Google My Business: what is it and what are the benefits for the healthcare sector?

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Google My Business is an essential Google tool for increasing visibility on the internet . So, if you are a healthcare professional, a business manager or a marketing manager for a company, you need to understand what Google My Business is and use it to your advantage.

Imagine a customer is looking for information about your company and they type your business name into Google. If you have a Google My Business profile, when they type it in, they will quickly find the main contact information and reviews about your company. In other words, your profile on this tool serves as a showcase for your brand .

In this article, we will explain how Google My Business works, the advantages of this tool and what best practices to follow.

What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence on Google, including the search network and Google Maps . Here, you create a listing with cayman islands whatsapp number database information (name, phone number, email address, and website ) and your business address. You can also post photos and offers on your profile. This way, you can make your business stand out on Google and help users find you.

See also: 5 Google tools to help your healthcare company's marketing succeed

Why use Google My Business?
The answer to this is simple: to attract more customers and expand your digital presence .

This tool is essential for physical businesses , such as laboratories, clinics and hospitals, as your profile, if done well, appears on Google Maps for users looking for services like yours in your region.

For example, if a user lives in Moema and searches on Google for “test laboratories”, Google will show a list of laboratories that are located near them and that have an optimized profile on Google My Business and good reviews.

However, it can also be used by other segments , such as operators, brokers and freelance professionals, as it is a channel that shows basic information and customer reviews of your company to users who are looking for you. According to Google , companies that confirm their information with Google My Business are twice as likely to be considered trustworthy by consumers . In other words, it is a great tool for getting closer to customers and building trust when they are already at an advanced stage of the purchasing journey.

Check out: Call to action in healthcare marketing: everything you need to know

5 good practices to apply on this platform
To ensure that your Google My Business profile gives you good results, it’s not enough to just create a business listing. There are some best practices that can help maximize the frequency with which customers see your business in local search results and help users gain confidence. Check out some tips!

1. Enter complete and up-to-date information
It may seem obvious, but many people create a profile and forget about it, not updating their opening hours, phone number or address. Therefore, remember to complete as much information as possible on your profile and always keep your data up to date .

2. Describe your company
In your profile, you should describe your company and your services as accurately as possible. Google itself recommends thinking about the words that customers would type to find your business and adding them to your listing. After all, a well-organized and clear profile provides a better experience for customers and makes it easier for them to find your business.

3. Post photos
According to Google itself , businesses that add photos to their Google My Business profiles receive 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks to their websites than businesses that don't. You can post photos of your business's exterior, but also the interior space, as well as your products and services. Photos must be at least 720 pixels wide by 720 pixels tall and in JPG or PNG format.

4. Respond to comments and reviews
Your customers can leave comments on your profile, giving criticism or praise, and giving ratings. Always respond. Consumers consider businesses that respond to reviews 1.7x more trustworthy than those that don’t. So, thank them for their compliments, gather suggestions, and clarify what might have gone wrong. It’s important to encourage your customers and patients to review you on your Google My Business profile. After all, engagement and positive reviews improve your company’s visibility .

5. Create posts
On this platform, as on social media , you can also post content in the form of texts, videos, images and events. Many companies publish offers and company news . Therefore, take advantage of this as another channel to communicate directly with customers and attract them to your business. The post should be brief, useful and include a call to action. According to Google, the text should be up to 1,500 characters, but the ideal length is 150 to 300 characters.

In addition to all the advantages we mentioned, this platform also provides you with several insights . For example, it gathers information about what customers searched for to find your profile, how many people called using the phone number displayed on your profile, how many clicks your website received, and several other data that can be measured.

If you want to delve even deeper into digital marketing tools and strategies in the healthcare sector, check out other articles here !