listings are key to feeding local search results.
As a local practice or hospital, proper management of your digital presence at the local level should be a key part of your overall online marketing strategy. Not only do local listings feed search results, they also provide another avenue for potential patients to connect with you. Knowing where to start, why directory listings and reviews are so important and what’s involved in this effort impacts the success of your digital marketing effort.
It starts with an accurate Google My Business Page
A verified, accurate Google My Business (GMB) page is probably one of the most important things you can do to improve your local search results. When claiming your Google My Business page, make sure you pay attention to the exact name and address your practice is registered as in your state. For example, does your business name include the periods in P.C, or is it listed simply as PC, do you list your office with Suite or #200, etc. The consistency of NAP (name, address and phone number) is key to improving your domain authority with search engines and getting your site listed more favorably in local search results.
Also on your GMB page, don’t forget to include as much information as you can about your practice including your logo, photos of your office and physicians, hours of operation as well as a detailed, keyword-rich practice description.
The importance of Google’s Local Pack and Maps
Since Google Local Pack is now limited to only 3 spots, it’s so important for you to get the details right. Be sure to:
- Claim, verify and optimize your Google My Business page
- Claim and update your information on top-tier physician directories such as Healthgrades, Vitals, RateMDs as well as citation sites such as Yelp, CitySearch and more
- Add localized content, metadata and mark-up to your website
- Solicit and manage reviews on Google and other reputable third-party review sites
Keep in mind that from mobile devices, patients may never click through to your website and rely solely on the information they see in Google Maps or Local Pack.
Accurate physician directory listings
When a new physician joins your group, you’re anxious to promote them anywhere and anyway you can. In addition to updating your website, today that effort needs to include many of the top-tier healthcare directories that list physician information across the web. By creating new listings or claiming and updating existing, you can ensure that perspective patients will access accurate information while searching online.
Managing this process is not a once and done task. Ongoing changes to physician credentialing data, staffing and practice location changes, can make this an overwhelming task. If you don’t stay on top of things, there’s a good chance that your practice information from inaccurate data sources will appear on your physician’s directory listings. To do it well, this ongoing effort requires a knowledgeable team that understands the best approach and different physician directory requirements.
Obtaining, managing and promoting reviews
Today online reviews are mission critical to your practice. Not only do reviews correlate with higher local rankings, but they also help convince perspective patients that you’re the right practice for them. When you ask a patient to leave a review, make it easy for them. Hand them a tablet at check-out or set up a kiosk with your Practis Reviews page pulled up. The important thing to remember here is, in addition to your website, give them a number of ways to leave a review including Google, Facebook, Healthgrades and Yelp.
Do you need help with improving and managing your local results?
Practis is here to help. Connect with a member of our online marketing team to learn more.
