ALL SIX STEPS DONE
Your GMB Codex is complete
STEP 1
The Category Spy
The 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors survey found your primary category is the #1 ranking factor in the Map Pack. Most doctors pick a generic one and become invisible. We're going to spy on the winners and copy what works.
- Open Google Maps in an incognito / private window on your phone.
- Search the phrase your ideal patient would type:
- For each of the top 3 clinics shown, open their profile and note the category shown right under their name.
- Write those categories here:
- Now your own:
Reference: medical categories Google actually offers
Rule: narrowest accurate category wins. "Dermatologist" beats "Skin Clinic" beats "Doctor".
- Dermatologist
- Dentist
- Orthopedic surgeon
- Pediatrician
- Gynecologist
- Ophthalmologist
- ENT specialist
- Cardiologist
- Physiotherapist
- Ayurvedic clinic
- Homeopath
- Fertility clinic
- Skin care clinic
- Hair transplantation clinic
- Dental implants provider
- Cosmetic dentist
- Dental clinic
- Plastic surgeon
- Urologist
- Neurologist
- Psychiatrist
- Diabetologist
- Eye care center
- General practitioner
Secondary categories (up to 9)
Every secondary category must be genuinely true for your practice.
STEP 2
Complete Every Field (in your Champion's language)
9 out of 10 Map Pack failures trace to a half-finished profile. Google rewards complete profiles — patients trust them more, and so does the algorithm.
The full-profile checklist
Business description generator
Fill four blanks. We'll write the 750-character description in patient-friendly language — and weave in your target search phrase from Step 1 automatically.
Fill the blanks above and your description appears here.
Services list builder
Pick your specialty and tap to add the services patients actually search for — no thinking required. You can edit or remove anything, and add your own below.
Or type any other service you offer — if we spot medical jargon, we'll suggest patient-friendly words.
STEP 3
The Photo System
Profiles with 100+ photos get dramatically more views. But consistency beats bursts — Google reads a steady photo stream as "this clinic is alive".
The photo checklist
The Monthly Photo Ritual
5–10 new photos every month beats 50 photos once. Set a monthly reminder on your phone right now: first Monday = photo day.
Photo do's & don'ts
Do
- Real photos of your real clinic
- Daylight or good lighting
- Clean, uncluttered frames
- Written consent for any face
Don't
- Stock images — Google & patients spot them
- Dark, blurry phone shots
- Patient faces without written consent
- Heavy filters or misleading edits
STEP 4
The Schema Generator (the technician's edge)
"Schema" is a small block of code that tells Google exactly who, where and what you are. Clinics with LocalBusiness schema on their website see roughly 30% more Local Pack appearances.
Opening hours
What to do with this (no tech skills needed)
Send this code to whoever manages your website with this message: "Please paste this inside the <head> of our homepage and contact page." That's it — this one block tells Google exactly who, where, and what you are.
STEP 5
The AI Sync
In 2026, patients ask AI "who's the best dermatologist near me" — and AI recommends one name. ChatGPT and other assistants pull local data heavily from Bing. These two syncs are how you become recommendable.
- Go to bingplaces.com
- Choose "Import from Google Business Profile"
- Sign in with the Google account that owns your profile
- Confirm the import — done. Bing stays synced with Google automatically.
- Go to businessconnect.apple.com
- Sign in with (or create) an Apple ID
- Search for your clinic and claim it
- Verify ownership and check your details match Google exactly.
STEP 6
The Don't-Do List + what comes next
These shortcuts get doctors suspended every week. Skip them all — then win positions 1–3 the honest way over 90 days.
The foundation is built.
Positions 1–3 are won by one thing now: REVIEW VELOCITY — a steady stream of honest reviews, week after week, with keywords in them and replies from you. That engine is your next tool: Review Magnet.