Patients Waiting for Their Turn at the Busy Dental Clinic

How to Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Profile for Dental Marketing

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Online visibility is the key to attracting new patients to today's competitive dental market. One of the most effective ways to ensure your dental practice stands out in local relevant searches is to optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP) profile, which most people still call Google My Business (GMB). Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a multi-location practice, an optimized GMB listing can significantly improve your local search rankings, drive more traffic to your website, and ultimately increase patient appointments.

When it comes to improving the visibility of dental services among local searchers, you can trust the expertise of Social Dental NOW (Best Results Dental Marketing). We specialize in creating and strategically optimizing GMB profiles, and we're here to guide you through the essential steps of optimizing and managing your Google My Business profile. With us, you can be confident that your dental practice will achieve the best results.

What Is My Google Business Profile, Formally Called Google My Business, and Why Is It Critical for Your Dental Practice?

people with an internet browser

Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses, including dental practices, to manage their online presence across Google Search results and Google Maps. When potential patients search for a "dentist near me" or "best Invisalign dentist," Google pulls relevant information from their GMB profile to display in search results. This can include your physical address or business location, phone number, hours of operation, online scheduling, Google reviews, photos, and more.

An optimized GMB profile helps your dental practice by:

It will help ensure your dental clinic appears in local search results when patients search for "dentist near me" or "Invisalign dentist near me." Your GMB provides potential new patients essential information like your physical location, hours, contact info, and services, showcasing your patient reviews, and helping to build trust and credibility. It will help you engage with potential patients via Q&A, posts, and offers.

How to Set Up a Google My Business Page for Your Dental Practice

Step 1: Claim and Verify Your Google My Business Listing

Most dentists have already done this step. But before optimizing your GMB profile, you must claim and verify it. Verification is essential because it ensures you control the information about your dental practice.

To claim your business on Google, you need to:

Go to the Google My Business website and sign in with your Google account. Search for your business name in the search bar. You can manually add your practice by clicking "Add your business" if your practice isn't listed. Select your business and follow the prompts to claim it. Google may ask for your address, phone number, and business category (choose "Dentist" or a more specific category like "Cosmetic Dentist" or "Orthodontist").

Your Google My Business Verification May Take a Week or More

Once you've claimed your business on Google, the verification process begins. Google will send a postcard with a verification code to your dental practice's address, typically taking 5-7 days to arrive. When you receive the postcard, log back into your GMB account, enter the code, and your business will be verified. In some cases, Google may require additional verification steps, such as a phone call, email verification, or a video of the outside of your office. These measures are in place to ensure the security and accuracy of your Google Business Profile (GBP).

Step 2: Optimize Your GMB Profile

Now that you've claimed and verified your profile, it's time to optimize it. This is the most important part. So, how do you optimize a GMB profile? Well, it's not simple! The more detailed and accurate your GMB profile is, the better your chance of ranking higher in local search results. These are the few must-haves for Google My Business optimization or to grow Google's business profile audience.

1. Use Your Real Business Name for Google My Business Verification

woman looking at gmb profile on phone

The first step to optimizing a GMB profile is to use your real business name. Google's guidelines prohibit adding extra keywords or location-based terms to your business name. For example, if your practice is called "Smile Dental Care," Google says don't add "Best Dentist in New York" to the name. Keeping the name consistent with your official business name is important for maintaining your listing's integrity and avoiding Google penalties.

Social Dental NOW (Best Results Dental Marketing) knows some secret ways to ensure this works in your favor. These are techniques that almost no one else knows, and when you're one of our clients, we'll show you what these secrets are. These secret techniques will help to skyrocket you to the top. This is one area where we are one of the best in the world.

2. Complete All Business Information

The more information you provide, the better Google can match your dental practice with search queries. Make sure to fill out every section of your GMB profile or Google My Business page:

Business Category: On the Google My Business Page, select the most appropriate category (e.g., Dentist, Cosmetic Dentist, Orthodontist, etc.). This is critical to get right the first time. The simplest way is to say you're a dentist as your primary category.

However, depending on your local market, this is not always wise. For instance, if Social Dental NOW had researched all the dentists in your area and noticed that all your competition was listed as dentists only, we might have recommended that you list yourself as a cosmetic dentist. That would have given you a strategic local advantage.

The only way to know how to do these categories is years of experience, and that's what Social Dental NOW will bring to you when you engage our services. We will ensure that you've chosen the best primary category for your territory and the best alternate categories. You get a total of 10 categories total.

Business Address: Ensure your address is correct and matches the one listed on your website and other online directories. An accurate address is also important to claim your business on Google, which is already listed.

homepage concept with search bar

Phone Number: Add a local phone number (rather than a call center number) to signal Google that you're a legitimate local dentist clinic. You can use a tracking number for marketing purposes, but Google has specific guidelines you must follow to do so.

