Start Here - a Primer to a Google Maps Boost for Practices
You've clicked the START HERE button.
Congratulations!
You have graduated from being blissfully unaware of the problem you are facing and are now embarking on the journey of education to see what there is to do about your pain and problem. And I'll try to be your helpful guide on how to not only fix it, but also:
KICK THE CRAP OUT OF THE DUDETTE or DUDE DOWN THE STREET
(yes that dudette or dude who's currently kicking the crap out of you)
[read: treating patients that should be coming to you]
THE PAIN YOU'RE FEELING AND CAN'T PUT YOUR FINGER ON
Take a look at a zip code map. Whoops, that's the zip codes of the wealthiest zips in America. You wouldn't be interested in that would you?
Ok, use this searchable zip code map. Type in the zip code of your practice. Look at the area around you.
Then start looking at the zip codes around you.
For example, I'm going to choose Laguna Beach, CA 92651. (We recently stayed there taking our girls to Disneyland.)
Then, find your primary Google My Business category. In this case, I'm going to choose Orthopedic Surgeon. There's about 6 google my business / google maps categories that can apply to orthopedics, and orthopedic surgeon gets a lot of credibility in Google Maps. It shows up a lot for these relevant searches.
So go to maps.google.com and search for your Category ZIP (like Orthopedic Surgeon 92651).
#1 Look at the left hand side. Where do you show up? If you're not in the top left corner, there's an issue. A big issue. That's your backyard man!
#2 Now try the next most likely zip code. Go on do it.How about now?
#3 Next zip. Now?
#4 Next zip. Now? Are you still showing up? Try #5 for grins.
How often did you show up in the top left corner, in the #1 spot? Once? Not at all?
Let me put it this way, if you're not showing up right there, you are sending 2-10 patients a month to your competitor down the street.
If you don't show up in your primary category, in your backyard, someone else is. And anywhere from ~81-92% of your views in Google Maps are going to be DISCOVERY searches (read: patients are looking for anybody, not just you). Of the 1500-20,000 searches, just 0.01% to 0.1% of those searches are patients with pain looking for an appointment.
So, yes, this is worth your time.
Below are four of the most helpful posts we can think of to help educate you on this journey.
#1: A FOUNDATION OF YOUR BUSINESS'S MARKETING STRATEGY
A solid Google Maps strategy is the key to a solid foundation for your business
This is why Google Maps is so important to your practice. The link above is an educational rant.
#2: SHOW ME HOW GOOGLE MAPS WORKS
Ok, you told me what time it is. I want to know How the watch works - "How Does Google Maps Work?"
People like us want to know things like this. We want to know how the machine works.
#3: WHOA, BACK UP. WTF IS A CITATION
The seminal work on what a "citation" is.
I say Citation a lot. It's best if we define this upfront.
#4: BUT, WAIT, HOW DO YOU CHANGE MY GOOGLE MAPS PRESENCE? WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO?
Right meow, you can read more on 2 of our foundational cornerstones to the Google Maps Boost process - the Master Content Plan and Citation Work.
At the end of every presentation, everyone asks, but what is it that you actually do here. This answers two of those points.
These four places are good places to go.