A GBP Checklist for ABA Clinics

A GBP checklist for ABA clinics keeps small errors from piling up. Most owners set up their Google Business Profile once and forget about it. Wrong hours, an unverified listing, or a review sitting unanswered for months all creep in over time.

This checklist takes about 20 minutes to run through. Go step by step and fix what you find. I recommend doing this once a quarter so nothing drifts too far. For the full setup behind each step, see our guide on optimizing your Google Business Profile as an ABA clinic.

Print this list, or keep it open on a second screen while you work through your profile. Check each item off as you go, and note anything you fixed so you have a record for next time.

This checklist covers the pieces most ABA clinics get wrong. It skips advanced tactics you do not need yet. Start here, then go deeper once these basics are solid.

Step 1: Confirm your verification

Log into Google Business Profile and check your verification status first. An unverified profile ranks worse and looks less trustworthy to parents scanning search results.

If you see a verification banner, follow the steps Google gives you. Most clinics verify by postcard, phone, or email. This usually takes a few days, so do not wait until you need it.

If your clinic moved locations recently, double check that the address on file matches your current one. A mismatched address confuses both Google and the families trying to find you.

Also confirm that only current staff have manager access to the profile. A former employee with admin rights can accidentally change your hours or listing without anyone noticing for weeks.

Search your clinic name directly in Google Maps and confirm only one listing shows up. Duplicate listings happen more than people expect, often from an old data import or a directory sync.

Step 2: Audit your categories and attributes

Open your primary category and ask if it still fits. “Mental health service” and “Autism support service” both work well for most ABA clinics. Pick the closer match and keep the other as a secondary category.

Then check your attributes. These are small tags like “wheelchair accessible entrance” or “online appointments.” Fill in every attribute that applies to your clinic. Parents filter search results by these tags, especially around accessibility and appointment types.

If you offer telehealth parent training or caregiver coaching sessions, make sure that is reflected in your attributes and service list too.

Use the “Services” section too. List each specific service you offer, like early intervention, school-age ABA, or parent training. This gives Google more specific text to match against a parent’s exact search.

Write a short description for each service instead of leaving it as just a title. A sentence or two helps a parent scanning quickly understand exactly what you offer.

Step 3: Check hours for accuracy

Wrong hours are one of the most common Google Business Profile problems, and one of the easiest to fix. Compare your listed hours against your actual schedule right now.

Check holiday hours specifically. Google lets you set special hours for holidays, and clinics that skip this step show up as “open” on days they are closed. That leads to a wasted trip or an annoyed phone call.

If your intake team keeps different hours than your clinical team, list the hours that apply to whoever is answering the phone. That is usually what a parent actually needs to know.

Wrong hours do more than confuse a parent once. Google tracks when your listed hours do not match visit patterns, and repeated mismatches can quietly hurt your ranking over time.

If your clinic ever closes for an unplanned reason, like a weather closure or a staffing gap, update your hours that same day. A quick fix here avoids an angry review from a parent who drove over for nothing.

Step 4: Review your review responses

Scroll through your last 20 reviews. How many have a response from your clinic? If the answer is fewer than half, this is your biggest opportunity.

Write a short, genuine response to every review, even the older ones. For positive reviews, thank the family and mention something specific if you can. For any critical reviews, stay calm and professional, and keep any details about a client’s care general, in line with the confidentiality standards in the BACB ethics code.

Responding to reviews signals to Google that your business is active. It also shows every future parent reading your profile that you take feedback seriously. Reviews are one of the strongest signals in local SEO for ABA therapy clinics.

Set a simple rule for your team. No review, positive or negative, goes more than 48 hours without a reply. A fast, warm response matters more than a perfectly worded one.

Step 5: Run this GBP checklist for ABA clinics quarterly

Put a recurring reminder on your calendar every three months. Run through this same checklist each time. Verification, categories and attributes, hours, and reviews.

Small drift adds up over a year. A clinic that checks quarterly rarely has major issues. A clinic that never checks often finds a wrong phone number has been live for a year.

This checklist is a small habit that protects one of your best sources of free visibility. Twenty minutes, four times a year, is a fair trade for that. The full system lives in our Local SEO Principles for ABA workbook, and if you would rather hand it off, my team at A-Train offers SEO help for ABA clinics.

If you only take one thing from this checklist, make it the reminder itself. A checklist you never run does nothing. A checklist on your calendar, done four times a year, keeps your profile working steadily in the background.

Frequently asked questions

How long does this Google Business Profile audit take?

About 20 minutes if your profile is already set up. Run it once a quarter to catch small errors before they add up.

What are Google Business Profile attributes?

Attributes are small tags like “wheelchair accessible entrance” or “online appointments.” Parents filter search results by them, so fill in every one that applies.

How fast should I respond to reviews?

Aim to reply within 48 hours, positive or negative. A fast, warm response matters more than a perfectly worded one.

Why do I have two listings for my clinic?

Duplicate listings often come from an old data import or a directory sync. Search Google Maps for your clinic name and report any extra listing.