A search for “local SEO for medical practices” usually hides a practical question: why does the practice across the road show up on the map when yours does not? Patients almost always search with a location, either stated (“dermatologist Brașov”) or implied (“ultrasound near me”), and Google usually answers with a map and a handful of practices, shown above the websites.
Google says publicly what it bases local results on: relevance to what was searched for, distance from the person searching, and prominence. You cannot change the distance; the other two can be worked on, without tricks.
Local SEO for medical practices: the order of work
The order matters: there is no point asking for reviews for a listing with the wrong opening hours, or writing articles before the service pages exist. We start with a conversation about specialities, doctors, locations and how appointments are made at present.
We measure what can be counted: calls, direction requests and clicks from the profile, appointments that come through the website, and the data in Google Search Console, the free service that shows you which searches the site appears for. Position on the map differs from one street to the next, depending on where the searcher is, so we do not promise it. The steps, in brief:
- Audit: the state of the profile, duplicate listings, contact details found around the web.
- Structure: one page for each service, doctor and location.
- Structured data: code in the page, using the schema.org vocabulary, that tells Google this is a medical practice, with an address, opening hours and doctors.
- Upkeep: opening hours, photos, new pages, replies to reviews.
Google Business Profile, kept up to date like a reception desk
Google Business Profile is the listing that appears on the map: name, address, opening hours, phone number, photos, reviews. For many practices it is the first thing a patient sees before calling.
We verify it in the practice’s name and fill it in with care. The name on the profile is the real one, with no specialities or city names added to “catch” searches: that is against Google’s rules and can get the listing suspended. The other fields matter just as much:
- Primary category: the one closest to the core activity; the other specialities go in as secondary categories.
- Opening hours: including public holidays, updated in good time.
- Photos: real ones, taken at the practice, with the consent of the people who appear in them.
- Booking link: to the appointments page, not to the homepage.
Pages for services and doctors, with verified information
A single “Services” page that strings together twenty specialities matches no search at all. We build one page for each service with demand of its own: what it is, who it is for, what happens, how to prepare, who carries it out, how to book.
Each doctor has their own page: speciality, areas of expertise, training, the days on which they see patients. Patients often search by name, and this page answers exactly that search.
Google holds health topics to a higher standard, because wrong information can do harm. We write the copy together with the doctor or give it to them to check, and the page states who checked it and when. We do not promise cures and we do not diagnose at a distance; the rules on medical advertising should be checked with the professional body.
Reviews requested from everyone, identical contact details everywhere
Google’s rules are clear on two points: you offer nothing in exchange for a review (discounts, free consultations, gifts) and you do not choose whom to ask. The habit of first asking “how satisfied were you?” and sending the link only to those who were satisfied is prohibited.
The right approach is a simple one: the same invitation to every patient, for example in a message after the consultation, provided there is consent for messages of that kind. Negative reviews are answered calmly and without details: a reply confirming that the person is a patient can breach professional confidentiality and data protection rules, so the wording is agreed with the data protection officer.
The name, address and phone number must be the same on the website, in the profile, on social media, on appointment booking platforms and in business directories. An old number or an incomplete address confuses patients and weakens Google’s confidence that all the listings describe the same place.
Frequently asked questions
Can I appear on the map in the neighbouring town too, where I have no practice?
The map favours practices close to the person searching, and a profile is created only for a real location. In the neighbouring town you can appear in the ordinary results, with a page that is useful to patients there.
What do I do about an unfair review?
If it breaks Google’s rules (offensive language, someone who has never been to the practice), you can report it, with no certainty that it will be removed. Otherwise you reply briefly and politely, with no information about the person.
Is the Google profile enough, or do I need a website as well?
The profile puts you on the map, but it has room for only a little information. The website explains the services, introduces the doctors and takes bookings, and Google also looks at it when judging how well you match a search.
This is a typical project description: it shows how we usually approach this kind of work and does not present a project carried out for a particular client. Every real project starts from your company’s situation, and the stages, timescales and price are agreed after the initial discussion.