Website URL: Include a link to your dental practice website. This is, of course, a critical step in Google My Business optimization.

Hours of Operation: To generate organic visits on Google Business Profile, keep your hours accurate, including holidays and special events.

Service Area: This should be a 12—to 15-mile radius around your office. Before 2025, Google suggested using zip codes. Now, they insist on using only city names. Zip codes can dramatically reduce your visibility in these areas, which would be a strategic mistake. Of course, Social Dental NOW will ensure everything is set correctly to ensure maximum Google Business Profile visits.

If you need help optimizing your business on Google, don't hesitate to count on our professionals. They will guide you in optimizing your dental Google My Business page; we will take care of all the details for you for maximum Google My Business visits.

Schedule The Most Important FREE Meeting Of Your Life

Or call us at 442-245-3700 to grow Your Google Business Profile. We offer FREE dental marketing consultations.

3. Add High-Quality Original Photos and Videos

Google has scanned every photo on the Internet. If you use stock photos on your GMB, Google will know. Google highly prioritizes dental practices that use original photographs and videos. We encourage you to use as few stock photos and videos as possible. It should be your team, your office, and your practice to showcase your dental clinic. Studies show that businesses with original photos receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more click-throughs to their website. To optimize a GMB profile well, ensure to upload a variety of great original photos that highlight your practice:

Exterior Photos: Show your practice's entrance to help patients recognize it when they arrive.

Interior Photos: Include images of your waiting area, treatment rooms, and staff to give a welcoming feel.

Team Photos: Introduce your staff with professional, friendly images. Most business owners overlook this important information, but it's crucial for optimizing your GMB profile.

Before and After Photos: If applicable, include images showcasing cosmetic dental procedures, such as teeth whitening or smile makeovers, to your Google Business Profile manager. Ensure you have the signed patient release form on file if you show any faces. If you are only doing smiles, no results forms are needed.

Video Content: Short, engaging videos (under 30 seconds) about your practice or services can boost engagement on your Google My Business page and can also be used on your YouTube and Social media platforms.

4. Write a Compelling SEO Optimized Business Description to Optimize Your Profile

illustration of dental care application

The Business Description section explains what makes your dental clinic unique to potential patients. Focus on your services, expertise, and what patients can expect when visiting. Avoid keyword stuffing—Google values natural, informative language.

We are experts at writing these dental business descriptions, if you become one of our clients, we will handle all of this for you and your dental clinic.

Example Description for a Dental Practice for Optimizing a GMB Profile:

"At Smile Dental Care, we offer comprehensive dental services, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontics for patients of all ages. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing top-quality care in a comfortable and friendly environment. Whether you need a routine checkup, teeth whitening, or a smile makeover, we're here to help you achieve your best smile."

5. Add Services

If your dental practice offers a range of services, list them under the services tab. Google allows you to add detailed descriptions of each service, such as Invisalign, Dental Implant Experts, etc., to help potential new patients find exactly what services they need.

Step 3: Add a Scheduling Link!

The most important thing you can do to optimize your Google Business Profile is to add a scheduling link. Many companies offer scheduling links, but almost none of them put scheduling directly in the Google Map pack.

Adding a great Scheduling Link Is the Most Important Thing You Can Do to Get New Patients From Your SEO and GMB!

Studies show that most people search for a new dentist after 5:00 PM and on the weekends. When almost all dentist offices are closed, there's no chance, that even if people find your practice when they're searching, that they will be able to connect to you. This is a HUGE strategic mistake.

Only two companies can place the scheduling link in the Google Map Pack, and we recommend only one of them: NexHealth.com. Their scheduling link is by far the best we have tested.

However, this recommendation comes with a caveat. Currently, the Nexhealth scheduling link does not allow targeting data to be easily passed to Google Analytics or other SEO tools such as SEMRush. The positive side is that you'll get as many as twice as many new patients. The downside is that you won't know where those patients came from. Were they from SEO, Facebook, Google ads, etcetera? This makes optimizing your marketing budget impossible.

Fortunately, the Google Analytics experts at Social Dental NOW know how to make this work flawlessly. It's very complicated. Social Dental NOW's team can make it work for you. We estimate that 95% of marketing companies do not know how to properly set up or analyze the data from the Nexhealth scheduling app. So, if you use it, you need to use us.

You can get the best of both worlds by engaging Social Dental NOW to install the Nexhealth scheduling app, set up the tracking, and monitor your results. In our experience, a dentist can't do this without years of analytical training. On a scale of 1 to 10, getting the targeting set up on the scheduling app is a 10; it is difficult, so you will need a professional to help you.

