There are so many things to do when launching your dental practice. From legal and compliance requirements, to getting your finances organized, to preparing the facility and hiring and training staff, to investing in technology and software—we get it—it’s a lot to manage.

But though all of those things we mentioned above are business critical, so, too, is focusing on your marketing and advertising efforts right off the bat. Overlooking this can mean you spend a lot of time setting up shop, only to have no patients walking through your door. And one of the best components of your marketing strategy is to get set up with Google My Business (GMB).

What is Google My Business?

Have you ever gone to Google to search for the name of a local business? Perhaps it is a new restaurant in town, or you are looking for a movie theater. Maybe you are looking for a new daycare for your child. Well, when those businesses appear on the right side of the screen, showing their profile, a customer rating, and relevant contact details, that all comes from Google My Business.

Setting up on Google My Business (GMB) is relatively easy and can make a big difference in your dental practice. First, you need to claim your business on Google. Go to the Google My Business website and follow the steps to add your business. You’ll need to provide details like your practice’s name, address, phone number, and the services you offer.

Google will then need to verify your business to make sure the information is accurate. This is usually done by sending a postcard with a verification code to your business address. Once you receive it, enter the code provided on your GMB account to verify your listing.

After verification, optimize your profile. Add high-quality photos of your practice and encourage your happy patients to leave positive reviews. Regularly update your business hours and respond promptly to any reviews or questions from potential patients. This engagement helps grow your visibility and attract more patients to your practice.

Why you need Google My Business to grow your business. 

So, all that seems pretty easy, right? And it is! Trust us—the benefits will make it worth your time. 

1. Enhanced Local Search Visibility

If you haven’t searched for a business on Google recently, take a moment to do it now. See how a business meeting your criteria just appeared on your screen with all the information you needed about business hours, location, and so on? Well, that’s precisely what can happen once you are set up and your patients search for dentists in your area.

Plus, with Google My Business, your dental practice can appear in the “Local Pack,” the box of highlighted local business listings at the top of Google search results. This prime positioning means your practice can be one of the first options potential patients see, significantly increasing your chances of attracting new clients.

2. Trust and Credibility with Reviews

When it comes to health and dental care, patients want to know that they are making the best choice regarding their treatment. That’s why most patients often look at reviews to see how other patients have fared when having the same or similar treatment done.

It’s really no different from leaving a review on Google for the restaurant you had dinner at last night. You go to Google, leave a review, and discuss your experience. The goal is to let other patrons know about your experience to inform them better what to expect.

You want the same for your business. This said, here are a few quick pointers for managing those reviews:

• Be sure to respond to reviews in a timely manner (ideally within 24 to 48 hours). Be sure to respond to both positive and constructive reviews.
• Sign up for a course with Jameson Grow to learn how to ask for reviews and how to respond to negative feedback.

3. Accurate and Easily Accessible Information

Remember how we mentioned earlier that businesses that appear on GMB seem to have all the relevant information you need? That’s the beauty of it. When you set up your GMB account, make sure that you take the time to complete all the requested details. Providing information on your practice location, hours, contact info, etc., will ensure patients can find you when they need you. 

And don’t worry if your office moves location or your hours change—that’s no problem. GMB makes it easy for you to change information, ensuring you can always keep it updated.

4. Insights Into Patient Behaviors and Preferences 

Google My Business also offers valuable analytics tools that provide insights into how patients find and interact with your listing. Through the GMB backend, you can see what keywords people used to find you, how many called your practice directly from the listing, and even how many requested directions to your location. 

This data is helpful, giving insights into patient behaviors and preferences. This means that you can tailor your marketing strategies more effectively. By analyzing these trends, you can enhance the patient experience, ensuring you more precisely meet their needs and expectations.

5. Competitive Advantage

Last but not least, having a presence on Google My Business gives your practice a competitive advantage over practices that haven’t taken the time to do so. This means your practice is going to get in front of more prospective patients than nearby practices without a GMB listing. Plus, getting set up on GMB gives your practice a valuable backlink that can help grow your domain authority. 

Get set up on Google My Business today!

If your dental practice isn’t appearing on GMB yet, it’s time to start. Failure to do so could result in the loss of prospective patients and financial repercussions for your business. 

If you are overwhelmed by all the marketing and advertising tasks you need to complete and GMB just keeps getting put on the back burner, we can help. Jameson Management & Marketing offers dental marketing solutions that can help with search engine optimization (SEO), localized marketing, and more. Contact us today to see why we’re the best dental marketing agency for your dental practice.