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Get best practices and inspiration for your hospital's Google Business Profile healthcare listing.
Author: Laura DiGiulio
Last updated: 10/31/23
Does your hospital have a Google Business Profile healthcare listing? If you don’t know, it’s a good idea to Google the name of your hospital and find out. Google Business Profile listings appear in the box on the right-hand side of your screen when you search for a business name on Google.
Google Business Profile healthcare listings can include a complete business profile for your hospital — including photos, reviews/ratings, a brief description, a question/answer section, and location and contact information. And the best part is, they are completely free!
Learn why it’s important for your hospital to optimize this tool and best practices for your hospital to use when completing your Google Business Profile healthcare listing.
Google Business Profile listing from Orlando Health Horizon West Hospital
Keeping your listing up-to-date is essential. Here are the top reasons why your hospital should optimize your Google Business Profile listing:
Your business profile can include your website URL, directions, phone numbers, business hours and more. Of course, people can also find this information on your website. But your listing conveniently places the most important information where it’s easy to find by simply Googling your hospital’s name.
Your optimized Google Business Profile listing builds up your local search reputation and gives your hospital more visibility. In other words, when you have a complete Google Business Profile listing for each of your locations, local patients are more likely to find your hospital when searching on Google.
Although online reviews can be a double-edged sword — with a mix of both positive and negative reviews — it is important to have a place for visitors to your hospital to provide honest feedback. This gives you a chance to reinforce the things you are doing well or address items that need improvement.
In addition, Google Business Profile listings offer a question and answer section that allows you to engage directly with consumers. This Q and A feature is one that is specifically beneficial to healthcare providers. But keep in mind, you’ll need to designate someone to respond with accurate and timely answers or the answers may come from one of Google’s “local guides” — who is not a member of your organization.
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Now that you have decided you would like to update your hospital’s Google Business Profile listing, it’s time to take action. To sign up, verify, or review and update your hospital’s listing, visit this Business Profile help page.
As you are completing your Google Business Profile healthcare listing, keep these tips in mind:
Fill out each section offered — website, address, directions, phone number, photos and a short summary. The more information you provide, the more likely the potential patient will reach out. In fact, customers are 70% more likely to visit a business with a complete Google Business Profile.
A good Google Business Profile description includes as much information as possible — including services offered and any major nearby landmarks/intersections that will help people find your hospital.
An example of a good Business Profile description would read something like this:
“City Hospital provides healthcare services to the Utopia community. We are located at the corner of Big Street and Long Street, just two miles east of the Airport. We provide primary and pediatric services and have appointments available seven days a week.”
Designate someone on your marketing team as the “owner” of your hospital’s Google Business Profile listing. This person should answer any questions in the Q and A section and ensure that all information is up to date so patients can continue to contact you.
There are examples of good Google Business Profile healthcare listings available all over the internet. Some of our favorites include:
When you enter “Phoenix Children’s Hospital” in your Google search bar, you will see a profile listing that is completely filled out and also has received a ton of patient engagement. In fact, there are over 1,300 Google reviews and more than 90 questions and answers.
Image of Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Google Business Profile.
When you Google this medical center, you will find a complete profile that’s up-to-date and verified. In addition, there is a lot of patient engagement — with almost 800 Google reviews and over 150 questions and answers.
Image of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Google Business Profile.
The Business Profile description for this hospital is also filled out completely and has lots of patient engagement. There are more than 800 Google reviews and over 100 questions and answers.
Image of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Google Business Profile.
WG Content has a team of healthcare writers who can help you execute all areas of your content strategy, so you don’t have to face your marketing goals alone. Contact us any time to learn more.
Editor’s note: This post was last updated on October 31, 2023. It was originally published in February 2022.
Follow-up questions to help improve your hospital’s Google Business Profile:
Always respond promptly to reviews. Acknowledge the reviewer’s experience and offer to take the conversation offline. Always be willing to learn from the feedback – ensure your team has a process in place to address negative reviews and fix problems if they exist.
Don’t be afraid to ask your patients Provide links to your profile in follow up emails or on your website to make it easier for patients to find the information. You can also display and share positive reviews in your hospital or on social media to draw attention to them and help encourage others to share their experiences.
Regular updates are important. Of course, you should be responding to reviews and questions in real-time, but here are some additional items to keep updated:
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