A Step-by-Step Framework for Medical Spa GBP Optimization You Can Start This Week

When someone searches 'Botox near me' or 'medical spa [city name],' the Map Pack — those three local listings that appear above organic results — is what they see first. Your website ranking matters, but your GBP ranking determines whether you appear in that top-three box at all.

Google uses three primary signals to rank local listings: relevance (does your profile match what was searched?), distance (how close is your practice to the searcher?), and prominence (how well-known and trusted is your business?). Of these three, relevance and prominence are the ones you control directly through GBP optimization.

For medical spas specifically, this matters more than in many other industries. Aesthetic treatments are high-consideration purchases. Prospective clients compare three or four providers before booking a consultation. A complete, well-optimized profile with recent photos, active posts, and visible reviews creates the impression of a busy, trustworthy practice — before they click a single link.

In our experience working with aesthetic practices, an under-optimized GBP is the most common reason a med spa with a solid website still doesn't appear in the Map Pack for its core treatment searches. The fix is methodical, not complicated. The sections below walk through each component in sequence.

Note: This guide covers optimization strategy. For regulatory requirements around medical advertising, patient photography consent, and testimonial compliance, refer to your state medical board's advertising rules and the FTC Endorsement Guides 16 CFR Part 255. This content is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Most medical spas get their primary category wrong. They choose 'Day Spa,' 'Beauty Salon,' or 'Wellness Center' because those feel safe and broad. The problem is those categories signal to Google that you offer general wellness services — not the injectable treatments, laser procedures, and body contouring that prospective clients are actually searching for.

Primary Category

Set your primary category to 'Medical Spa' if your practice offers medical-directed aesthetic treatments. This is the most specific and accurate category for most med spas, and it directly influences which treatment-level searches your profile appears for.

If your practice is physician-owned and the physician is the primary provider, 'Skin Care Clinic' or a specialty-specific medical category may be more accurate depending on your service mix. Choose the category that best describes what the majority of your clients come in for.

Secondary Categories

Google allows up to nine additional categories. Use them to capture adjacent searches without muddying your primary signal. Relevant secondary categories for most med spas include:

• Laser Hair Removal Service
• Skin Care Clinic
• Facial Spa
• Weight Loss Service (if applicable)
• Tattoo Removal Service (if applicable)
• Hair Removal Service

Do not add categories for services you don't offer. Google cross-references category claims with your website content and review language. Mismatches can suppress your ranking rather than expand it.

What to Avoid

Avoid stacking categories so broadly that your profile loses relevance for your core treatments. A profile categorized as Medical Spa + Beauty Salon + Massage Therapist sends mixed signals. Every secondary category you add should correspond to an actual service line you want to rank for.

Review your categories every six months. Google occasionally adds new categories, and a more specific match for your services may become available.

Before-and-after photos are among the highest-performing content on medical spa GBP profiles. They demonstrate results, build trust, and help prospective clients self-qualify before booking. They also carry specific compliance obligations that many practices overlook.

Consent Requirements

Before posting any patient photo to Google Business Profile — or anywhere online — you need explicit written consent from the patient specifically authorizing that use. A general treatment consent form is not sufficient. The consent should specify the platform, the intended use (marketing), and the patient's right to revoke permission.

This applies even if the photo is taken by your staff on your equipment in your facility. The patient controls how their image is used. This is both a platform requirement under Google's content policies and a regulatory obligation in most states. Verify current consent requirements with your state medical board and a healthcare attorney — rules vary and this is educational content, not legal advice.

What to Include in Compliant Photos

• Consistent lighting between before and after images
• Neutral background with no identifiable clinic signage or branding in the before shot (to avoid suggesting the competitor's result)
• No patient name, date of birth, or other identifiers visible in the image
• Clear, unedited images — filters that alter the appearance of results may trigger FTC endorsement guidelines around deceptive advertising

Beyond Before-and-After

Not every photo needs to show a treatment result. Some of the most effective GBP images are:

• Clean, well-lit shots of your treatment rooms
• Front desk and reception area photos that signal a professional environment
• Team photos that introduce your medical director and licensed providers
• Equipment photos for high-consideration treatments like laser or RF devices

Google favors profiles with regularly updated photos. Adding two to four new images per month consistently tends to outperform uploading fifty photos at once and going dormant.

Google Posts appear directly on your Business Profile in search results. They expire after seven days for standard posts, which means consistency matters more than volume. One well-written post per week is more effective than five posts in a single day followed by weeks of silence.

Post Types That Work for Medical Spas

Service Spotlight Posts — Focus on a single treatment each week. Name the treatment specifically ('Sculptra for facial volume loss' outperforms 'come see our fillers'). Include what the treatment addresses, how long it takes, and what the patient experience looks like. Link to the corresponding service page on your website.

Offer Posts — Time-limited promotions for specific treatments. Google displays these prominently when searchers are in comparison mode. Keep the offer specific and include an expiration date — vague discounts perform poorly.

Event Posts — Open houses, patient appreciation events, provider Q&A sessions, and educational seminars. These signal community engagement and support your prominence score.

Update Posts — New provider introductions, new equipment acquisitions, expanded hours, or new service availability. These reinforce that your practice is active and growing.

What to Avoid

• Generic wellness content ('self-care is important!') with no treatment connection
• Posts that include before-and-after images without confirming your consent and compliance process covers GBP use
• Keyword-stuffed post copy — write for the reader, not the algorithm
• Posting the same content across every platform — GBP posts should be written for someone already searching for your service, not for social media followers

Posts that include a clear call to action ('Book a consultation' with a booking link) consistently generate more profile interactions than posts without one. Link to a specific landing page, not your homepage.

Reviews influence both your Map Pack ranking and your conversion rate. Google uses review count, recency, and rating as prominence signals. Prospective clients use reviews to assess provider skill, bedside manner, and practice culture before they book.

Requesting Reviews the Right Way

The most effective review generation method is a direct, personal ask at the right moment — typically at the end of a successful appointment or during a follow-up check-in. A text or email with a direct link to your Google review page removes friction and significantly increases follow-through.

What you cannot do:

• Offer incentives (discounts, free treatments, gift cards) in exchange for reviews — this violates both Google's policies and FTC guidelines on endorsements
• Ask only happy patients selectively — review gating violates Google's review policies
• Post fake reviews or use review generation services that fabricate patient experiences
• Include any patient health information in your response to a review — doing so can constitute a HIPAA Privacy Rule violation even if the patient disclosed it first

Responding to Reviews

Respond to every review — positive and negative. For positive reviews, a brief, specific acknowledgment shows engagement. For negative reviews, keep your response professional and general. Do not reference the patient's treatment, condition, or appointment details in your reply. Acknowledge their experience, invite them to contact you directly, and move on. When in doubt about how to respond to a review involving clinical details, consult a healthcare attorney — HIPAA response obligations are real and this is educational content only.

Review Velocity

A consistent stream of new reviews — even two or three per month — signals an active practice to Google's algorithm. A profile with 200 reviews from three years ago tends to underperform a profile with 60 reviews collected over the past 12 months in competitive markets. Recency is weighted more heavily than most practice owners expect.