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Optimizing your Google Business listing has become an essential part of attracting patients from search results.
With the average small business receiving over 1,000 Google Business views each month, having your listing set up correctly is critical.
To get even more traffic and clicks keep reading and discover 7 steps to optimize your chiropractic Google Business listing.
What is Google Business?
Google Business is a free tool that helps you manage and optimize your business listing across Google, including in the search results and Google maps.
After you claim and optimize your listing, you’ll generate more traffic and interest from the millions of people who use Google every day for search.
A Brief History of Google
Back in the day, it was much easier to rank high on Google.
There was less competition, and the algorithms were much more fundamental.
But now that most businesses (including healthcare practices) have discovered how important and lucrative ranking high on Google can be, the competition has picked up.
As a chiropractor and small business owner, the good news is that you don’t necessarily have to spend a ton of money to “win” on Google.
But, you do need to have your basics taken care of and optimized.
It all begins with claiming your Google Business listing, and then taking the steps we outline to optimize it.
In the last few years, Google Business and Google Reviews have taken the chiropractic world by storm, and for good reason…
The local SEO driven by these channels is incredible, and for many practices, it’s a great way to showcase your business, highlight updates, and show off the results of your care.
"We have loved this! We have already had 5 patient reacts from the emails in one week!"
Dr. Matthew Barnhart, DC
Triple Crown Chiropractic & Wellness
These two powerful marketing tools are free and allow your practice to drive more website traffic, phone calls, and requests for directions.
All of those actions have intent.
Intent means that a person clicking on your website, calling your office, or asking for directions indicates that they are ready to take action.
Wouldn’t it be nice to increase the number of people each month who are connecting with your practice?
By increasing the number of people who see your Google Business listing, you’ll be showcasing your practice to more people, getting more online attention, and driving your business forward with more new patients.
7 Steps to Optimize Your Chiropractic Google My business listing
1. Add or Claim Your Google Business Listing
To add or claim your listing, you’ll need to verify your identity.
This is typically done via snail mail.
Google will send you a code in the mail that you can then use to confirm and verify your listing and location.
2. Fill Out your Entire Listing
Your practice’s Google Business listing contains an array of information that you can edit and update.
Your goal is to fill out as much of the listing as possible.
The more information you provide Google, the more quickly they will show your listing to their users.
As you enter more information, your listing has the potential to rank higher.
Next are a few of the essential items to fill out.
3. Category
Choose the category of your business.
At the highest level, this is the most crucial decision you’ll make because it will influence whether you show up when someone searches “chiropractor near me”.
If you provide additional services or have additional healthcare professionals in your practice, you’ll need to decide which categories are the most appropriate, accurate, and popular.
4. Photos
Images provide searchers will have the chance to see your practice.
They also help your listing stand out in the search results.
Only upload high-quality photos.
Remember, your images should be appealing.
If you’re not immediately thinking, “Wow, I’d love to go to a practice that looks like that,” when you look at your images, consider having them professionally shot.
Listings with photos are estimated to generate nearly twice as much engagement compared to those without.
5. Consistent Business Information
The details of your listing matter.
Listing your suite as “Suite 101” on GMB and “Ste 101” on Facebook is inconsistent and will hurt your ability to rank.
Even using “Dr” instead of “Drive” is not optimal.
Check a few of your most popular online listings, such as your website, Facebook, and Instagram, for the exact spelling of your address, name, and phone number.
Clean up anything that is non-congruent, and then make sure that your GMB listing matches your others.
6. Local Phone Numbers
Using a local phone number is thought to improve your listing/ranking since GMB is primarily focused on marketing small businesses.
Just like your address and name, make sure that the phone is precisely the same in your listing, website, and social pages.
If you use a prefix of “+1”, make sure that prefix is located on your listing.
7. Accurate Business Hours
Set your business hours on Google Business to match your available practice hours.
Don’t list yourself as open 24-7 thinking that it will attract more traffic…
It won’t.
Don’t Get Put in Google Jail.
Following Google’s rules isn’t hard, but it’s super important.
Google has thousands of the smartest engineers in the world working all day every day to ensure their platform is providing accurate information to their searchers.
You shouldn’t try to game their system!
Violating their results could result in having your listing removed or your website delisted from the search rankings.
Never list an address as your practice unless it’s the actual address of your practice!
Closing Thoughts
Optimizing your Google Business listing will help more people discover your practice.
If you’re hovering around the middle of the first page or slipped onto the second page of Google, then the first thing you’ll want to do is optimize your GMB listing.
By optimizing your chiropractic Google Business listing, adding fresh content consistently, and updating your images, you’ll be in a great position to shoot up the rankings when someone searches for a chiropractor in your community.
To get the best performance out of and optimize your chiropractic Google Business listing, join The Smart Chiropractor.
Our Google Business auto-posting service can help you consistently drive more engagement and traffic from your listing by constantly posting fresh content for you.
This compelling and popular service can help your practice drive more clicks, calls, and visits from Google Business.
Ready to learn more and get started? Click here.