Case Study: Ranked “Doctor Near Me” in 6 Months for a Clinic in Miami
In 2025, a clinic in Miami partnered with Goforaeo to rank for “doctor near me” style searches and convert that visibility into calls and appointments. The clinic name is anonymized due to an NDA, and the metrics below come from Google Business Profile insights, GA4, Google Search Console, call tracking, and local rank tracking for the dates listed.
Snapshot of Results
Timeframe: May 8, 2025 to November 8, 2025
Location: Miami, Florida
Before vs after results:
- “Doctor near me” local rank: positions ~18–25 to ~2–4 (tracked grid average)
- Top 3 map pack placements (tracked): 2 to 11 explained keywords
- GBP discovery searches: 1,900 to 7,400 per month
- GBP impressions: 26,800 to 94,600 per month
- GBP actions: 430 to 1,520 per month (calls, directions, website clicks)
- Calls from Maps + organic: 62 to 210 per month
- Website appointment inquiries: 18 to 66 per month
Context and Starting Point
“Doctor near me” is one of the hardest local intent queries because Google treats it as a proximity plus trust query. Big brands, urgent care networks, and clinics with stronger engagement signals usually dominate. The clinic had solid services and patient satisfaction, but it wasn’t consistently being selected by Google for generic “near me” demand.
At the start of May 2025, the listing showed up for some branded searches and a few service terms, but “doctor near me” visibility was volatile and often outside the first page. The clinic also had a lower action rate than competitors, which usually signals weak listing depth, limited service coverage, or missing trust cues.
Measurement Setup
We cleaned tracking first so ranking changes could be tied to real actions. “Near me” rankings can vary by distance, so we used grid based tracking and paired it with GBP action trends.
What we set up
- Grid rank tracking for “doctor near me” and related variants across Miami
- GBP insights reporting for discovery searches, impressions, and actions
- GA4 events for calls, appointment clicks, and form submissions
- Call tracking to separate GBP calls vs website calls where possible
- Looker Studio reporting with weekly notes and location grid screenshots
Diagnosis: Why the Listing Wasn’t Winning “Near Me”
For “near me,” Google needs strong relevance, clean entity trust, and engagement. We found gaps across all three.
Key issues found
- GBP categories and services weren’t fully built out for broad “doctor” intent
- Services lacked descriptions and didn’t cover enough appointment needs
- Listing content felt generic: description, photos, and Q&A were thin
- Posting cadence was inconsistent, reducing activity signals
- Reviews existed but velocity and responses were inconsistent
- Citations had minor NAP formatting and hours inconsistencies
- Website pages didn’t strongly reinforce Miami intent for general doctor searches
- Conversion path on mobile required too many steps
Strategy Overview
We approached “doctor near me” like a local dominance explainability project. The plan was to expand relevance, clean trust signals, and increase engagement so Google had more confidence showing the listing for generic intent.
Workstreams
- GBP rebuild for broad service coverage and clearer appointment relevance
- Citation cleanup and NAP consistency to strengthen trust
- Website support pages to reinforce Miami doctor intent
- Review workflow and response cadence for trust and engagement
- Posts, photos, and Q&A strategy to increase listing interactions
- Conversion improvements to increase action rate per impression
Google Business Profile Rebuild
We treated GBP as the main landing page. “Doctor near me” users often decide from the listing without visiting the website, so we improved completeness and conversion clarity.
GBP improvements made
- Updated primary and secondary categories based on demand and competitors
- Expanded services with short descriptions using patient search language
- Updated business description to clearly state services, who it’s for, and how to book
- Added appointment link with UTM tracking
- Improved attributes where relevant (appointments, accessibility, etc.)
- Built a consistent posting cadence: weekly posts around availability, insurance, and common concerns
- Implemented a photo plan: exterior, interior, staff, waiting room, and service context images
- Added and answered Q&A prompts around booking, insurance, and urgent availability
Reviews and Trust Signals
Reviews strongly influence near me outcomes because they affect trust and user choice signals. We improved review velocity and response consistency in a compliant way.
Review workflow updates
- Simple post visit review request workflow tied to patient follow ups
- Staff script and timing guidance to keep the process consistent
- Response templates that stayed personal and HIPAA compliant
- Weekly review monitoring so nothing stayed unanswered for long
Citation Cleanup and Entity Consistency
For generic near me terms, Google’s confidence matters. We removed identity friction by making business data consistent across major directories.
