How care homes use Google Business Profile to boost enquiries and fill beds

Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most important source of leads and phone calls within the healthcare sector. But it’s also often the most neglected.

Here’s a genuine review taken from a care home’s GBP listing:

“Worst care home out there in terms of care. They are more concerned with how the home looks than the welfare of the residents in there.”

It’s likely that anyone who searches Google for a care home in that geographic area will see that review on the care home’s Google Business Profile, will not click through to their website, and choose not to consider that care home for a loved one based on that single paragraph of text.

This clearly illustrates how big an influence your GBP listing has on organic searches. 

This is why it’s important to stay on top of how your own GBP listing is helping – or hindering – your marketing efforts.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at why Google Business Profile is so important to care homes, and how it can help you generate enquiries and fill beds. And I’ll give you a couple of quick and easy ideas to improve how you manage your GBP listing, too.

Brief summary

• Google Business Profile generates 40% of care home phone enquiries – approximately 40% of Google organic calls originate from Google Business Profile listings, making it the single most important lead source
• Google reviews below 4 stars actively deter prospects – care homes should aim for 4.5+ stars with high review volume, as families use ratings to shortlist options before making contact
• GBP drives up to 10% of all website traffic – clicks from Google Business Profile are often aggregated into organic search data, requiring UTM tags to track true attribution and impact
• First impressions determine conversion likelihood – families search ‘care home [location]’, compare Google review scores, then either call directly or visit websites of top-rated homes
• Negative reviews require immediate professional responses – ignoring bad reviews damages reputation, while prompt, dignified responses demonstrate commitment to resolution and transparency
• Brand narrative goes beyond basic information – business descriptions should communicate values, unique selling points, and emotional connections that resonate with families facing difficult care decisions
• Multi-channel integration amplifies effectiveness – coordinating GBP with website optimisation, social media, local partnerships, and content marketing creates cohesive family experiences
• Care seekers in urgent need represent the highest-value enquiries – families searching for immediate placement using urgent terms like ‘care home availability’ are ready to convert quickly
• AI-powered systems enhance management efficiency – automated enquiry categorisation, sentiment analysis, and review monitoring help prioritise responses while maintaining a personal touch
• Speech Analytics reveals conversion patterns – analysing phone conversations identifies family concerns, successful handling techniques, and staff training opportunities to improve inquiry conversion rates
• Complete attribution shows full journey impact – tracking reveals how GBP interactions influence families through multiple touchpoints from initial research to final move-in decisions

Where are your calls coming from?

When looking for a care home, there are lots of questions people want to ask, and a phone call is the quickest way to get initial enquiries underway. It’s crucial to understand what’s driving these calls – and how you can get more.

So we’ve gone behind the scenes and looked at the call data of a significant number of care homes to see which marketing channels generate their inbound phone enquiries.

As the data from the spring 2023 edition of our care home trends report shows, Google organic is responsible for driving the largest proportion of phone calls into care homes.

As I’ve already explained, GBP has a considerable influence on a prospect’s organic search. Through extensive analysis of the data, we’ve determined that approximately 40% of Google organic calls were actually driven from Google Business profile listings.

Clearly, you need to be paying attention to how your care home is performing in organic search and GBP in particular if you want to ensure a strong pipeline of enquiries and move-ins.

First impressions count

Smartphones make it so easy for consumers to search and get in touch if they have a need for a care home. That’s why it’s crucial to optimise your listing to influence a prospect on that first touchpoint.

The first thing a potential customer will do is type in the term ‘care home’ and the place they want it, for example, ‘care home Sevenoaks’. Your care home will appear on Google maps with your Google review scores, along with competing sites.

Your prospect will then look at all the care homes in the area they have chosen and their Google scores. They’ll identify one or two homes with decent scores that are of interest and then either pick up the phone to call the care home or click through to the website.

The process might seem obvious, but the reason I’ve outlined it is because it highlights three key areas that you can influence and control:

1. Your Google review score
2. The number of visits generated by clicks from Google Business Profile
3. The phone calls you receive

Let’s take a look at each in turn.

