As the healthcare industry continues to adapt to changing patient needs and digital transformation, Google has introduced powerful new tools to help healthcare providers connect with patients searching for care options. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid growth of telehealth services, Google rolled out specialized links for Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) that allow healthcare providers to connect patients directly with critical information and virtual care options.
These new link types represent a significant shift in how healthcare organizations can leverage local search to improve patient access, reduce unnecessary visits, and communicate important health information to their communities. Our SEO services help healthcare providers maximize their digital presence and connect patients with the right care at the right time through optimized online visibility.
Understanding Google's Healthcare Initiative
Google's introduction of COVID-19 and telehealth-specific links for Google Business Profile emerged from the company's broader response to the pandemic and its commitment to helping people access healthcare information more easily. As healthcare delivery models evolved rapidly, with telehealth becoming a primary method for many providers to continue serving patients, Google recognized the need to surface these virtual care options prominently in search results.
The timing of these updates proved particularly significant. Healthcare providers needed to communicate rapidly changing information about services, safety protocols, and telehealth availability while patients increasingly turned to Google to find care options during a time of uncertainty. By adding specialized links directly to Business Profiles, Google created a pathway for healthcare organizations to connect patients with the information and services they needed without requiring multiple clicks or searches.
This initiative also reflected broader trends in healthcare accessibility. Even before the pandemic, telehealth was growing in popularity as patients sought more convenient ways to access care. The pandemic accelerated this shift dramatically, with telehealth visits increasing substantially as healthcare organizations worked to maintain patient access while minimizing in-person contact for non-emergency situations.
The COVID-19 and telehealth links represent just one component of Google's larger initiative to make healthcare information more accessible through its platforms. Google has consistently expanded its healthcare-related features across Search, Maps, and Business Profile to help users find reliable health information and connect with providers.
For healthcare organizations, this means that Google's continued investment in healthcare features creates ongoing opportunities to improve patient engagement through local SEO for healthcare. The company's focus on healthcare accessibility suggests that additional features and capabilities may continue to emerge, making it essential for healthcare marketers and administrators to stay informed about updates that could benefit their organizations and patients.
The Two New Link Types
Google introduced two specialized link types for healthcare providers with verified Business Profile listings. These links appear prominently on healthcare organization listings in Google Search and Maps, providing direct pathways for patients and community members to access critical information and virtual care options. Both links serve distinct but complementary purposes in helping patients find appropriate care during and beyond the pandemic.
COVID-19 Information Link
The first of the two new link types allows healthcare providers to add a dedicated COVID-19 information link to their Business Profile. This link appears prominently on the healthcare organization's listing in Google Search and Maps, providing a direct pathway for patients and community members to access critical information about the organization's COVID-19 response, safety protocols, testing locations, and related resources.
The COVID-19 information link serves several important purposes for healthcare organizations. First, it provides a centralized location for communicating pandemic-related information that patients frequently seek, reducing the need for them to navigate through websites or make phone calls to obtain basic information. Second, it helps healthcare organizations control the narrative around their COVID-19 response by ensuring that accurate, organization-specific information appears directly in search results.
Healthcare providers can use this link to direct patients to dedicated COVID-19 information pages on their websites, which might include details about testing availability, vaccination appointments, visitor policies, symptom checking resources, and links to authoritative health information. This capability proved particularly valuable during the pandemic's peaks when information needs changed rapidly and patients sought current guidance from their healthcare providers.
Telehealth or Virtual Care Link
The second link type allows healthcare providers to add a telehealth or virtual care link to their Business Profile. This feature enables providers to connect patients directly with information about telehealth services and, in many cases, with scheduling or access points for virtual appointments.
The telehealth link addresses a fundamental challenge that healthcare organizations faced during the pandemic: helping patients understand that virtual care options were available and how to access them. By placing this link directly on the Business Profile, healthcare providers can reach patients at the moment they're searching for care, making it easier for them to choose telehealth when appropriate and reducing barriers to accessing virtual services. Our AI automation services help healthcare organizations streamline the patient experience from discovery to appointment booking.
