The power of local search is undeniable. In fact, nearly half of all Google searches are looking for local information. For medical providers, this surfaces the inevitable need to appear to searchers with accurate, up-to-date listings and business profiles. For providers that work in multiple locations on different days and hours of the week, this can become a challenge to manage and effectively maintain multiple business profiles. If these providers are unable to appear in different geographic areas and accurately showcase when they are at each physical location, they run the risk of losing potential customers to another provider.
Additionally, if the provider’s multiple locations show the same hours, they run the high risk of Google marking these listings as duplicates and being removed from local search results. Each physical location where a provider practices must have a unique business address and phone number. They also must display accurate business hours at the specified location and have no overlap with other locations.
To better prove the power of multi-provider listings, and their impact on consumer reach with Google Search, we conducted a controlled study with four different providers, which saw patients at multiple locations. While Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) was the primary platform used to evaluate the performance and effect of multi-provider business profiles, each provider’s primary practice was submitted to data aggregator partners, such as Localeze, Infogroup, and Factual.
Background On the Study
The following are the counts of listings/business profiles between each provider:
- Provider one – 4 listings
- Provider two – 2 listings
- Provider three – 3 listings
- Provider four – 2 listings
In the study, we conducted an 11-week pre-test measurement, before optimizing each listing, focusing on:
- Drafting a unique description, including any popular organic search terms that better highlight the provider’s area of expertise and geographical area of practice
- Adding multiple high-resolution images for each location to highlight the provider’s location
- Publishing operating hours that follow the doctor’s schedule for each location
- Optimizing the primary business category based on the provider’s primary expertise and adding secondary categories to bolster secondary expertises
We allowed for an 11-week incubation for these new listings to become visible following our 11-week pre-test assessment period. After the incubation period concluded, we then took measurement for our post-test assessment for an additional 11-week period, totaling 33 weeks of analysis. We did a statistical analysis, comparing the impressions and enablements (clicks) from GBP Map Pack Insights between the pre-test period to the post-test period to determine if there was a significant difference.
What We Saw
Based on the results from the pre-test and post-test periods, we found that there was a significant difference between pre- and post-views and engagements, for both impressions and enablements (clicks), across all four providers.
More specifically, the strength of the effect between views within Google Search and Maps proves to be significant. The strength of the effect between enablements proves to have a moderate yet robust effect, as we observedenablements steadily show an increase between the two test periods.
With the significant rise in views for these listings, it became evident that these multi-providers’ listings were being seen by more people than before, furthering the provider’s online presence in both Google Search and Maps. Consumers were also taking more action, such as clicking to call or clicking for driving directions to the physical address, further solidifying the success of deploying multiple listings for all the business locations they practice at, and optimizing the listings.
Conclusions Drawn From the Study
Based on these results, we found it to be extremely beneficial to publish additional listings for multi-providers. By adding these additional listings, multi-providers will be better able to:
- Improve their visibility across the search ecosystem
- Reach potential new patients seeking their services
- Encourage searchers to take actions within their listings
- Grow their practice as more patients see their listings
- Expand their geographic footprint in search engine results
An effective SEO strategy is an ongoing effort that will extend well-past the post-test period for all four of these providers. Their listings will continue to be updated as needed, in any instance a phone number, hours of operation, or business description changes to match the changing environment of where they may practice.
Bulk location management can be cumbersome for those that don’t have the time to dedicate or the experience. By working with a local marketing partner, a service provider that practices at multiple locations can ensure their listings aren’t flagged as duplicates, completely fill out all available fields, sustainably update listings on an ongoing basis, and provide expert recommendations for improvements that can be made to each business listing. They can also monitor online customer reviews at scale as well.
Whether bulk location management is overseen by a third-party or by the provider, the results from the study speak volumes for how multi-provider listings/business profiles perform over an extended period of time when done correctly–and is something to consider for providers practicing at multiple locations to extend their reach.