There are more commercially insured patients online than ever, and they are becoming more discriminating about how they find healthcare, who they choose to provide their care, and where they seek their care. And as patients ask increasingly specific questions when they search, they also expect increasingly specific answers.
Making sure that your doctors' names, addresses, credentials, and hours are correct and consistent across the many channels patients are using to search is an important first step. But before people will consider booking an appointment and coming in for a visit, they'll first want to be certain that your health system (or a particular doctor within your health system) is really the best match for their needs — and that's where Google My Business location attributes come into play.
Location attributes help you to surface in search when it counts, and to set your system apart from competitors — so you want to make sure you're using them correctly.
How do Google My Business location attributes work?
Google lets businesses of all kinds identify specific searchable qualities, or attributes, in their Google listings, helping to illustrate the unique characteristics of each location. So a hospital might add medical imaging services and wheelchair accessible parking to its listing, while a specific doctor might add accepting new patients and treats children.
Start by choosing the right category.
Enhancing your Google listings with location attributes, including the gender of a particular provider or the languages they speak, not only makes it easier for patients to discover influential details about your medical professionals, but also helps Google to more clearly understand what each of your locations has to offer — so it can better match your listings to relevant searches. And the set of location attributes you may select from is determined by your Google My Business category. So choosing the most appropriate category for each location in your health system should be your first priority. After all, the distinguishing characteristics of a dental clinic will be very different than those of a medical laboratory or chiropractor's office.
Use your location attributes to show who you are.
The location attributes you select can have a greater impact than simply helping to surface more relevant results in search. Something as simple as enabling the LGBTQ-friendly and Transgender Safe Space location attributes, for example, will let potential patients know that they can expect to be treated equally and adequately by your doctors and staff. You can find a more detailed guide to adding and editing your Google My Business attributes by Google here.
Download our white paper The New Patient Journey to learn more about how to meet your patients everywhere they're searching.
