The Yellow Pages are dead. Nobody uses the phonebook anymore, except as a doorstop. Google’s interactive business directory, Google My Business (GMB), is the best way to get found by people searching for plastic surgeons and medspas in your area. Unlike the directories of previous eras, GMB features customer reviews to help searchers make a purchase decision at their precise moment of consideration. Positive reviews matter to Google’s algorithms when they determine which businesses to feature. And they certainly matter to consumers—your potential patients—when they are deciding on which local doctor’s office to visit.
GrowthMed leads the industry in medical marketing for the aesthetic space. We help nice doctors finish first in local search. Our founder and Chief Technologist, Yves Sennane, is an expert in all things Google. He’s assembled a team of web developers, marketing strategists and content creators to assist plastic surgeons as they ascend the Google My Business rankings.
Why are Google reviews so important to my practice?
You are probably an avid user of Google My Business and you don’t even know it. Every time you do a search for a local restaurant, bookstore or movie theater, the GMB listings pop up, complete with the business’ name, location, hours and other important information. GMB is integrated into Google Maps, as well. You may have noticed that businesses at the top of the GMB listings have many favorable reviews by their patrons. These top-ranked businesses are also actively maintained by their proprietors (or their agencies), with thoughtful comments and responses to each review.[1]
Google Reviews Carousels
Reviews are more important than ever to distinguish your plastic surgery practice from the local competition on Google My Business. Late in 2019, Google unveiled a new search feature that highlights user reviews in a scrolling carousel format. Until recently, reviews were always important, but they were a little harder to see. A user had to tap or click on a GMB listing to “see more reviews” if he or she was interested in learning more about other peoples’ experiences with the business. Now, the reviews scroll by automatically, allowing the user to see more as they quickly evaluate their purchase decision.
How do I get more patient reviews?
You and your medical staff have a lot of personal contact with your patients. You have their trust and you know if they are satisfied with your work.
It is important not to specifically request a positive review, or to tie a patient’s review to a particular deal or offer—especially online! Google is very sensitive to attempts at manipulating its rankings. They are always updating their algorithms to be ever more vigilant for “blackhat” hacks and tricks. It is not uncommon for Google to devalue a website or GMB listing if they are discovered to be anything less than completely authentic
Google my business short name & URL
A simple way to share your GMB Business Profile with your patients is to create a short name & URL for your practice. When you create a short name, people can go directly to your profile by putting “g.page/[yourcustomname]” in their web browser.[3] Once there, they can more easily leave their glowing review. GrowthMed can help you create a short name & URL for your plastic surgery practice. We can give you all the information you’ll need to properly train your staff on GMB.
(Send this to any valued client who may have a nice thing to say about your clinic)
References
1. Read and reply to reviews – Android. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474050
2. Get reviews on Google. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122
3. Create a short name & URL for your business – Android. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://support.google.com/business/answer/9273900
