3 most common online directory listing mistakes

Inaccurate or incomplete listings on healthcare and business directories jeopardize your online reputation management efforts and your ability to get new patients.

Once commonplace, phone books are no longer a go-to resource to find local businesses. Instead, people turn to online directories, which can be thought of as the digital version of the Yellow Pages. 

Listings in online directories consist of information like: 

Listings help prospective patients find a provider who is the best fit for their needs. There are hundreds of online local business directories, as well as dozens specific to healthcare providers. You might not have heard of many of them, but don’t think that means your practice is not listed.

In this guide, we discuss how to attract new patients with accurate online directory listings and how to avoid the most frequent errors healthcare providers make when they claim and update their listings.

Online listings are part of attracting new patients, and consistency is key. But why?

Online listings can affect your search engine rankings. The more accurate your online listings, the more likely it is that search engines will find and rank you. And since 77% of patients search online for a doctor either often or sometimes, appearing in search is important for appearing to patients.

Inaccurate or incomplete online listings confuse and frustrate prospective patients.

Imagine you’re looking for a new internist, and you see one online listing that states that a provider’s office is in Santa Monica while another states that the office is in Pasadena, some 25 miles away. You might think you’d just pick up the phone and call the practice. However, the reality is that most people will simply eliminate that practice from consideration.

Below you will find the most common mistakes healthcare practices typically make when claiming or updating their online listings.

When healthcare providers audit their listings, name, address, and phone number (or NAP), errors are the most commonly found. The most frequent examples include:

When it comes to the practice’s phone number, list the main office line — the one that connects directly to front office staff or answering service — not a provider’s personal line or cell phone number. And make sure to distinguish between the phone number and a fax number — jJust think of the unpleasant noise awaiting unsuspecting people who dial the number.

You might wonder whether to create multiple listings for your practice in online directories to try to target keywords related to different specialties. For instance, you might consider adding keywords related to your specialties as your name (e.g., John Lahir, MD OB/GYN and John Lahir, MD Body Contouring), thinking this will help you to attract patients for particular services. After all, if one listing is good, more listings should be better, right? But this actually hurts your searchability because inconsistent information confuses search engines.

One listing per directory is all you need. Claim and populate your listing with accurate information, and update it across sites any time there are changes.

Search engines definitely prioritize business information (like NAP and hours) over auxiliary information (like your approach to care). Still, prospective patients appreciate information that helps them become more familiar with you and your practice.

Keep your listing biography short and sweet by including: 

You should also upload a high-resolution photograph of yourself and any other providers so patients can put a face to the name.

Contrary to what some healthcare providers believe, directory listings play an important role in getting found online. If you have not already done so, take the time to claim or update your listings on important directories. 

Keep your information consistent from one directory to another to get the most out of your efforts.