What we fixed
- Standardized NAP formatting and phone number style
- Updated hours and website URL across top directories
- Removed duplicates and merged profiles where possible
- Updated healthcare directories where competitors were listed
- Ensured appointment link consistency
Website Improvements That Supported “Near Me” Visibility
A stronger website helps confirm relevance. We added support pages and improved conversion flow so users who clicked through could book easily.
On site updates
- Improved the main “doctor in Miami” style page with clearer intent sections
- Added FAQs based on Search Console queries (“walk in,” “same day,” “insurance,” “new patient”)
- Strengthened location signals and service coverage naturally
- Improved internal linking between service pages and the main booking page
- Added LocalBusiness schema and FAQ schema where eligible
- Improved mobile page speed and reduced layout shift
Conversion Improvements That Increased Actions
We improved action rate so Google saw more user engagement and the clinic captured more calls and bookings from the same impressions.
CRO improvements
- Sticky click to call button on mobile
- Above the fold CTAs on key pages
- Shorter appointment request form
- Clear “what happens next” confirmation after forms
- Better contact block with hours, directions, and insurance highlights
Tools Used
Google Business Profile insights, GA4, Google Search Console, CallRail (or similar), Looker Studio, BrightLocal or Whitespark grid tracking, Screaming Frog, PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, Semrush/Ahrefs, Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar.
Timeline With Dates, Monthly Numbers, and Natural Notes
May 8 to May 31, 2025
We audited the “near me” grid rankings, cleaned tracking, fixed immediate GBP gaps, and started citation cleanup on the highest authority platforms. Quick CTA improvements were also shipped to reduce booking friction.
Month end metrics:
- Doctor near me avg rank: ~18–25
- GBP impressions: ~26,800
- Discovery searches: ~1,900
- GBP actions: ~430
- Calls (Maps + organic): ~62
June 2025
We rebuilt GBP categories and services, added service descriptions, improved the business description, and started consistent weekly posts and photos to increase engagement.
Month end metrics:
- Avg rank: ~10–14
- GBP impressions: ~41,300
- Discovery searches: ~3,100
- GBP actions: ~680
- Calls: ~94
July 2025
We strengthened on site “doctor in Miami” support pages and internal linking, expanded FAQs from live queries, and continued citation cleanup for entity trust.
Month end metrics:
- Avg rank: ~6–9
- GBP impressions: ~58,900
- Discovery searches: ~4,600
- GBP actions: ~960
- Calls: ~132
August 2025
We launched the review workflow, improved response cadence, and refined CTAs so actions increased per impression. Listing engagement became more consistent.
Month end metrics:
- Avg rank: ~4–6
- GBP impressions: ~72,400
- Discovery searches: ~5,700
- GBP actions: ~1,190
- Calls: ~165
September 2025
We optimized Q&A, refined service descriptions based on query movement, and improved conversion flow on top landing pages, especially for mobile.
Month end metrics:
- Avg rank: ~3–5
- GBP impressions: ~83,700
- Discovery searches: ~6,500
- GBP actions: ~1,360
- Calls: ~188
October 8 to November 8, 2025
We doubled down on what was working, maintained posts and photos, refined citation consistency, and monitored grid volatility to stabilize top placements.
Month end metrics:
- Avg rank: ~2–4
- GBP impressions: ~94,600
- Discovery searches: ~7,400
- GBP actions: ~1,520
- Calls: ~210
Before and After Proof Summary
Rankings improved because GBP was rebuilt for broad doctor intent, citations became consistent, the website reinforced Miami relevance, and engagement signals improved through posts, photos, and reviews. Higher action rate helped visibility stabilize for a competitive near me query.
- Avg local rank: ~18–25 to ~2–4
- GBP impressions: 26,800 to 94,600 per month
- Discovery searches: 1,900 to 7,400 per month
- GBP actions: 430 to 1,520 per month
- Calls from Maps + organic: 62 to 210 per month
What Made It Work
“Doctor near me” rankings improved once relevance and trust became obvious to Google and users. Service coverage, consistent citations, and steady engagement signaled that the listing deserved broader exposure. Once the clinic started earning more actions per impression, the map pack placements became more stable.
Disclaimer
The clinic identity and identifying details are anonymized due to NDA and healthcare privacy considerations. “Near me” rankings vary by proximity and device. Metrics are accurate for the timeframe stated, but results vary based on competition, seasonality, and ongoing execution consistency.