9 most common online directory listing mistakes for medical practices

A single wrong phone number or outdated address in your online directory listings can cost you patients, yet most healthcare practices make critical mistakes across dozens of platforms they didn’t even know existed.

Online directories have replaced physical phone books as sophisticated platforms that determine whether potential patients find your practice or become missed opportunities. The challenge is that online reputation management doesn't live in one place. It's scattered across Google Business Profile, Healthgrades, Yelp, and dozens of other business listings, each with its own login, rules, and version of the truth.

This guide breaks down the most common healthcare directory listing mistakes and explains how to fix them.

Below are the most common mistakes healthcare practices make when managing their online listings across major platforms.

Name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistency remains the foundation of local SEO, and in 2025 it’s important to include digital touchpoints as well. The most frequent errors include:

Instead, create a master spreadsheet of your practice information and update it across directory listings simultaneously when changes occur. Prioritize your main office line and never list personal cell phone numbers, including your own. Ensure your practice appears identically on Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, and healthcare-specific platforms like Healthgrades.

Creating multiple listings for your practice within the same business directory to target different specialties is a common mistake. For instance, a practice might claim both “John Lahir, MD OB/GYN” and “John Lahir, MD Body Contouring.”

Having inconsistent information across different listings hurts your search visibility, dilutes your online reviews by spreading them across multiple profiles, and violates many platforms’ terms of service.

Instead, maintain one comprehensive listing per physical location per directory. Leverage directory-specific specialty tags and write detailed service descriptions that naturally incorporate specialty keywords.

Many healthcare providers discover their practice already exists in online directories. But the problem is that someone else might control those profiles. Unclaimed listings are like having someone else hold the keys to your digital storefront.

When you don't claim your business listings, you lose control over crucial information that potential patients see. Search engines favor verified listings, and unclaimed profiles often contain outdated business details that can damage your online reputation. What’s worse is that anyone can suggest edits to unclaimed listings, potentially spreading incorrect information about your practice.

Systematically claim and verify your listings on major platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook; healthcare-specific directories; and insurance directories for each plan you accept. This gives you control over your digital presence and helps improve your local search engine rankings.

Search engines prioritize business information (like NAP and hours) over auxiliary information (like your approach to care). Still, prospective patients appreciate information that helps them become familiar with your practice. The most common gaps include:

Each empty field is a lost opportunity to rank higher in local search results. Complete every available section, including business descriptions that naturally incorporate relevant keywords about your specialties and location. Upload high-quality photographs, including provider headshots, interior and exterior views, and any specialized facilities or equipment that set you apart.

With 69% of patients considering online reviews to be very or extremely important when finding a provider according to Tebra’s 2025 Patient Perspectives survey, ignoring review management means losing patients to competitors who demonstrate better patient engagement.

Ignoring negative or positive reviews sends a message that you don't value patient feedback. Not addressing negative reviews can drive potential patients to competitors, while active review engagement signals credibility to search engines. Monitor reviews manually or with reputation management software and respond appropriately to build trust and improve your online reputation.

Nothing frustrates potentially new customers more than arriving at your office during posted hours only to find you're closed, or calling a number that's no longer in service. Outdated business hours are a damaging directory listing mistake, but hours can change frequently due to seasonal reasons, staff changes, new services, relocated offices, or temporary closures.

Patients who encounter incorrect information may leave negative reviews or choose a competitor with more reliable details. Updates all directory listings within 24 to 48 hours of any change, or use a profile management tool to update everything at once.

Directory listings only work if potential patients can find them. Without optimization, you won’t show up for relevant searches or reach your target audience, such as local customers. Since 66% of patients consider location when they choose a provider, according to Tebra’s 2025 Patient Perspectives survey, local search visibility is critical.

Local SEO involves incorporating location-specific keywords into your business descriptions and selecting accurate business categories. For example, instead of just stating “family medicine,” describe your practice as “comprehensive family medicine serving [your city] residents.”

Properly categorized listings with optimized descriptions help you appear for relevant queries like “pediatrician near me” or “urgent care [your neighborhood].”

Good SEO won’t matter if your links don’t work. Broken links in your directory listings create frustrating dead ends for potential patients. Some of the most common problems include:

When patients click your website link and encounter a 404 error, they rarely return to find the correct information — they simply move on to your competitors. Audit your listings regularly and test all the links monthly to ensure they link to the right pages.

Most directories offer valuable analytics about how patients interact with your business listings, yet many healthcare providers never review this data. This oversight means missing opportunities to optimize your listings and better understand patient behavior.

Directory analytics reveal which listings generate the most phone calls, website visits, or direction requests. Key metrics to track include discovery searches vs. direct searches, “get directions” clicks, phone calls, website visits and to which pages, and online scheduling conversions. This data helps you understand which platforms deliver the best return on investment and where to focus your optimization efforts.

Small business online listing management across dozens of platforms is complex, but the above roadmap will help you avoid the costliest mistakes and make a good first impression with patients.

Your patients are already searching for you in Google Maps, Apple Maps, ChatGPT, health directories, and more — make sure you turn those searches into appointments.

Local SEO helps you appear in search results when potential patients look for medical services in your area. When someone searches for "pediatrician near me" or "urgent care [your city]," local SEO determines whether your practice shows up at the top of results, which directly impacts patient acquisition.

Yes, social media platforms act as additional online directories that search engines crawl and index. Your Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn business profiles contribute to your online visibility and impact your search rankings and credibility.

Update all online business listings with accurate information within 24 to 48 hours of any business change (hours of operation, phone numbers, services, or locations). Set calendar reminders for seasonal updates and anticipated major changes.

Yes, customer reviews significantly impact local search rankings and overall online presence. Search engines view reviews as fresh, user-generated content that indicates business activity and patient satisfaction — which are important ranking factors for local search results. The frequency of new reviews and recency matter as much as your overall rating.

Learn more about how Tebra can help your practice with reputation management, including website listings, by booking a personalized demo today.