Clinic Marketing Guide 2025

local seo for clinics

Practical, step-by-step strategies to get more local patients from Google and maps

This guide shows clinic owners and practice managers exactly what to do — with templates and timelines — to rank higher in local search, convert more website visitors into bookings, and grow patient volume without expensive ad spend.

Start the Quick Checklist See a Clinic Demo Site

+40%

Average local traffic lift in 90 days

3 mins

Average mobile load time target

4.6+

Target review rating to boost click-throughs

$49

Pro subscription price (Congero) — includes local SEO basics

In this guide

Quick local SEO checklist Google Business Profile (GBP) optimisation On-page SEO & content for clinics Review & reputation strategy Technical SEO & schema for clinics Local paid campaigns that convert Website design to convert visitors to patients Track results & iterate

Local SEO Quick Checklist for Clinics

Use this checklist to fix the most common local SEO leaks. Each item takes 5–60 minutes and has an immediate impact.

Google Business Profile

Claim and verify your GBP
Use the clinic's exact trading name; keep it consistent across web
Choose primary category (e.g., Physiotherapy clinic, Dental clinic)
Complete every field: hours, services, phone, booking URL
Upload 10+ high-quality photos (exterior, waiting room, practitioners)

On-Site Essentials

Homepage title: include suburb + clinic type (examples below)
Visible phone number (click-to-call on mobile) and booking button
Dedicated service pages (e.g., “bulk-billed bulk-billing physiotherapy in Richmond”)
Fast mobile load time (target under 3s)

Reviews & Reputation

Ask for reviews after appointments (SMS or email)
Respond to every review within 48 hours
Feature 5-star reviews on service pages

Citations & Listings

Consistent NAP across website, GBP, directories
List on Health-specific directories (HealthEngine, HotDoc, Healthshare)
Fix duplicate or incorrect listings

Example Homepage Title (SEO):

Richmond Physiotherapy Clinic — Back Pain & Injury Care | Richmond, VIC

Google Business Profile: The Single Most Powerful Local Signal

For clinics, GBP is often the first place patients discover you — in Maps, in local packs, and on mobile. Treat it like a mini-website that’s optimised for patient intent.

Complete Profile Checklist

Business name: use real clinic name (no keyword stuffing)
Primary category + 2–3 secondary categories
Accurate address, service areas, and opening hours (include holiday hours)
Phone, website, and booking link
Add attributes: "wheelchair accessible", "accepts Medicare", "telehealth available"
Use GBP posts weekly for offers, new services, clinic news

Photo & Media Best Practices

Upload a professional exterior shot + interior waiting area
Profile photo: logo or practitioner's headshot
Show staff in uniform and clinical equipment (gives trust)
Use images with location cues (street signs, suburb)
Caption photos with service + suburb where possible

GBP Messaging & Booking

Enable messaging for quick patient questions and link your online booking (HotDoc, Cliniko, Zedmed). If you use booking software, ensure the booking URL is present in the profile and on the website's header for consistent conversion paths.

On-page SEO & Content Strategy for Clinics

Patients search with intent — use content that answers their questions and signals relevance to Google. Focus on location + symptom + service.

Service Pages

One page per service (e.g., "Pilates for lower back pain")
Include location in headings: H1: "Chronic Back Pain Treatment in Fitzroy"
Describe who it's for, typical symptoms, treatment steps, FAQ, and pricing/insurance info
Use structured CTAs: Book online | Call now | New patient offer

Content that ranks locally

Write 600–1,200 word local pages answering patient questions (symptoms, treatments)
Include local landmarks, suburbs you serve, and nearby public transport for local relevance
Publish short blog posts about seasonal topics (e.g., "Preparing for ski season: ACL tips") tied to local events
Use internal links from blog posts to service pages with keyword-rich anchor text

Practitioner Pages

Each practitioner should have a bio with credentials, treatment focus, and languages spoken
Optimize titles: "Dr Jane Smith — Paediatrician in South Yarra"
Include a professional photo — profiles improve trust and clicks

Meta tags & headings

Title tag: include primary service + suburb + clinic name (under 60 chars)
Meta description: 140–160 chars with clear CTA (Call or Book)
Use H1 only once; H2s for symptom-focused subtopics

Meta example for a service page:

Title: Bulk-billed Physiotherapy Richmond — Back Pain Specialists | Richmond Physio
Description: Bulk-billed physiotherapy for acute & chronic back pain in Richmond. Book online or call 03 9000 0000. Same-week appointments available.

