Key Takeaways
- Your primary category significantly influences your local search visibility and ranking
- Secondary categories expand your discoverability for related services
- A strategic, keyword-rich description helps potential clients understand your complete service offering
- Accurate business hours build client trust and reduce frustration
- Special hours and unique attributes help differentiate your veterinary practice
- Updating your profile regularly signals to Google that your business is active
- Mobile optimisation ensures your profile looks professional across all devices
Are you wondering why other veterinary practices appear before yours in local searches? The answer might lie in how you've configured your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Making strategic choices about your categories, crafting a compelling description, and maintaining accurate hours can dramatically improve your visibility to pet owners searching for veterinary services.
Categories: The Foundation of Local Search Success
Your primary category serves as the cornerstone of your local search presence. Choose the one that most precisely represents your core service—typically "Veterinarian" or "Animal Hospital" for most practices.
Research by BrightLocal found that businesses appearing in Google's local pack (the top three map listings) have an average of 4.2 categories assigned to their profiles, demonstrating the importance of thorough category selection.
Secondary categories expand your reach without diluting your primary focus:
- Emergency veterinary service
- Pet vaccination clinic
- Veterinary pharmacy
- Animal physiotherapy
- Pet grooming service (if offered)
Pro tip: Review your categories quarterly. Google periodically adds new category options that might better match your services.
Description: Your 750-Character Opportunity
Your business description provides a perfect opportunity to showcase your practice's unique strengths whilst incorporating valuable keywords. Use all 750 characters available to include:
- Specific services (preventative care, dental procedures, diagnostic services)
- Specialisations (Fear-Free certified, exotic pet expertise, senior pet wellness)
- Local area keywords (the specific neighbourhoods, towns, and postcodes you serve)
- Unique selling propositions that differentiate your practice
Example of an Optimised Description:
"At Brighton Veterinary Clinic, we provide comprehensive care for your pets with services including preventative wellness plans, advanced dental procedures, digital radiography, and minimally invasive surgery. Our Fear-Free certified team specialises in senior pet wellness and exotic animal medicine. Proudly serving pet owners throughout Brighton, Hove, Shoreham, Portslade, and surrounding Sussex communities since 2008. We offer extended hours on Thursdays and emergency appointments when available. Our modern facility features separate cat and dog waiting areas to reduce stress during visits."
Business Hours: Building Trust Through Accuracy
Nothing frustrates potential clients more than arriving at your practice to find it closed when your online profile indicated otherwise. Accurate hours information builds trust and reduces negative experiences.
Best practices for managing your hours include:
- Updating standard hours immediately when they change
- Adding holiday hours well in advance (at least 30 days)
- Including special hours for events or training days
- Noting quieter appointment times that might suit anxious pets
Attributes: Highlighting What Makes You Special
Google Business Profile offers various attributes that can help your practice stand out. Consider adding relevant attributes such as:
- Women-led business
- Wheelchair accessible
- Facilities for disabled clients
- Video consultations available
- Contactless payments accepted
Regularly review available attributes as Google frequently adds new options.
Conclusion
Your Google Business Profile serves as a virtual front door to your practice. By strategically selecting appropriate categories, crafting a keyword-rich yet natural description, maintaining accurate hours, and highlighting special attributes, you can significantly improve your visibility to pet owners searching for veterinary services in your area. These optimisations not only help new clients find you but also provide existing clients with accurate, helpful information about your practice.
Watch for Part 4 tomorrow, where we'll explore how to make your listing visually engaging using photos, videos, and virtual tours.