The demand for telehealth services increased dramatically during the pandemic, with billions in billing occurring for virtual visits during peak periods compared to minimal amounts in previous years. This shift demonstrated both patient interest in telehealth options and healthcare organizations' ability to deliver care virtually. The telehealth link on Business Profile helps organizations continue to serve patients who prefer or require virtual care options.
Eligibility and Implementation
The COVID-19 and telehealth link features are available to verified healthcare providers with Google Business Profile listings. This includes hospitals, physician practices, mental health providers, urgent care centers, and other healthcare organizations that meet Google's business verification requirements.
To access these features, healthcare providers must have a complete and verified Business Profile that accurately represents their organization. Google typically requires businesses to verify their listings through mailed postcards or other methods to ensure that the organization has legitimate control over the profile before allowing access to advanced features like these specialized links.
Healthcare organizations with multiple locations can implement these features individually for each location, allowing for localized information that reflects the specific services and COVID-19 protocols at each facility. This is particularly important for healthcare systems with hospitals, clinics, and other facilities that may have different service availability or policies.
Step-by-Step Implementation Guide
Implementing the COVID-19 and telehealth links requires accessing the Google Business Profile interface and navigating to the appropriate section for adding links. The process begins by signing into Google Business Profile and selecting the specific location where the links will be added.
For the COVID-19 information link, healthcare providers should navigate to the profile section where they can add special attributes and links. The COVID-19 link option appears as a dedicated choice that, when selected, allows the provider to enter a URL pointing to their COVID-19 information page. Google recommends using a dedicated landing page specifically for COVID-19 information rather than linking to the homepage or a general patient information section. Our web development services can help you create high-converting landing pages optimized for patient engagement.
Similarly, the telehealth link option allows providers to enter a URL for their telehealth services page or scheduling system. Healthcare organizations should ensure that the landing page provides clear information about telehealth services, including what types of appointments are available virtually, technical requirements for virtual visits, and how patients can schedule appointments.
After adding the links, healthcare providers should preview their listings to confirm that the links appear correctly and that the URLs function properly. Google typically reviews link submissions, and providers should monitor their profiles to ensure that links remain active and continue to point to current, accurate information.
Best Practices for Healthcare Business Profile Optimization
Successfully implementing these links requires more than just adding URLs to your Business Profile. Healthcare organizations should adopt a comprehensive approach to Google Business Profile optimization that ensures the links lead to valuable landing pages and that the entire profile remains current and accurate. This holistic strategy maximizes the impact of these new features on patient discovery and engagement.
Creating Effective COVID-19 and Telehealth Landing Pages
The effectiveness of the new links depends significantly on the quality of the landing pages they point to. Healthcare organizations should invest in creating dedicated landing pages that provide clear, comprehensive information and a good user experience for visitors coming from Google Search and Maps. Working with professional SEO services ensures your landing pages meet Google's quality guidelines while effectively converting visitors into patients.
For COVID-19 information pages, effective content typically includes current information about testing availability and scheduling, vaccination options and eligibility, visitor policies and safety protocols, links to symptom checkers or screening tools, and connections to authoritative health information from public health agencies. The page should be updated regularly to reflect current conditions and policies, as outdated information can frustrate patients and damage trust.
For telehealth pages, healthcare organizations should provide clear information about which services are available virtually, how patients can prepare for virtual appointments, technical requirements and platform information, the process for scheduling telehealth visits, and what to expect during a virtual appointment. The page should be designed with mobile users in mind, as many patients will access it from smartphones when searching for care options on the go.
Using COVID-19 Posts Effectively
Beyond the dedicated links, Google Business Profile also offers COVID-19-specific posting capabilities that allow healthcare providers to communicate time-sensitive information to their communities. These posts appear on the Business Profile and can include updates about services, hours changes, and other relevant information.
