Reviews are just one out of the dozens of different factors that can influence how high your business profile ranks in map listings, but it is a very important one.  A healthy quantity of reviews (good or bad) shows that there is a level of community participation with this local business, and it bolsters the credibility of that profile.  Of course, obtaining favorable map positions is a wasted effort if there are only negative reviews, so it is important for businesses to continuously ask their best customers for some kind words.

Rich Snippets – Advantage or Disadvantage?

Another advantage (when reviews are positive)  is the addition of rich snippets.  Rich snippets are best imagined as very succinct snapshots of the most important pieces of data taken from your business profile.  This data usually consists of such things as the number of reviews and the average rating, address, hours, etc.

Rich snippets are very much like a reward, given by Google for having numerous reviews, but what many people don’t realize is that there are other things affecting how your business profile is displayed over which you have direct control.  These aspects add flare and inspire potential customers to click your profile.  Take a look at the listings below and just think about which is more appealing?

Clearly the first listing has more visual appeal since there is a photo of the dentist, you can see his number of reviews, his average rating, and even an excerpt from a randomly selected review.  These aspects all help a profile to stand out from the blue and white coloring seen on typical listings.

PatientScout’s local maps optimization services takes all the guesswork out of our dentist’s hands.  We make sure your profile has all the relevant information needed by search engines while also including all the attractive visual aspects that potential customers want to see.  When performed properly, local maps optimization can be one of the most powerful ways to grow your practice and improve your bottom line, so contact us today to get your online marketing started.

“Each month, over half a billion people search Google for a
local product, service, or destination.” - David Mihm

Google Local Search Results:

Yahoo Local Search Results:

Local search is proving to be an ever-increasing trend, as consumers looking for business information, hours of operation, photos, videos, or even customer reviews can now find everything they need right at their fingertips.  Having a well optimized map listing can help you stand out against competitors and it can mean the difference between booking that appointment or not.

But the benefits are not simply that you appear in the map, because having a well optimized map listing can translate into improved rankings organically as well. Take a look at the screenshot below and see how Dr. Mitchler has conquered both the local maps and the organic listings for a Dentist in Windsor, California.

If you want to find out how PatientScout can benefit your dental practice please give us a call today at (888) 342-1492.