1. Your Google review score

The care industry spends a great deal of time worrying about reviews on independent directory listings and sites. In contrast, much less time is spent on their own Google Business Profile listing.

GBP listings and reviews should be actively managed and reported monthly to your board.

A care home listing with anything below four stars will actively put prospects off. You should aim to be above 4.5 stars. It goes without saying that the more positive reviews you have, the greater the benefit will be for your care home.

When calculating an overall rating, GBP takes an average of all the scores. This means if you have a greater number of high scores, your overall rating will be less affected by any negative reviews.

Furthermore, the greater the number of positive scores you have, the more that people will take them seriously in their estimation. For example, a score of 4.5 with 50 reviews looks much better than a score of 4.7 with 2 reviews, due to the weight in numbers.

Negative reviews should be tackled head on, in a timely and professional manner. Do not ignore them.

2. The number of visits generated by clicks from Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile generates up to 10% of all traffic to care home websites. You may not be aware of this, as a click from your GBP listing is aggregated into your organic search traffic data.

To identify precisely how many clicks your listing is responsible for, you need to split out Google Business Profile traffic from your natural search traffic. This is easy to do with UTM tags. You simply need to add the source, medium, and campaign tags to your website URL on your Google Business Profile profile, as below:

https://www.example.com/example-town-care-home?utm_source=gbp&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=local

Then, when a visitor clicks the ‘Website’ button from your listing, and goes through to your site, you can track and differentiate between a click from organic search results, and a click from your GBP listing.

The values you put into your tags allow you to get different levels of reporting.

3. The phone calls you receive

Tracking phone calls from your Google Business Profile listing enables you to understand your call volumes from this source. You can do this by using a unique static number for each care home profile. This way, you can instantly see how many people call you immediately from the search results page:

And with Mediahawk’s Google Business Profile integration, managing your static numbers is easy – even if you have multiple care home listings. With the integration, you can quickly apply tracking numbers automatically in order to identify calls that arrive via your Google Business Profile.

You can also use your static phone numbers in conjunction with dynamic numbers on your website to get a much deeper level of insight into your calls. By tagging your website URL, you can see when people have clicked the ‘Website’ button on your Google listing, then followed up by calling you from your website. Attribution credit should be given to your Google Business Profile listing in this case because that’s the source that drove the visitor to your website.

What’s more, you can monitor how important Google Business Profile is as a touchpoint during the entire visitor journey. By tracking visits in this way, you can determine at what stages your prospects consider third party reviews in their decision-making process.

Building a compelling brand narrative through your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is often the first impression families have of your care home’s personality, values, and approach to resident care.

That’s why it’s essential to craft a compelling brand narrative that resonates with families facing difficult decisions about their loved ones’ care. Your business description should communicate what you do and why you do it.

You’ll need to identify and showcase your unique selling points within the limited space Google provides. These differentiators help families understand why your care home will suit their specific needs.

Seasonal posts and updates allow you to share your care home’s personality through celebrations, activities, and daily life moments.

Advanced Google Business Profile optimisation

Google Business Profile optimisation goes beyond basic information management to convert browsers into enquiries.

Complete profile optimisation

Every section of your profile should tell part of your story. Business hours, contact information, and services need to be accurate, but your business description and posts are key to creating emotional connections with prospective families.

Regular uploads of high-quality images showing your facilities, activities, meals, and outdoor spaces. Families want to visualise their loved one in your environment, making visual content crucial for conversion.

Service listings should be comprehensive and use language families understand. Instead of medical terminology, describe services in terms of how they benefit residents, for example: ‘medication management for peace of mind’ rather than ‘pharmaceutical administration’.

Posts and updates can also address frequently asked questions, helping families find answers to common concerns about costs, care levels, and availability without needing to call immediately.

Integration with website and marketing campaigns

UTM parameter tracking is essential for understanding how Google Business Profile fits within your broader marketing strategy and measuring its true impact on enquiries and move-ins.

Landing page coordination ensures families who click from your Google Business Profile to your website have a seamless experience with consistent messaging and clear next steps for getting more information.