However, you will have all the patients searching for a new dentist after 5 p.m. Our data indicates that on weekends in your area, this can be twice as many patients, so this is one of the most important things you can do for your dental practice success. It's highly advisable.

Step 4: Gather and Respond to Patient Reviews

woman holding thought bubble

Positive reviews are pivotal in shaping your dental practice's online reputation and local SEO. They boost your ranking in local search results and sway potential patients' choices. Indeed, favorable reviews are the key to optimizing a GMB profile.

Dental search studies prove that Google searchers looking for new dentists demonstrate critical information you need to know. Studies show that 46% to 58% of Google searchers will only choose a new dentist with a perfect Google 5.0 rating.

This is terrible news for most dentists, but not for our clients.

Google ratings have never been more crucial for a dentist's or dental clinic's success. The most effective way to handle this is by training your staff to handle objections promptly and efficiently. Social Dental NOW's training portal is designed to equip your staff with the skills to request reviews and secure outstanding five-star ratings.

We also have a full-time live sales trainer to work with and role-play your front desk receptionists to ensure they have the necessary skills.

As your front desk team evolves over the years, keeping them fully trained in call interactions is crucial. The ability to convert calls to consultations, consultations to sales, and to ask for five-star reviews successfully is not just a skill; it's a key factor in your dental clinic's new patient acquisition and retention. This is why using our training portal is so important.

Social Dental NOW is a trusted leader in the industry with a proven track record of successfully removing bad Google reviews for dental clinics. When you choose to work with us, you can rest assured that we can effectively handle your bad reviews.

At this time, our success rate at getting bad Google reviews removed for dentists is 100%. While it's always best to avoid bad reviews in the first place, you can trust that we're the only marketing company equipped to help you solve this problem if it arises.

How to Get Great Reviews on Your Google My Business Page

dentist with 5 star google review

Asking satisfied patients for reviews after appointments the right way is crucial. We know how to do it and to train your team. You can request customers to leave reviews via email or text message.

Incentivize reviews (without violating Google's policies) by offering discounts or free consultations for leaving honest feedback.

Responding to Reviews on Google Business Profile Manager

Respond to both positive and negative reviews in a timely and professional manner. Acknowledge compliments and express gratitude while addressing negative customer feedback with a solution-oriented approach. If you get a bad one, let us know.

Example of Responding to a Positive Review

"Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled you had a great experience at Smile Dental Care. We look forward to seeing you again!"

Example of Responding to a Negative Review (A Good Practice for Optimizing a GMB Profile)

"We're sorry to hear about your recent experience and truly appreciate your feedback. We'll contact you directly to resolve the issue and ensure it doesn't happen again."

Step 5: Use Google Posts to Engage With Potential Patients

Google Posts are an excellent way to share updates, offers, and promotions directly on your GMB profile. Posts appear in local search results and can help capture the attention of potential patients.

There are several types of posts you can create to convey information about your business and grow your Google Business Profile audience:

  • What's New Posts: Share general updates about your practice or news.
  • Event Posts: Promote events such as free consultations or community health talks.
  • Offer Posts: Announce limited-time discounts or special deals for new patients.
  • Product Posts: Showcase specific dental services like teeth whitening or braces.

Make sure your posts are visually appealing and include a clear call-to-action (CTA), such as "Schedule Now" or "Call Now."

If you need an expert to craft and post regular GMB posts on your Google My Business page, the professionals at Best Results Dental Marketing will take care of it for you.

Schedule The Most Important FREE Meeting Of Your Life

Or Call Us at 442-245-3700 For Your Free GMB Optimization Consultation With Our Experts.

Step 6: Monitor and Manage Questions and Answers

Google's Q&A section allows patients to ask questions about your dental practice. As the owner, you can provide answers and even pre-emptively add frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Google Business Profile Manager to guide patients.

Example questions to answer:

  • "Do you accept my dental insurance?"
  • "What should I bring to my first appointment?"
  • "Do you offer emergency dental services?"

By managing this section effectively, you can reduce customer confusion and ensure your potential new patients get the right information.

Let Us Help You Keep Your GMB Profile Updated and Optimized

Your dental practice's GMB profile is a living document. Regularly update your business hours, services, photos, and reviews to keep your listing fresh and relevant. The more active and complete your profile is, the better your chances of showing up in local search results and attracting new patients. From your Google My Business log-in to generating organic visits for your Google Business Profile, we will help you improve your business's online visibility.

Best Results Dental Marketing's experts use these services to optimize your Google My Business listing. This will improve your local SEO and increase your dental practice's visibility, trustworthiness, and patient acquisition.

Ready to Optimize Your Dental Practice's Google My Business Profile? Start Today and Watch Your Local Search Results and New Patient Appointments Grow!

Call us at 442-245-3700 to get expert help with Google Business Profile Manager and postings.

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