Healthcare organizations should use COVID-19 posts to complement the dedicated links by highlighting specific updates, events, or information that deserves additional attention. Posts can be used to announce new telehealth capabilities, share information about vaccination clinics, communicate changes to hours or services, and provide other timely updates that help patients understand what the organization is doing to serve the community.
The COVID-19 post format includes specific fields for hours of operation, changes to visiting hours, and updates on telehealth services, making it easier for healthcare providers to communicate the most relevant information in a structured format. Posts should include links to the organization's website for additional details, and providers should regularly update posts to reflect current conditions.
Maintaining Profile Accuracy and Currency
Keeping the Business Profile current is essential for healthcare organizations, particularly during periods when information changes frequently. Healthcare organizations should assign responsibility for monitoring and updating the Business Profile to appropriate staff members and establish processes for regular review.
Beyond the COVID-19 and telehealth links, healthcare organizations should ensure that all profile information remains accurate, including hours of operation, service offerings, contact information, and attributes that help patients understand what the organization offers. Google provides insights data that can help organizations understand how patients are finding and interacting with their profiles, which can inform optimization efforts.
Healthcare organizations should also respond to patient questions and reviews on their Business Profiles in a timely and appropriate manner. While HIPAA considerations require careful attention to privacy when responding to reviews, engaging with patient feedback demonstrates that the organization values patient experience and can help build trust with potential patients who are researching care options.
Impact on Patient Discovery and Access
The COVID-19 and telehealth links enhance healthcare organizations' visibility in local search results by providing additional pathways for patients to find and access care options. When patients search for healthcare services in a particular area, Google may display Business Profiles with these special links more prominently, recognizing that they offer direct access to information that patients frequently seek.
For healthcare organizations, this enhanced visibility can translate into increased patient engagement with both in-person and telehealth services. Patients who might not have known that a healthcare provider offered telehealth options can discover these services directly from search results, potentially converting searches into appointments that might otherwise have been lost to competitors or delayed care.
The local search ranking factors that influence healthcare provider visibility in search results continue to evolve, and organizations that effectively use these specialized features position themselves advantageously within their local markets.
One of the key benefits of the COVID-19 and telehealth links is their ability to help patients access appropriate care more efficiently. By connecting patients directly with information about telehealth services, healthcare organizations can help patients understand when virtual care is appropriate and how to access it, potentially reducing unnecessary emergency department or urgent care visits for conditions that can be effectively managed through telehealth.
The COVID-19 information link similarly helps patients find appropriate resources for their needs, whether that's testing, vaccination, or information about managing symptoms at home. This can help healthcare organizations direct patients to the right level of care while reducing strain on busy clinical staff and facilities.
For healthcare marketers, communicating the availability and value of these links to patients and the community can be an important part of broader patient engagement and education efforts. When patients understand that their healthcare provider offers convenient telehealth options and easy access to COVID-19 information, they may be more likely to choose that provider for their care needs.
Measuring Performance and Optimizing Results
Google Business Profile provides insights data that can help healthcare organizations understand how patients are interacting with their profiles, including views from search, views from maps, and actions taken by users who see the profile. By monitoring this data before and after implementing the COVID-19 and telehealth links, healthcare organizations can assess the impact of these features on patient engagement.
Organizations should track metrics such as the number of clicks on COVID-19 and telehealth links, changes in profile views following link implementation, conversions or actions taken on linked pages, and patient feedback or questions related to telehealth or COVID-19 information. This data can inform ongoing optimization efforts and help demonstrate the value of Business Profile investment to organizational leadership.
Healthcare organizations should approach Business Profile optimization as an ongoing process rather than a one-time implementation. Regular review of profile performance, patient feedback, and changes to Google's features should inform continuous improvements to how the organization presents itself on Google Search and Maps.
As patient needs and healthcare delivery models continue to evolve, healthcare organizations should be prepared to adapt their Business Profile strategy accordingly. This might include updating landing pages to reflect current telehealth offerings, adjusting COVID-19 information as the pandemic landscape changes, and taking advantage of new features as Google introduces them.