Making mistakes is an expected part of running any business, such as running a healthcare practice. But sometimes, you might not even know you’re making one, potentially risking negative long-term effects. Your Google Business Profile plays a significant role in your search engine optimization success, making it an aspect of your strategy that needs to be closely monitored for mistakes.
Your Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business, is the listing for your practice that shows up on Google search engine results pages (SERPs) and Maps. Proper management of your profile is essential for boosting site and foot traffic, increasing brand visibility and controlling your overall presence on the search engine.
Read on to learn about a few common mistakes you could be making with your GBP management that should be addressed.
Mistake 1: Wrong or missing information
Credibility and trustworthiness are essential qualities for all healthcare professionals. A patient needs to feel comfortable putting their health in your hands. But that can’t happen if the basic information about your practice isn’t available on your Google Business Profile, or if it’s out of date. If they can’t trust you to provide them with the basics, then it may be difficult for them to believe you can be trusted to handle complex health concerns.
This common mistake may seem simple on the surface, but it can cause deeper issues, such as a loss of potential traffic and negative impacts on your reputation. The lack of credibility can also affect your SERP rankings.
Here’s information that should be present and updated on your Google Business Profile:
- Hours of operation
- Phone number
- Address
- Brief business description (usually includes details like your specialty, patient population served, and unique value proposition)
Mistake 2: Not posting FAQs
A “Frequently Asked Questions” section should be a pillar page on your website, but it should also be a feature on your Google Business Profile, where it’s referred to as the “Q&A” section.
Having a Q&A section on your GBP boosts engagement, increases your authority and shows your priority for transparency with your patients. It also helps your SEO by giving the algorithm a deeper understanding of your practice.
Here are FAQs that are commonly included in GBP Q&A sections for healthcare practices:
- “What insurance do you accept?”
- “Do you offer telehealth options?”
- “How long is your wait time?”
Mistake 3: Inconsistent service listings
If the services listed on your Google Business Profile don’t match what’s on your site, in reviews or across online directories, that could raise a red flag for the algorithm. Inconsistencies can hurt your credibility as well as interfere with conversions and engagement.
Your listed services should be consistent across any platform or online feature such as a Google Business Profile. When an algorithm believes that you’re trying to misguide people by listing services that you don’t offer, it can cause significant SEO issues. You can also hurt your reputation and credibility if people believe that you’re trying to attract them to your practice under false pretenses.
Mistake 4: Keyword stuffing
Keywords are one of the pillars of any SEO strategy, because the goal is to have your site listed as high as possible when people search for them. If you don’t know what exactly people are searching for, then you can’t show how your site or GBP is relevant to the query. However, there is such a thing as going overboard with the keywords, and this is called “keyword stuffing.”
Keyword stuffing refers to excessive use of a keyword in hopes of appealing to the algorithm while harming the readability and authenticity of the content. It also refers to using keywords in a place where they don’t fit naturally, or can be misleading.
In your Google Business Profile, keyword stuffing in the business description, attributes or posts can harm your SEO performance. Be sure that you’re not overdoing it, or that you’re trying to shoehorn them in where they don’t belong.
Want to attract new patients to your website by managing your Google Business Profile? BURG+CO. can help
Your Google Business Profile isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. Proper management of your GBP can help you boost traffic, conversions and SEO rankings. At BURG+CO., we offer GBP management to help you get the best metrics possible from your GBP listing and to improve your overall presence on Google.
Our team has years of experience in helping healthcare brands improve their digital presence to attract new patients and retain existing ones. If you’re looking to perform better in search engine results and attract more potential patients to your site, we’re ready to talk to you to see how we can help.
Let’s turn your digital marketing goals into real growth. Contact BURG+CO. today to learn how we support healthcare practices like yours.