Call-to-action optimisation within your Google Business Profile should guide families toward the most appropriate next step – whether that’s calling for immediate information, booking a virtual tour, or requesting a brochure.

Strategic review management for trust and occupancy

Google reviews have become the modern equivalent of word-of-mouth recommendations, carrying significant weight in care home selection decisions.

Why Google reviews are crucial for care homes

• Trust building through authentic experiences is essential when families are making decisions about their most vulnerable loved ones. Positive reviews from other families provide the social proof needed to move from consideration to enquiry.
• Local SEO benefits mean that care homes with more positive reviews appear higher in local search results, increasing visibility when families search for care options in your area.
• Decision-making influence shows that families increasingly rely on review scores and content to shortlist care homes before making contact, making review management a business-critical activity.

Encouraging positive reviews

Family communication programmes should include appropriate requests for reviews during positive interaction moments – after successful care transitions, following family events, or during care plan updates when satisfaction is high.

Staff training on review requests ensures your team understands how and when to mention reviews to families, always emphasising that honest feedback helps other families make informed decisions.

Review invitation systems can be implemented through follow-up communications after positive experiences, providing easy links and clear instructions for families who want to share their experiences.

Focus review requests around positive milestones such as successful care transitions, birthday celebrations, or achievement moments when families feel most positive about their care home choice.

Managing and responding to reviews

Positive review responses should be personal and specific. Thank families by name (where appropriate) and mention specific details that show you remember their loved one and value their experience.

On the other hand, negative review management requires prompt, professional responses that acknowledge concerns while maintaining dignity for all involved. Offer to continue conversations privately while demonstrating your commitment to resolution.

Be consistent. Ensure all reviews receive appropriate attention, showing prospective families that you value feedback and maintain open communication with current families.

Reviews can also help identify operational improvements, staff training needs, and marketing message refinements that can prevent future concerns.

Leveraging reviews in broader marketing

Integrating these reviews into website testimonials, brochures, and social media content (with appropriate permissions) amplifies positive experiences across all marketing channels.

Staff recognition programmes can highlight positive mentions of team members in reviews, supporting both morale and recruitment efforts while showing prospective families the quality of your care team.

Multi-channel marketing integration with Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles work most effectively when integrated with digital marketing strategies that support the complete family journey from awareness to move-in.

Website optimisation coordination

• Landing page alignment ensures families clicking from your Google Business Profile find relevant, consistent information that builds on their initial interest and guides them toward enquiry.
• Live chat integration can capture families who visit your website from Google Business Profile but aren’t ready to make phone calls immediately. Chat systems can answer basic questions about availability, costs, and services while capturing contact information for follow-up.
• Content marketing support through blog posts, guides, and resources that address common family concerns helps build trust while supporting your Google Business Profile’s authority and local search rankings.

Social media integration

• Cross-platform consistency ensures your Google Business Profile messaging aligns with Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms to create cohesive brand experiences for families researching across multiple channels.
• Social proof allows you to share positive Google reviews on social media (following privacy guidelines) while encouraging social media followers to contribute Google reviews.
• Community engagement through social media can drive awareness that translates into Google Business Profile visits and ultimately phone enquiries.

Local outreach

• Partnership integration with local healthcare providers, community groups, and referral sources should include promoting your Google Business Profile as an easy way for partners to direct families to current information about your services.
• Event marketing through community presentations, health fairs, and information sessions should reference your Google Business Profile as a resource for ongoing information and easy contact.
• Referral programme support can include encouraging satisfied families to leave Google reviews as part of their referral activities and amplifying word-of-mouth marketing through online channels.

Targeting care seekers in urgent need through local search optimisation

The most valuable enquiries come from families who have already decided they need care home services and are actively comparing local options.

Understanding care seekers’ search behaviour

Urgent search patterns often include terms like ‘care home availability’, ‘immediate placement’, or ‘care home beds available’, indicating families who need services quickly and are ready to make decisions.

Local search optimisation helps capture these high-intent searches by ensuring your Google Business Profile appears prominently for location-specific care home searches in your catchment area.

Availability messaging within your Google Business Profile posts and updates can attract families searching for immediate placement options, particularly during crisis situations when quick decisions are necessary.

