3 Steps to Optimize Your Chiropractic Google My Business Listing
3 Steps to Optimize Your Chiropractic Google My Business Listing
Jeff Langmaid
It's estimated that nearly 50% of search traffic on Google has local intent. Local intent means that people are searching for services (like chiropractic care) near their current location. Most people don't cruise around google looking at chiropractic practice listings on Google My Business for fun. So, if someone has made it to your GMB listing, it's highly likely they are actively looking for a chiropractor...right now.
But to get that traffic, you'll want to make sure your GMB listing is optimized. Over the past few months, we began auto-posting to the GMB listings of our Smart Chiropractor members and have discovered three key optimization steps that you can take today to improve your listing, get more visibility, and drive more clicks and calls to your practice.
To put this in perspective, we're not talking about small numbers here. We have members who are getting over 240 calls directly to their front desk every month via their Google My Business listing. No ads, no additional spending- they are just optimized. Here's how you can do the same in three easy steps:
1. Verify Your Practice Information
GMB has three primary calls to action. They are phone calls, clicks to your website, and requests for direction to your practice. Each of these calls to action has extremely high intent. People who call your office, visit your website or map directions to your practice are ready to take action.
Your first step towards optimizing your listing is to ensure that your practice information and correct and complete. If you don't have a phone number listed on our profile- you'll get no calls. If your website is misspelled- you'll get no traffic. And if your address is listed incorrectly- well, you get the point!
Statistically speaking, with 50,000 practicing chiropractors in the United States alone- I would estimate that 2,500-5,000 have incomplete or inaccurate information. Don't make it hard for people to connect and take action. Head over to your listing as soon as you finish reading this article and make sure your information is complete and accurate. Just this step alone could substantially bump up your new patients this month!
2. Upload a few high-quality pictures to your listing
Google My Business is content and information-driven. If you visit a listing, you'll notice there is the Google Maps picture of your practice, but they also allow you the opportunity to upload some additional images.
Take a few high-quality images in and around your practice. In many cases, the pictures you have upon your listing will be the first impression people get from your practice. There is no need to make a bad or "meh" first impression. Grab your iPhone, turn on the lights, and grab a few nice pictures of your practice.
I recommend a picture of the reception area (with smiling faces behind the front desk), a treatment room, and perhaps your active care space. Take 5-10 minutes to clean up and make your office look as inviting as possible. If you don't feel confident in your photography skills, ask a team member, friend, spouse, or child to snap a few pictures for you. These don't necessarily need to be professionally taken, but remember, you want them to be enticing - not repelling!
3. Update Your Listing At Least 2x Week
Google is a content monster- and you need to feed the beast. Over the past few months, we began auto-posting service for our members of The Smart Chiropractor to their Google My Business listings and have noticed a significant increase in the engagement as a result.
Google My Business "posts" are a bit different than your traditional Facebook or Instagram posts. They have a few specific categories that the posts need to fit into. These categories are:
What's New
Use this type of post to highlight anything new with your chiropractic practice. Or use it to give your visitors more information about what makes your practice unique. These posts will automatically expire after seven days. Regular posts about your business will make your listing much more attractive to prospective customers.
Events
Now you can promote your upcoming online or offline events directly on your Google listing in Search and on Maps. You'll need to set the day/time for your event posts.
Offer
Offers should be used for limited-time promotions in your practice. These two have a timeframe.
Product
Want to let people know about the new products or services you are offering? With these posts, you can provide descriptions and price ranges. Product posts also expire after seven days.
As you can see, nearly all of the posts expire after a relatively short amount of time. That is precisely why consistently updating your listing AT LEAST 1x week is so important. With each 30-day cycle potentially generating hundreds of calls, clicks, and requests for directions- you can't afford to not optimize your Google My Business Listing.