Your Google Business Profile was always important for local search. In 2026, it has become one of the primary data sources AI models use when recommending local clinics. When a patient asks ChatGPT or Perplexity "which aesthetic clinic near me does thread lifts?", the AI draws heavily on GBP data to generate its answer.

That means the completeness and structure of your GBP listing now directly affects your AI citation rate - not just your Google Maps ranking. Here is what to fix, section by section.

The complete 2026 checklist

Work through this checklist for your Google Business Profile. Each item is worth more than it looks.

Business Information

Business name matches your website exactly (no keyword stuffing)
Primary category set to the most specific option available (e.g. "Medical Spa" not just "Health")
At least 3 secondary categories added (e.g. "Skin Care Clinic", "Laser Hair Removal Service", "Botox Clinic")
Phone number is local (not a call-tracking number as primary)
Website URL links to your main domain homepage
Opening hours are current and include holiday closures
Address is complete and formatted consistently with your website and other directories

Business Description

Description uses all 750 characters
First 250 characters (visible without expanding) summarise what you do, who you serve, and your location
Named practitioners mentioned with credentials
Signature treatments named explicitly (e.g. "Botox", "lip filler", "Profhilo" - not just "injectables")
No promotional claims or calls to action (Google removes these)

Services

Every treatment you offer is listed as a service item
Each service has a description (2–3 sentences minimum)
Pricing is included where possible (even "from $X")
Services are organised into logical categories

Photos & Media

At least 20 photos uploaded (interior, exterior, team, treatment rooms)
Cover photo shows your clinic front or logo clearly
Team photos include the primary practitioner(s) with name captions
New photos added at least monthly (recency is a ranking signal)
No stock photos - AI models (and patients) can recognise them

Reviews

Minimum 30 reviews (50+ recommended for competitive markets)
Every review - positive and negative - has a response
Responses mention the treatment by name (helps AI understand your service mix)
Review request process in place (e.g. post-appointment SMS)
At least 5 new reviews in the last 30 days

Posts & Updates

At least one GBP post per week
Posts include treatment names, not just generic content
Event posts used for seasonal promotions
Q&A section actively managed - seed it with your most common questions

Why the Q&A section matters more than most clinics realise

The Questions & Answers section on your GBP is one of the most direct pipelines to AI citation. When a patient asks an AI "does [clinic name] do thread lifts?", the AI can pull from your Q&A section if you have populated it.

You do not need to wait for patients to ask - you can post questions yourself and answer them. Seed the section with 10 to 15 of your most common patient questions, answered clearly. This is low-effort and has a disproportionate effect on AI visibility.

A seeded Q&A section covering "do you do X treatment?" questions is one of the fastest ways to capture AI citations for treatment-specific queries. Most clinics leave this section completely empty - your Q&A answers will be cited in their place.

The review response technique

Most clinics respond to reviews with generic thank-you messages. That is a missed opportunity. When you respond to a review that mentions a specific treatment, name the treatment in your response. When a patient mentions a practitioner, name the practitioner in your response.

Example: instead of "Thank you so much for your kind review! We look forward to seeing you again," write "Thank you for sharing your experience with Dr. Torres after your Profhilo treatment. It means a great deal to our whole team at Lumière."

Each response adds treatment and practitioner name data to your GBP record - exactly what AI models need to recommend you for specific queries.

How to verify your GBP is feeding AI correctly

After completing the checklist, run a test: search for your clinic by name in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI. Check whether the AI correctly states your location, services, and practitioners. Any missing or incorrect information usually points to a gap in your GBP data or a conflict between your GBP and your website.

For a more thorough check across your top treatment queries - comparing your visibility against your nearest competitors - book a free AI audit and we will run the analysis for you.