Google is the driver for anything search these days, and in recognizing that, InQuicker has partnered with Google to create an integration whereby you InQuicker online availability can be displayed directly on your GMB listing for qualified service lines and appointment types. Customers who are implemented this integration have seen a 30% increase in bookings, and the integration is free to customers to use. When it comes to InQuicker’s integration with GMB, the decision really is a no-brainer.
What Service Lines and Appointment Types are Qualified?
When it comes to the medical appointments Google surfaces on GMB listings, Google has placed some restrictions. Google has currently said that they will not surface availability for ER and Walk-In service lines. In addition, Google will also not surface availability on Spa type service lines as well.
Google has also said that they limit the appointment types that are available as well. In fact, when new appointment types are sent to Google, they must first go through a review process, and if approved, InQuicker will be able to surface that availability to the GMB listing. If the appointment is not approved, customers have two options:
- Work with your InQuicker Implementation resource or Account Manager to rename your appointment type to something else that Google will approve.
- Bite the bullet and live with Google’s decision, meaning availability for those appointment types will not be displayed on your GMB listing.
Finally, Google has also place character limits on items such as appointment type length. All appointment type names must be under 30 characters or those appointment types will automatically be denied by Google. If you have an appointment type name that is longer than 30 characters, you will want to work with your InQuicker Account Manager or Implementation Resource to reduce the number of characters in your appointment type name.
1:1 Match between InQuicker Schedule and GMB Listing
InQuicker schedules match 1:1 to GMB listings. If you have one InQuicker schedule for a location (i.e. a generic provider schedule for a location, and then whatever provider is there at the time sees that patient) then you will be limited to only one GMB listing for that location. If you desire to have multiple GMB listings per location then you must have multiple providers and schedules created within InQuicker for that location. Google’s matching tool does not allow for many GMB listings to match back to a single InQuicker schedule.
Creating (or Claiming) your GMB Listing
Now that you have an understanding of the power of InQuicker GMB integration and also know some fo the limitations Google has placed around it, it’s time to talk what is needed to start the integration process. First, customers must create a new GMB listing if one doesn’t already exist or claim an existing GMB listing.
- Add your Business to Google Maps
- On your computer, sign in to Google Maps.
- You can add your business in 3 ways:
- Enter your address in the search bar. On the left, in the Business Profile, click Add your business.
- Right-click anywhere on the map. Then, click Add your business.
- In the top left, click Menu Add your business.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finish signing up for your Business Profile.
- Claim your business through Google Maps
- On your computer, open Google Maps.
- In the search bar, enter the business name.
- Click the business name and choose the correct one.
- Click Claim this business Manage now.
- To choose a different business, click I own or manage another business.
- Select a verification option, and follow the on-screen steps.
Google Support has created a fantastic video describing how to create or claim your GMB listing. For convenience, we have embedded that video below:
Verifying your GMB Listing
Now that you have created or claimed your GMB listing, the next step of the process is to verify your listing. Google Support has a great reference article adequately titled How to verify your business on Google that walks you through the verification process; however, to summarize the article, there are multiple ways that you can verify your listing:
- Over the phone
- Through email
- Via a video Recording
- By a live video call
- By receiving and responding to a mailed postcard
Each fo these steps take some time to complete with the postcard option taking the longest. However, for some, Google will do instant verification. The article states, “Rarely, we can immediately confirm that a specific Google Account owns a specific Business Profile. For example, if you verify your website with Google Search Console, your profile might get instant verification, and if an eligible business manages 10 or more profiles for locations of the same business, that business might be able to use bulk verification.” Google Support also has an article helping people learn how to verify 10 or more locations in bulk.
Also please note that if you make changes to your GMB listing, to maintain quality business info, Google may ask a verified business to verify again.
Tips to make the InQuicker/GMB Integration Work Smoothly
- InQuicker schedules match 1:1 to GMB listings. For each GMB listing you wish to display a schedule for, ensure that you have 1 and only one InQuicker schedule to match it to.
- When having your InQuicker schedules built, make sure that the address you provide your InQuicker implementation resource matches your GMB listing address 100%.
- Make sure that you have created or claimed AND verified your GMB listing prior to attempting the InQuicker/GMB integration.
- Make sure the business category you choose for your GMB listing is a medical category.
- Make sure that the Appointment Types you request InQuicker to build are less than 30 characters.
- Give the InQuicker/GMB listing some time to match the InQuicker schedules with the GMB listing. If after several days the GMB listing is still not showing your InQuicker availability, notify your InQuicker Account Manager, Support or Implementation Resource to assist you further.
