What do most people do when they need to find a new business? Say they’re in immediate need of a new dentist. They might ask family and friends for recommendations on dentists in their area. They might try to recall the location of that one dentist they always drive by on the way to work. Where was that…? What street was that on…?

But most likely, they’ll turn to Google. They’ll type in a keyphrase like “dentist near me” or even just “dentist” and glance at the top results. If you’re a dentist practice aspiring to corner the market in your area, this is the key moment for you. Will something catch their eye about your Google Business profile, or will they keep on scrolling?

The difference between a basic Google Business profile and an optimized one is the difference between catching a lead and letting them go. At Proactive SEO Solutions, one of our core services is optimizing our clients’ Google Business pages. Here are some tips we’ve learned from experience about how to make your profile stand out.

Google a service in your area and look at the top results. What are the key elements of the Google Business profile you see? The business name, the star rating, and… the category.

In your profile, you can set your business category and subcategories. It may sound like obvious advice, but this is one of the most important elements of your profile. If you’re a HVAC service, your Google Business page had better say “HVAC” and not “Bowling Alley.”

Once your category is set, add all the services that your business offers. If you’re a dentist, add “dental implants,” “orthodontics,” and “dental veneers” if you offer them. If you’re a plumber, add “drain cleaning” or “roto rooting.” That way, when people search for those services, Google will know to show them your business profile.

Pictures on your Google Business profile are a great chance to make a first impression. When setting up your profile, here are some types of pictures to include:

• Your business logo
• A clear view of your storefront, so customers will be able to find you
• Interior photos showing off your nice office
• Staff or owner photos. Even if you’re not a service-based business, having a face to put to a business name gives your page a personal touch.
• Photos of your projects or services (i.e. dental patients showing off their sparkling smiles, a beautiful cabinet that your cabinetmaking service built)

You don’t have control over how these photos are sorted; Google’s algorithm does that. But throw them all up there anyway. The more good photos, the better.

For better or worse, most people form judgments about businesses from a quick glance at the star rating alone. A high star rating with lots of reviews gives the impression that your business is trusted, established, a community staple. A mediocre rating with few reviews suggests a business that’s either new or untrustworthy. Which restaurant would you rather go to: the one with a 4.8 star rating and 500 reviews or the one with a 3 star rating and 10 reviews?

Yes, it takes time to build a good reputation. Yes, a few disgruntled individuals can tank your rating at first. But now is the time to start encouraging customers to leave reviews. For bonus points, write a personal response to each one. Keep it as a simple “thank you” for a good review and “sorry you experienced an issue. Here’s what we can do to make it better” for a bad review.

It’s possible to do all this yourself. But to save yourself time and energy, why not let the experts at Proactive SEO Solutions optimize your Google Business profile? We’ll bring our years of expertise to bear: strategies we’ve developed and lessons we’ve learned from serving hundreds of clients. Your Google Business profile is second-only in importance to your website and actual storefront. Let us improve this crucial piece of your online visibility with time-tested tactics.