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If your clinic is located inside a shared medical office, multi-suite plaza, or professional healthcare building, your Google Business Profile setup requires special attention.
Whether you’re a dental office in a medical plaza, a physiotherapist inside a gym, or a foot care nurse working from a health co-op, here’s the truth:
Google treats shared addresses differently—and small mistakes can keep your clinic from showing up in Maps.
In this post, we’ll break down the most common GBP errors clinics make inside shared buildings, and how to fix them to ensure you get found, not filtered.
🧭 Why Shared-Location Clinics Face Extra Challenges
Google’s algorithm has to:
- Prevent duplicate listings
- Stop spam or fake businesses
- Ensure only legitimate, unique practices show up
So if five clinics are listed at the same address, and some share a phone number or vague categories, Google may:
- Suppress your listing
- Merge it with another
- Mark it as a duplicate
- Delay or deny verification
🛑 Common Mistakes Clinics Make in Shared Spaces
❌ 1. Using the Same Address Without Suite/Unit
Even if you’re in the same building as another clinic, your unit or suite number is essential.
Wrong:
500 Main St, Toronto, ON
Correct:
500 Main St, Suite 302, Toronto, ON
Why it matters:
- Tells Google you’re a separate entity
- Prevents listing confusion or automatic merging
❌ 2. Using the Building’s Phone Number or Shared Reception Line
Each clinic must have a unique phone number to be eligible for its own GBP.
✅ Even if you use a shared receptionist, you can still:
- Set up direct extensions
- Use a dedicated VoIP line or forwarding number
❌ 3. Listing the Building Name Instead of the Clinic Name
Avoid listing yourself as:
“The Health Collective – Unit 5”
That’s the building name, not your brand. Google wants the actual business name:
“ClearStep Foot Care Clinic”
Keep your name consistent across:
- Signage
- Website
- GBP
- Directories
❌ 4. Duplicating Services from Other Listings
If you’re in a space with 3 other physios or RMTs, your service list should still be:
- Unique and descriptive
- Based on your specializations
- Keyword-rich (e.g., “sports rehab,” “pelvic floor physio”)
❌ 5. Verifying by Mail Without Preparing First
In shared buildings, Google might send verification mail to the main mailbox or front desk.
✅ Solutions:
- Tell reception staff to expect the postcard
- Add clear signage at your entrance and suite door
- Add interior/exterior photos to your GBP before requesting verification
✅ Best Practices for Clinics Inside Shared Buildings
📌 Use Your Full Address with Unit/Suite Info
Always include unit/suite number:
101-123 Main Street, not just 123 Main Street
Consistency = credibility = better ranking.
📞 Use a Unique Phone Number
Even if you share space or reception, your line should be:
- Unique
- Local (not a mobile-only number)
- Consistently listed across directories
🖼 Upload Office-Specific Photos
Show Google and patients:
- Your signage (interior/exterior)
- Waiting area
- Treatment rooms
- Team members
✅ This proves you’re not just a room in someone else’s office.
🧾 Add Practitioner Info (If Relevant)
If multiple providers work in your clinic, consider adding individual practitioner listings, but only if:
- They are licensed and see patients
- They have unique hours and specialties
- Their name isn’t already listed under another clinic
🔍 Real-World Example
NorthView Physio & Rehab operated out of a shared health building with 8 clinics.
They:
- Used the exact address (no unit #)
- Had the same phone as 2 other providers
- Had almost no unique content
Their listing was suppressed.
After updating:
- Address with Suite 302
- Dedicated line and website
- Unique service descriptions
- Office-specific photos
They jumped into the top 3 on Maps within 6 weeks.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Shared medical spaces can be great for cost and referrals—but disastrous for your GBP visibility if you don’t play by the rules.
Google needs to know that you’re a distinct clinic, with:
- A unique brand
- Verifiable location and contact info
- Differentiated services
Follow the right setup, and you’ll show up next to—or even above—other clinics in your building.
📞 Need Help Fixing a GBP Inside a Shared Medical Office?
At GBP Support, we help Canadian clinics:
- Correct shared-address issues
- Avoid suspension or listing merges
- Build a compliant, high-ranking profile even in crowded buildings
👉 [Book a Free 15-Min Discovery Call]
We’ll review your clinic’s listing and give you a step-by-step plan to stand out on Google Maps—even if you share your space.