Converting high-intent traffic

Immediate responses become crucial when capturing enquiries, as families in urgent situations will quickly move to alternative options if they don’t receive prompt attention.

Streamlined enquiry processes should minimise barriers between initial contact and assessment appointments, recognising that care seekers in urgent need require quick answers about availability, costs, and care levels.

This should allow you to provide immediate feedback about suitability and availability, more effectively converting urgent enquiries into move-ins than lengthy evaluation processes.

Enquiry handling excellence and conversion strategies

Converting Google Business Profile enquiries into move-ins requires systematic approaches to family communication and care home showcasing.

Prompt response techniques

First response timing significantly impacts conversion rates, with families expecting responses within hours rather than days when making care home enquiries during stressful situations.

During initial conversations, information gathering protocols should capture essential details about care needs, timeline, and budget while remaining sensitive to emotional circumstances.

Personalised tours

Tailored tours should highlight aspects of your care home that specifically address the prospective resident’s needs and family concerns identified during initial conversations.

Sensory engagement during tours allows families to experience meal aromas, hear activity sounds, and observe daily life rhythms that help them envision their loved one in your community.

Resident involvement in tours (with appropriate consent) provides authentic interactions demonstrating the social atmosphere and quality of care families can expect.

Family testimonials from current residents’ families can be shared during tours (following privacy protocols) to provide peer perspectives on the care experience.

Follow-up communication

Systematic follow-up schedules ensure no enquiry falls through gaps while respecting family decision-making timelines and emotional processing needs.

Personalised communication references specific conversation details and tour observations, showing families that you remember their individual circumstances and care requirements, building further trust.

Resources like care guides, funding information, and transition checklists should be available to help families navigate complex decisions while positioning your care home as supportive and knowledgeable.

AI-powered lead qualification and review management

How care homes manage enquiries from Google Business Profile and review responses while maintaining the personal touch essential for care home marketing is evolving – and it’s all thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

AI in lead qualification

Automated enquiry categorisation can identify urgent placement needs, general information requests, and specific service enquiries, helping your team prioritise responses appropriately.

Analysis of incoming messages and calls helps identify families in crisis situations that need immediate, compassionate responses compared to those in early research phases.

Predictive scoring based on enquiry patterns, response timing, and communication content can help identify which enquiries are most likely to convert into move-ins.

Automating review management

AI-powered review monitoring alerts you immediately to new reviews, particularly negative ones that require prompt professional responses to minimise reputational impact.

Response suggestion systems can draft appropriate review responses based on review content and sentiment, ensuring a consistent and professional tone, while allowing for personal customisation.

Trend analysis identifies common themes in review content, helping you address operational issues proactively while highlighting strengths that should be emphasised in marketing.

Understand more about your inbound calls

Using call tracking for all your marketing sources allows you to measure and compare their impact on your bottom line. By using trackable phone numbers, you can get a clear picture of call volumes, the time and date calls were received, and the length of your calls. Calls can also be recorded so you can analyse and understand the types of enquiries that your care homes are receiving.

Speech Analytics provides deeper insights into concerns, conversion factors, and successful enquiry handling techniques, that can improve both individual staff performance and overall enquiry conversion rates.

Integration with CQC ratings and inspection reports helps families understand your regulatory standing alongside your Google reviews, providing comprehensive trust indicators that support their decision-making process.

Digging deeper into your phone call data, as well as their originating sources, is always an eye-opening activity for marketers. Not only will you likely see that Google Business Profile generates over 40% of all your calls but, combined with clicks from profiles to your website and subsequent phone calls, you’ll see that it has a significant positive impact on your business bottom line.

The complete attribution picture shows how Google Business Profile interactions influence the entire care seeker journey, from initial research through multiple touchpoints to final move-in decisions. 

It’s easy to make some simple changes to your Google Business Profile listing that make a big difference to your enquiries, move-ins, and overall brand health. However, implementing a systematic approach to optimisation, review management, and enquiry handling creates sustainable competitive advantages that fill beds consistently, while building a long-term reputation in your local community.