Getting started with Google+ For Plus Size Business Benefits
The medical profession is now warming up to the fact that being on Google can benefit their practice in a big way. A larger number of people now prefer using search engines to find dentists in their neighborhood. This has made it crucial for all professionals to maintain a highly-visible profile on Google +. However, the online marketing space can be a little complex, to say the least.
Read on and you may find the fog lifting from the Google + mystery! You will be able to use it in a more effective manner, to boost your business’ visibility, on the Internet. When it comes to Google +, there are a few key platforms that you should keep in view.
- Google Plus
- Google Plus For Business/Google+ Business
- Google+ Local
The Three Google Champions
Let’s understand a little more about each of these and what they do. You can then decide which platform will be the most beneficial for you and your practice:
Google Plus- This is the basic account that is specifically for individuals. It is somewhat like your personal FB account and will not have any of the functionalities that a business page provides. At the outset, there were no business pages available on Google and the dentists who started out early on their online marketing efforts, used their Google+ page to effectively represent their businesses.
- Google Plus for Business/Google+ Business- These pages are useful for large and small businesses, as ones that solely operate online. This page is very similar to a FB Business page or even your LinkedIn Company page. As a dentist, this becomes the key platform for you
- Google+ Local- This was previously called Google Places but now it’s Google + Local. This caters to small local businesses and is useful for dentists. This is like an online directory, has reviews and pulls a lot of information from your Google + Business page. For directions, it connects directly to Google Maps and is available only to those who have joined Google.
The Focus Point
As a dentist, it’s only your Google+ Business page that you have to worry about setting up. You do not have to worry about Google maps, Google+ Local or even a personal Google + profile. You should focus on setting-up a verified Google+ Business page.
Any information that is visible for your practice on Google Maps and Google + Local comes straight from your own Google + Business page. If you want total control over all this information, you will be required to verify your business. Once you have done that, it will allow you to:
- Change how your business name shows up in Google
- Get reviews for your dental practice
- Assure patients that the listing is actually your office’s “official” page
- Helps in increasing your business ranking on Google Maps
Verify and Quantify
The main reason for verifying this page is to gain control over the manner in which your business name, phone number and address gets displayed on Google +. This is very important and the information should appear in the exact same way on all the online directories. When it comes to dental practices, this can be a little tricky. There could be instances in which your office had been listed 3 different times on Google Maps, such as:
- John Smith D.D.S
- John Smith DDS PC
- John Smith DDS Family and Cosmetic Dental
Typically, these would show up as 3 different businesses and it would be difficult for patients to determine which one was legitimate and Google would face the same quandary. When you verify one of these listings, you can then update any one name that you prefer for your office & delete the 2 incorrect listings.
Useful Pointers
Here are a few pointers for setting up your Google + Business account:
- Use the exact same information on your Google+ Places as the one that you plan on using for other online directory listings like Yellow Pages or Yelp.
- It’s also important to choose your categories correctly and ensure that you are picking the ones that are specific to your office. There are a number of dental-related categories on Google+ that you can choose from.
- Your main specialty should be the “primary” category and the rest of the options can cover the other areas that your office deals in
- Ensure that your description is a little more than just a few sentences and make a mention of some of the services you offer. This helps Google in determining the relevancy of your specific business
- Add a few links to this section- it will help in driving more traffic to your site
Coming Full-Circle with Google Circles
When Google+ was launched, Circles was the primary feature that it promoted. You are able to add names from your email contact list as well as from the Google + user list. Having these circles gives you control on the information that people in each circle see. This is different from Twitter wherein all public posts can be viewed, followed and liked by everyone. You can have different circles for:
- Patients
- Team
- Orthodontists
- Endodontists
- Periodontists
- Any other
Now, for instance if you find some interesting post about the latest gum treatment, you can specifically share it with the “Endodontists” circle. If there is information you want to send only to patients, share it on the “Patients” circle.
Reputation Management
Google + is a great Reputation Management tool and your patients can leave reviews on it. When anyone looks for a dentist in your area, those reviews will show up under your listing. Dentists who have more positive reviews will have higher rankings compared to those who don’t have any reviews at all.
Ideally, there should be no second thoughts about whether you need Google + or not. It is definitely a necessity. The truth of the matter is that a whopping 97% consumers search for various local businesses online. Spend some time or have an online marketing professional, like River Bridge Design, set up your Google + page and very soon you will notice a positive difference in the total number of people walking into your practice.
For more information or help with your social media, SEO or webdesign, feel free to contact us! https://firstdentist.com/contact/ or call (800) 370-9045
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