Local SEO for Healthcare Professionals

YMYL and E-E-A-T: Healthcare-Specific Requirements

Google classifies healthcare among YMYL content — topics where poor information can have serious consequences. For these, the algorithm places extra weight on E-E-A-T signals:

• Experience: evidence of practical experience (case studies, patient testimonials)
• Expertise: qualifications, specialisations, publications, professional memberships
• Authoritativeness: mentions in medical press, citations by peers
• Trustworthiness: authentic reviews, clear contact information, privacy policy

Google Business Profile for Healthcare Professionals

• Use the precise business type (Dentist, Physiotherapist, Doctor, etc.)
• List your specialties in the description
• Enable accessibility attributes (wheelchair access, parking)
• Integrate a booking button via your appointment system
• Never publish specific patient information — even anonymised

Online Booking Platforms

Platforms like Doctify, WhatClinic and NHS.uk often rank on first page for queries like "dentist London" or "physiotherapist Manchester". A complete, up-to-date profile on these platforms complements your own website and creates valuable citations.

Managing Patient Reviews

• Respond to all reviews (positive and negative) without confirming the patient relationship
• Never include clinical details in your responses (patient confidentiality)
• If a review clearly violates patient confidentiality, flag it to Google
• Direct dissatisfied patients to a private email or phone number

Website Content for Healthcare Professionals

• Page per specialty or condition treated (with referenced medical sources)
• "About" page with qualifications, experience and professional affiliations clearly listed
• FAQ on consultations, fees, referrals and what to expect
• Schema.org: MedicalBusiness, Dentist, Physician types with medicalSpecialty