Everyone understands the importance of Google – it is where nearly 90% of consumers turn when they’re looking for just about anything.
But what people may not know about Google is which products are used the most. On a daily basis, Google’s most used product is Gmail. While you might think that Google Search is its second most used product, that’s not entirely accurate. It’s Google Maps.
Having top placement in Google Maps in the search engine results page (SERP) and appearing in the Local 3-Pack, the top 3 map listings, are the driving factors for local businesses, including senior care providers.
So, the question is: How do you make sure your facility appears in the maps?
While this starts with having a high-quality website, it is largely impacted by your name, address, phone number and website (NAPW). Google will display your local listing in the 3-Pack if your site is strong and your facility’s NAPW is listed consistently across the web.
Marketers commonly refer to this as trust and authority. Trust is a factor affected by NAPW being consistent across the web. If there are inconsistent listings, Google will deem it untrustworthy and won’t display your listing in the ultra-critical 3-pack.
Authority largely refers to how many websites link back to your site. The websites that link back to your site also need to be contextually relevant and of high quality. One thing you can do is to make sure your site is listed properly across the web and is linked to and from high-quality sites. A good example of this is an industry-specific authoritative directory with content similar to your own.
This will help to boost your site into the Local 3-Pack and SERPs.
From the June 6, 2019 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
