The best local SEO advice is the riskiest thing you can do

What decides the map pack

Three factors, and Google publishes them

Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how far you are from the searcher. Prominence is how well known you are. Google also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.

The split nobody draws

Two of the three carry no compliance risk

Relevance is fully yours and completely safe. Distance you cannot change. Prominence is the only one with Ahpra exposure, because reviews feed it. Most clinics spend all their effort on that one.

Is your profile advertising?

On Ahpra's own definition, yes

The guidelines say advertising includes all forms of electronic communication that promotes and seeks to attract a person to a regulated health service provider. A Business Profile is exactly that. The guidelines even list a search engine among the places reviews appear.

The collision

The review is not your advertising. Your reply might be

Ahpra says advertisers are not responsible for removing testimonials on platforms they do not control. Then it adds that a provider should take care engaging with reviews on a third-party site, as this may be considered using the review in advertising.

The clinical aspect test

Far fewer reviews are testimonials than you think

Ahpra says a clinical aspect exists if the review expresses a symptom, a diagnosis or treatment, or an outcome, including the skills of the practitioner. It also says plainly that comments about customer service or communication style are not testimonials.

The part clinics get backwards

You are still allowed to ask

Ahpra states the prohibition does not affect patients sharing information, expressing their views online or posting reviews. The breach is never the patient writing. The breach is the practice using.

Where to put the effort

Win on relevance, which is free of all this

Fill every field. Choose the primary category carefully. Match name and address to your website exactly. Photograph the premises, never patients. Build a real page per location. None of that touches section 133.

The short version

Sort your reviews before you reply to them

Read the review for a symptom, a diagnosis or treatment, or an outcome. If none appear, reply normally. If they do, keep the reply to the practice and never repeat the claim.

Tap below for the full checklist.