Your Google Business Profile Is Doing More Heavy Lifting Than Your Website. Here's How to Stop Neglecting It.

Let's do a quick exercise. Pull out your phone and search for whatever type of practice you run, plus your city. "Dentist Scottsdale." "Med spa Phoenix." "Therapist Tempe."

What did you see first?

It wasn't a website. It was the Google Map Pack — those three business listings with star ratings, hours, and a phone number right there on the screen. Below that? Maybe some directory listings from Healthgrades or Zocdoc. Your actual website? That's down the page somewhere, competing for attention with everyone else.

Here's the uncomfortable reality: nearly 60% of Google searches now end without the person ever clicking on a website. They get what they need right there in the search results. For medical practices, that means your Google Business Profile might be the most important piece of digital real estate you own — and most practice owners treat it like an afterthought.

They fill it out when they first open the practice, maybe upload a photo of the front door, and then never touch it again. Meanwhile, the orthodontist down the street is posting weekly updates, has 200 reviews, and keeps showing up in that Map Pack like they've got a reserved parking spot.

That's not a coincidence.

Why Your GBP Matters More Than Ever

A 2025 survey found that 59% of healthcare consumers use online search to find a new primary care provider. And 9 out of 10 said that accurate information in online listings was essential for establishing trust.

Let that sink in. Nine out of ten.

When a patient sees outdated hours on your profile, a phone number that goes to voicemail, or photos from 2018 when you still had that awful wallpaper in the waiting room — they don't give you the benefit of the doubt. They scroll to the next listing. There are plenty of options.

And here's the newer wrinkle: AI overviews and voice assistants pull data directly from Google Business Profiles. When someone asks Siri "find a physical therapy clinic open now," it's pulling from structured data in GBP listings. If your hours are wrong, your services aren't listed, or your profile is sparse — you're out of that conversation.

The Anatomy of a Profile That Actually Works

This isn't rocket science, but it does require consistent attention. Here's what separates the profiles that generate calls from the ones that collect dust.

Get the basics right. Your practice name should match your signage and other online listings exactly. Your address, phone number, and hours need to be accurate — including holiday hours and any seasonal changes. Pick the most specific primary category available. "Family Medicine Practice" is better than "Doctor." Then add relevant secondary categories to broaden your reach.

Photos matter more than you think. Practices with professional photos of their space, staff, and equipment generate significantly more engagement than those with a single exterior shot or — worse — no photos at all. Real photos of your actual space, not stock images, reduce anxiety for new patients. They want to see where they're going before they get there.

Use Google Posts. This is the most underused feature on the platform. Think of it like a mini-blog that shows up right on your profile. Share health tips, announce new services, introduce new providers, post about community events. Practices that post regularly signal to Google that they're active, which helps with ranking. And it gives patients more reasons to choose you.

List your services. The services section lets you detail everything you offer, with descriptions for each. This helps Google match your profile with relevant searches and helps patients understand what you do without having to visit your website.

The Review Situation

We need to talk about reviews, because this is where most practices either thrive or slowly bleed out.

Over 75% of patients check Google reviews before choosing a healthcare provider. Reviews are not optional. They are table stakes. And responding to them — both positive and negative — is non-negotiable.

The tricky part is that there's a massive participation gap. While reviews heavily influence patient choices, over half of patients say they rarely or never leave one. But here's the good news: nearly three-quarters said they'd leave a review if asked, with email and text as the preferred methods. And about half said they'd be most likely to leave a review within 24 hours of their appointment.

So the formula isn't complicated: ask, make it easy, and ask promptly. A simple follow-up text or email with a direct link to your Google review page, sent the same day or the next morning, is worth more than any ad you could buy.

When you respond to reviews — and you should respond to every single one — keep it professional and HIPAA-compliant. Thank people for positive feedback. Address negative reviews with empathy and an invitation to take the conversation offline. Never reference specific medical details, even if the reviewer does. Something like "We appreciate your feedback and want to make sure your concerns are addressed — please contact our office directly" goes a long way.

What We Do for Our Clients

We manage Google Business Profiles for medical and wellness practices across the Phoenix metro and beyond. That means we're in there regularly — updating information, posting content, monitoring and responding to reviews, adding photos, and tracking performance.

We also handle the less glamorous stuff that matters a lot: citation consistency across 50+ online directories, making sure your name, address, and phone number are identical everywhere they appear online. Inconsistent data confuses Google and pushes your profile down in the rankings. It's tedious work, but it directly impacts whether you show up in the Map Pack.

If you haven't looked at your Google Business Profile in a while, take five minutes and check. Is everything accurate? Do you have recent photos? Are your services listed? Are you responding to reviews?

If the answer to any of those is "no" — or if you just don't have the time to keep up with it — that's exactly the kind of thing we handle. (623) 780-0000. We'll take a look and tell you where you stand.