Local SEO for Clinics: How to Dominate 'Doctor Near Me' Searches

The Map Pack: Where Clinic Battles Are Won

When someone searches “dokter gigi Jakarta Selatan” or “klinik kulit Surabaya”, Google shows three results at the top with a map. This is the Local 3-Pack (or Map Pack).

These three spots get 44% of all clicks on the page. If your clinic isn’t in this pack, you’re invisible to the majority of local patients.

The question is: how does Google decide which 3 clinics to show?

The 3 Ranking Factors for Local SEO

Google’s local algorithm uses three main signals:

1. Relevance

Does your business match what the person is searching for?

• Google Business Profile (GBP) categories — Select primary category “Dentist”, “Dermatologist”, or “Medical Clinic” accurately
• Services listed — Add every treatment (scaling, whitening, Botox, acne treatment) as a service in GBP
• Website content — Your site needs pages/sections that mention these treatments using the same words patients use

Common mistake: Many clinics set their category as “Business” or “Health” instead of the specific medical category. This one change can dramatically improve visibility.

2. Distance

How close is your clinic to the person searching?

You can’t control where the patient is, but you can:

• Ensure your address is accurate across all platforms (GBP, website, social media)
• Create location-specific landing pages if you have multiple branches (e.g., /clinic/kemang, /clinic/bsd)
• Include neighborhood names in your website copy: “serving patients in Kemang, Pondok Indah, and Cilandak”

3. Prominence

How well-known and trusted is your clinic?

This is where most clinics can gain the biggest advantage:

• Reviews — Quantity, quality, and recency of Google Reviews
• Citations — Your clinic name, address, phone (NAP) listed consistently across directories (Halodoc, Alodokter, Yellow Pages)
• Website authority — Backlinks, content quality, and Core Web Vitals performance
• Social signals — Active presence on Instagram, Facebook, and healthcare platforms

The Clinic Local SEO Checklist

Google Business Profile Optimization

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
• Set the correct primary medical category
• Add all treatments/services with descriptions
• Upload 10+ high-quality photos (clinic interior, staff, treatment rooms)
• Set accurate opening hours (including lunch breaks, holidays)
• Add your WhatsApp number as primary contact
• Enable Google Messaging if possible
• Post weekly updates (new treatments, health tips, promotions)

Website Technical SEO

• Implement MedicalBusiness or Dentist schema markup
• Add LocalBusiness schema with coordinates, hours, and services
• Create individual pages for each core treatment
• Include location keywords naturally in title tags and headings
• Ensure mobile-first design (80%+ of health searches are mobile)
• Achieve Core Web Vitals score of 90+ (speed = ranking signal)
• Add a clickable phone number and WhatsApp link on every page

Review Strategy

• Ask satisfied patients to leave a Google Review (timing matters — ask right after a positive experience)
• Respond to every review within 24 hours (positive AND negative)
• Never buy fake reviews — Google penalizes this heavily
• Display your best Google Reviews on your website (social proof)

Content Strategy

• Write treatment-specific pages (e.g., “Scaling & Cleaning at [Clinic Name]”)
• Create FAQ content answering common patient questions
• Publish health education articles (dental care tips, skincare routines)
• Include “before and after” galleries for aesthetic treatments (with consent)

Case Study: How Local SEO Fills Appointment Books

Consider a dental clinic in South Jakarta. Before local SEO:

• Google search visibility: Page 3 (practically invisible)
• Monthly website visitors: ~50
• WhatsApp inquiries from web: 2-3/month

After implementing the playbook above:

• Google search visibility: Map Pack position #2 for “dokter gigi Jakarta Selatan”
• Monthly website visitors: ~800 (+1,500%)
• WhatsApp inquiries from web: 35-50/month (+15x)

The difference? Not a redesign. Not Instagram ads. Just structured local SEO with a fast, properly optimized website.

Why Website Speed Directly Affects Local Rankings

Google confirmed that Core Web Vitals are a ranking factor for local search. This means:

• A clinic with a 95 performance score has an SEO advantage over a clinic with a 35 score
• On identical content and reviews, the faster site ranks higher
• Mobile speed matters more than desktop (patients search on phones)

This is why our architecture matters: a zero-JavaScript Astro build on Cloudflare Edge scores 95-100 on Lighthouse. A WordPress site with 12 plugins scores 25-55. That’s not just a number — it’s visible ranking points.

Your Action Plan

1. This week: Claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile
2. This month: Ensure your website loads in under 2 seconds with proper schema markup
3. Ongoing: Collect reviews, publish treatment content, and maintain NAP consistency
4. Quarterly: Audit your local rankings and compare against competitors

Local SEO is not a one-time project. It’s an ongoing system. But the clinics that start first dominate their area — and once you’re in the Map Pack, you’re very hard to dislodge.

References

1. Google: How Local Results Are Ranked
2. BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2025
3. Moz: Local Search Ranking Factors
4. Google: Core Web Vitals & Page Experience
5. Search Engine Land: Local SEO Guide