Dentists have a fixed location and need to attract new patients within that area. This means that any search results that is location based is crucial to a practice’s marketing strategy
Google Maps and Google Organic search results are separate systems. Google Maps is not connected to your website. You can rank in Google Maps without a website. Google Map rankings are all about three criteria of proximity, relevance, and prominence, all defined by your GBP.
What controls Google Maps? Your Google Business Profile (GBP) controls your Google Maps. Ensure you have completed (in detail):
| Profile Item | Advice |
|---|---|
| Primary category | Very important to get right |
| Services added | Just the treatments you do regularly; too many looks spammy |
| Add social links | Important for NAP checking and services confirmation |
| Review link | Important part of prominence/Maps Rankings |
| Recent photos are uploaded monthly | Show practice and team |
| NAP consistent | Ensure contact details are the same as the website |
| Add booking links | You can add more than one |
| Ask for reviews | Use link for email and QR code for in practice |
| Add locations | Towns you accept/gain patients from |
How it works
Most companies fill in their profile once and then forget about it. Many dentists see Google Map rankings as random or decide to just pay for an advert to rank above the competition. Your business profile controls the locations and the keywords that Google will rank you for in Google Maps.
Practices that regularly update their business profiles improve their rankings in Maps over time.
How does Google rank practices in Google Maps?
- Proximity
- Relevance
- Prominence
Is it worth it?
Proximity is how close the user is to your location. It is based on the user’s geo location, dictated by their IP address. This cannot be controlled, although adding additional areas to your GBP can help. Understandably, proximity is the most important factor in Google Maps.
Relevance is dictated by the categories you have added to your profile. The Google Local system is not as flexible or as intelligent as Google’s organic search algorithm. For example, if you search for “dentist London“, the three pack above appears. However, if you search for “cost of Invisalign London“, the Map does not appear. Google Maps will only generate traffic for “dentist” and cosmetic dentist”, “Invisalign near me”. What it will not work with is search terms that show intent, like “cost of,” “invisalign dentist with good reviews.”
Prominence is determined by several factors, including the age of the business and the GBP account, the number of reviews a practice has, and the practice’s popularity. Google itself seems confused about prominence and mentions backlinks to your website, but we know your website does not influence your Map rankings, since you can rank on Google Maps without them. The best practice is to keep earning reviews and updating your profile to include blogs (which expand keywords) and events (which show relevance and that the profile is alive).
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Google Maps is great for dentists to use if they are looking for local patients seeking a check-up or general dentistry.
- It does work with treatments, teeth whitening, implants, veneers, etc., single keywords, + locations and “near me.”
- It is worth having as it is more brand exposure for the practice
- Updating your profile with an agency is a simple and inexpensive process
- The 3 Pack shows up for short relevant keywords, dentist + location, Invisalign near me, etc.
Cons
- Works well with core keywords (often single words).
- Google Maps is not suitable for driving traffic for treatment-based, transactional-intent keywords. These are keywords where the patient is more likely to make a booking and include words like best, reviews, costs, process etc.
- Can be a distraction from more effective organic search SEO work for the practice.
- Limited Customisation: The layout is rigid, offering little opportunity for branding.
- Information is often out of date.
- The system is slow and not real-time. Improvements in GBP and review count are slow to move through.
- Low conversion rate, no branding opportunities.
- Highly competitive.
Summary
- All exposure in a Google search result is good for business. Google Maps is an excellent way for dentists to gain local patients.
- Keywords are limited, and Google Maps does not understand search intent.
- Organic Search Optimisation has unlimited keywords and locations.
- Google Maps is powerful locally, but it is not a complete marketing strategy on its own.
- Google Maps optimisation is worth spending a few hours a month to improve.
- See our case studies.
Quick FAQs
How long does it take to improve Google Maps rankings?
About three months, Google Maps is not real-time, and changes take time to filter through
Do Google reviews help dentists rank higher?
Yes, it is part of prominence, but it is not definitive; practices with less reviews can rank above you
Can a dentist rank in nearby towns?
GBP is limited to your actual address and nearby areas. The further you are from an area, the further down the rankings you will appear. Use local SEO/organic search to improve your catchment area,
Does adding services to Google Business Profile help?
Adding services does help; stick to relevance, just add services for which the practice has a web page as a guide.
What Next
- If you have any comments on the article or suggestions for improvement, please get in touch.
- If you would like our help with improving your Google Map rankings, read more here.
- Contact us here or call 01483 921741 to speak to someone today.
Dr Sarah Cox is a dentist who ran two dental practices in Swindon and Reading for over 12 years. She became an expert at marketing both her practices as dental implant clinics. She now shares her dental marketing knowledge and experience. Sarah worked with VCM for over 7 years.
