A PatientPop survey from 2021 found that more than 60% of patients will go online sometimes or often to look for healthcare services. These patients most frequently use healthcare organization websites and search engines to do so. As a practice, it is essential that you have a strong presence wherever patients are looking for care.

It is safe to assume that you already have a practice website. You may even be listed on medical directories, such as WebMD. However, to ensure your marketing efforts have the greatest reach, it is important that your practice is also listed on local business directories, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, Yelp or Facebook. Here are the benefits of doing so:

1. A larger online footprint

One of the crucial goals of any practice is to grow your online presence. Simply, having your practice listed online makes it more likely that patients can find you. Being listed on local business directories is a key component of a successful local search marketing strategy. Your patient pool will predominantly be people that live in the vicinity of your practice, so it is important that you are at the top of healthcare related search results in the area.

Having online listings in the name of your practice or in the name of your physicians will help you dominate the local search results for those names. Having a competitor rank for those names should be prevented at all costs.

2. Search engines consider them credible

Local business directories are considered very credible by search engines, another reason why they should be central to your healthcare marketing strategy. Listings in these directories may even rank higher than your own website in searches for your practice.

Google, for example, strongly favors its own directory, Google My Business. It will often be the first thing displayed in the results when searching for a business. On desktop it appears prominently on the right hand side of the page, on mobile it is at the top of the search results. With Google being by far the most popular search engine in the world, this further reinforces the importance of owning the listing for your own practice on Google My Business and other, similar directories.

Since these directories often rank above your own website, they also play an important part in the first impression you leave on patients. You may not have created a listing for your practice, but one may already exist with incorrect information. Claiming these listings and ensuring all of the information within is accurate helps patients in their search for care, and it also helps search engines understand what to display in the search results. Oftentimes, when Google is unable to figure out what to display in the search results for your business, it won’t display anything.

3. Patients use them to find practices

Third party websites, like WebMD, and search engines, lie Google, are among the first places patients will look to when they need to find a practice. To reach the most patients, it is important that your practice has a strong presence in the places they are looking.

When browsing potential providers online, patients want an idea of what they can expect during their visit. Adding information under all of the headings along with photos of the office and waiting room can increase the chances of the patient choosing your practice. Some directories also allow you to write a small biography or introduction, providing another opportunity to leave a positive first impression.

4. Reviews

Having an online presence is important, but just as important is ensuring that your reputation online is positive. Business directories can help achieve this, as most websites offer the ability to both post and read reviews. Online reputation management is a crucial element of any healthcare marketing strategy, and by claiming your practice in these directories you will gain a place for patients to share their positive experiences. It can also serve as a forum to publicly acknowledge negative reviews, and pledge to do better.