7 Ways to Optimize Your GMB for Practice Growth

What’s GMB and Why Is It Important? 

GMB, or Google My Business, is a free tool for businesses to manage their online presence on Google. With your practice’s GMB, you can add information like office hours, contact details, services you provide, and more. Think of GMB as a snapshot of your business that highlights your key features and lets users quickly learn what you do and how to contact you. 

Having a complete, up-to-date GMB profile will benefit your practice in many ways: 

• Improve local SEO ranking
• Make your practice easier to find with Google Maps 
• Make an immediate positive impression on users
• Reviews display under a GMB, which establishes credibility and trust 

These elements combined give your brand a tremendous boost over competitors and drive more traffic to your website. More traffic means more new patients, referrals, and business. 

Tips for Optimizing Your Practice’s GMB

Now that you know what GMB is, here are 7 tips to optimize your profile.

1. Claim Your GMB

Having a verified GMB makes your brand more authentic and attracts more attention from Google’s algorithm for local search results. If you already have a Google account, you can use it to claim your listing. If not, Google will walk you through the steps of creating one before you can claim your listing. Claiming your GMB listing gives you the ability to verify and edit online information about your business. 

2. Categorize and Localize

Categories provide relevant information to Google, which helps your profile become more visible to relevant local searches in Maps and the search results page. When making your Google Business Profile, you will be asked to choose a primary category for your business. Google auto-populates these categories, so you cannot create your own. You can select up to 10 additional categories, but the primary category is the most important. There are thousands of categories to choose from, so select the one most relevant to your business. 

If you’re unsure, run a search for your market and see what categories your competitors are using. If your primary focus is orthodontics, then selecting the “orthodontist” category would be appropriate, whereas if you identify as more of a dental practice, then “dental clinic” or “dentist” would work better. 

3. Fill Out Every Section 

Having every section completed on your profile tells Google you’re more authoritative, which means your listing is more likely to display higher in local search results. With more information available, users have more actions they can take, such as messaging you directly, pulling up directions to your office, learning about your list of services, and more. 

There are some fields you should fill out right away (name, address, phone number, website, office hours), sections that you should put extra time and thought into (category, services, owner-generated Q&A), and sections that require ongoing updates to keep you at the top (GMB posts, reviews, and user-generated Q&A).

4. Create a Powerful Description 

Your business description appears right next to your GMB profile. In 750 characters, you must let patients know who you are, what you do, and why they should choose your practice. Of these 750 characters, only 250 are displayed without users having to click to expand. That gives you room for about two sentences—so make every word count! Consider repurposing content from your mission statement or “About” page and use keywords your audience uses to find you, like “orthodontist,” “braces,” and your name and credentials.

A Note About the Editorial Summary

Below your business name in your GMB listing, there is a brief description, or “editorial summary,” of a few words to a sentence in length. You do not have control over this description. This text is generated by Google and ensures consistency across its platform. Luckily, Google does a good job of creating accurate business descriptions, so you don’t need to worry about misinformation. Instead, focus on the sections you can control. 

If any information displayed on your GMB is incorrect and you are unable to change it, contact Google to report an incorrect editorial summary or reach their support team for help with other fields. 

5. Add Links, Build Authority 

Users are more likely to contact you when there are fewer steps involved. Add links to your website’s homepage and “Contact” or “Appointment Scheduling” pages to your GMB listing to make it easy for users to reach you with as few steps as possible. Direct, functioning links further prove to Google that you’re a reliable, trustworthy site, increasing your chances of landing higher in search results. 

6. Upload Images 

Many people process information visually, and photos are much more engaging than standard text. Google suggests uploading three exterior photos of your practice and at least three interior photos. The more photos you have, the more comfortable patients will feel about going to your office because they’ve had a chance to “see” it. Consider creating a 3D virtual tour of your office so patients can walk through your front doors, reception area, and treatment rooms. 

7. Get Reviews and Reply to Them

Reviews are one of the most valuable features within your GMB listing. Encourage patients to leave a review after treatment and send reminders via text or email. To further validate your brand’s authority and relevance to user searches, Google may display a profile with reviews that have certain keywords in bold. With frequent reviews, you secure your brand’s credibility and climb higher in rankings. 

Continuously monitor the reviews being left for your business. Be sure to acknowledge and respond to them, whether they are positive or negative, to show users you value feedback. Users may feel more likely to leave a review when they know it will be acknowledged, and your responses show ‌you are tuned in to what people are saying and care about providing great patient experiences. 

Start Leveraging the Power of Google for Your Growth

Whether you are starting as a new practice or have been established for many years, the right time to optimize your GMB profile is now. With these tips, you can understand and implement key GMB strategies that significantly boost your online presence, establish your authority, and drive practice growth.