Google's Local Pack: The Key to Driving Healthcare Inquiries
- Amanda Brown
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Example of a Google Local Pack for "doctors near me" search
In today's digital-first world, how patients find healthcare providers has fundamentally changed. When seeking medical care, most people don't reach for the Yellow Pages—they reach for their smartphones or computers. As a healthcare provider, understanding how Google displays local search results is critical to ensuring your practice appears when potential patients need your services most.
What is Google's Local Pack?
Google's Local Pack (sometimes called the "Map Pack" or "3-Pack") is a prominent search result feature that appears for location-based queries. It typically displays three local business listings at the top of Google's search results, immediately below the paid ads but above the traditional organic search results.
The Local Pack includes:
A small map showing the location of the displayed businesses
Three business listings with key information:
Business name
Overall star rating and number of reviews
Business category (Physiotherapist, Skin clinic, etc.)
Address and/or distance from the searcher
Hours (often displaying "Open now" or closing times)
Phone number or booking buttons
Website link
Directions link
For healthcare providers, the Local Pack is invaluable because it appears for searches like "osteopath near me," "private midwife," or "pediatrician in [city]"—precisely the high-intent searches that potential patients use when actively seeking care.
Why the Local Pack Matters for Healthcare Providers
1. Dominant Visual Position
The Local Pack commands prime real estate on Google's search results page. Studies show that 33% of clicks go to the top three results in Google searches. The Local Pack appears above traditional organic listings, making it the first thing users see after any paid advertisements.
For healthcare providers, this visibility is crucial. When someone searches for "urgent care near me" or "dermatologist [city]," appearing in the Local Pack can be the difference between being seen or overlooked.
2. Mobile Optimization
On mobile devices—where over 60% of searches now occur—the Local Pack takes up even more screen space, sometimes filling the entire screen before a user can scroll to organic results. Considering that 80% of patients use their smartphones to search for healthcare information, mobile visibility through the Local Pack is essential.
3. Local Intent Matches Healthcare Needs
Healthcare is inherently local—patients typically seek providers within a reasonable distance from their home or workplace. Google's Local Pack is specifically designed to serve results based on geographic relevance, matching perfectly with how patients search for healthcare services.
4. Builds Trust Through Reviews
The Local Pack prominently displays your star rating and review count. In healthcare, where trust is paramount, this social proof can significantly influence patient decision-making. Studies show that 72% of patients use online reviews as their first step in finding a new doctor, and practices with better ratings typically receive more new patient inquiries.
Chart showing the impact of online reviews on patient decision-making
5. Provides Action-Oriented Information
The Local Pack makes it incredibly easy for potential patients to:
Call your practice with one tap
Get directions to your office
Visit your website
Book an appointment (if you have this feature enabled)
This frictionless experience increases the likelihood that a search will convert into an actual patient inquiry or appointment.
How to Optimise for Google's Local Pack
Now that we understand the importance of the Local Pack for healthcare providers, let's explore how you can improve your chances of appearing in this coveted position:
1. Create and Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the foundation of local search success. To optimise:
Claim and verify your profile
Choose the most accurate primary category (e.g., Family Medicine Physician, Orthodontist)
Add relevant secondary categories
Ensure your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent with your website
Add high-quality images of your practice, staff, and facilities
Include your hours of operation, including special hours for holidays
Add healthcare-specific attributes (e.g., "Accepts Medicare," "Wheelchair accessible")
List your services in detail
2. Generate and Manage Reviews
Reviews are a critical ranking factor for the Local Pack:
Implement a systematic approach to requesting reviews from satisfied patients
Respond to all reviews—both positive and negative—professionally and promptly
Never offer incentives for reviews (this violates Google's policies)
Train staff to handle negative experiences before they become negative reviews
Remember to follow HIPAA guidelines when responding to reviews—never confirm someone is a patient or include protected health information.
3. Ensure NAP Consistency Across the Web
Your practice's Name, Address, and Phone number should be identical across:
Your website
Google Business Profile
Insurance directories
Medical association listings
Social media profiles
Healthcare-specific directories (Healthgrades, Zocdoc, etc.)
Inconsistencies can confuse Google's algorithms and potentially impact your Local Pack rankings.
4. Optimise Your Website for Local SEO
Your website should reinforce your local relevance:
Include your city and region in title tags, headers, and content
Create location-specific pages if you have multiple offices
Add structured data markup (Schema.org) for healthcare organizations
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly
Include an embedded Google Map on your contact page
5. Build Local Citations and Links
Increase your practice's local authority by:
Getting listed in healthcare directories
Joining local medical associations and chambers of commerce
Participating in community health events
Earning mentions in local news outlets
Measuring Your Local Pack Success
Track these metrics to gauge your Local Pack effectiveness:
Impressions: How often your listing appears in the Local Pack
Clicks: Phone calls, direction requests, and website visits from your listing
Conversion rate: What percentage of these actions lead to appointments
Rankings: Your position for key healthcare search terms in your area
Example of a local search analytics dashboard
Improving your Local Search: Critical outcomes
Monitor the following:
Increases in "Get Directions" clicks
Increases in phone calls from Google Search
Increases in new patient appointments
Focus on gathering authentic reviews, optimising their Google Business Profile with specialty-specific information, and ensuring consistent NAP information across all platforms.
Conclusion
In healthcare marketing, Google's Local Pack represents one of your most valuable opportunities to connect with patients actively seeking care. By understanding how the Local Pack works and implementing the optimization strategies outlined above, your practice can significantly increase its visibility, build trust with potential patients, and ultimately drive more inquiries and appointments.
Remember that local search optimisation is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. Search algorithms evolve, competitors adjust their strategies, and patient search behaviours change. Regular attention to your local search presence is essential for maintaining and improving your visibility in Google's Local Pack.
By making local search optimization a priority, healthcare providers can ensure they're visible at the exact moment patients are making critical decisions about their care—and that visibility translates directly to practice growth.
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