Reviews & Reputation: Turn Patients into Referral Engines

Reviews improve rankings and patient trust. The focus is volume (recent reviews) and response quality.

Ask at the Right Time

Request a review after a positive visit — send an SMS with a direct GBP link while the experience is fresh.

Templates that work

Short SMS: "Thanks for visiting! Could you quickly rate us? " — personalise with patient name and clinician.

Respond to reviews

Reply to every review. For negatives: apologise, offer to resolve offline, and document steps taken.

Example review response (positive)

Hi Sarah — thanks for the lovely review! We're glad your shoulder is feeling better. If you need a follow-up, book online or call us on 03 9000 0000. — Richmond Physio

Technical SEO & Schema: Make Your Clinic Speak Google's Language

Fix these technical items to remove ranking blockers and boost SERP visibility.

Performance

Use compressed images (next-gen formats). Keep hero images under 300kb where possible.
Enable browser caching, gzip/brotli, and a CDN for multi-suburb clinics.
Target Core Web Vitals: LCP under 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, FID under 100ms.

Schema Markup

Add structured data to help Google show rich results (appointments, contact info, opening hours).

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalOrganization",
  "name": "Richmond Physio Clinic",
  "url": "https://yourclinic.com.au",
  "logo": "https://yourclinic.com.au/logo.png",
  "telephone": "+61 3 9000 0000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 High St",
    "addressLocality": "Richmond",
    "addressRegion": "VIC",
    "postalCode": "3121",
    "addressCountry": "AU"
  },
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00"
}
          

Security & Ownership

Always use HTTPS (SSL) and up-to-date hosting.
Keep CMS and plugins updated. Schedule monthly checks.
Own your domain and have an export plan for patient data where applicable.

Sitemaps & Robots

Submit XML sitemap to Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Block staging/test sites with robots.txt; ensure live site indexable.
Use hreflang only if you serve multiple languages; otherwise avoid unnecessary tags.

Local Paid Campaigns: Efficient Ways to Boost New Patient Bookings

Paid campaigns can amplify strong organic listings. Use targeted ads only after your GBP and site are optimised — otherwise you're paying to send patients to a broken experience.

Search Ads

Target intent keywords: "bulk billed GP near me", "back pain physio near me"
Use ad extensions: location, call, booking, and structured snippets
Set radius targeting (5–15km) and schedule ads during clinic hours
Optimise landing pages for each campaign to match the ad message

Performance Max & Local Services

Use Performance Max with local assets if you want broad coverage (maps, search, discovery)
Measure CPA (cost-per-booking) and only scale winning campaigns
Test small budgets for new services or suburbs before expanding

Local Ads Performance KPI

Aim for CPA under the lifetime value of a patient (example: if average patient value is $400, target CPA <$80 to be profitable).

Web Design that Converts Visitors into Patients

A well-optimised website reduces friction and increases bookings. Clinics see the biggest gains by simplifying the path from search to appointment.

Header & Call-to-Action

Top-left: logo. Top-right: click-to-call and Book button (sticky on mobile)
Use prominent "New patient" offers and clear fee information
Booking button should open booking flow in <3 clicks

Trust Signals

Show ratings, clinician credentials, associations (AHPRA, RACGP) and insurance accepted
Feature patient stories and before/after where appropriate (consent required)
Display data-driven proof: "4,200 patients treated last year"

Accessibility & Mobile

Readable fonts, sufficient contrast, and large touch targets
Mobile-first layout: ensure forms and booking widgets work on 3G/4G
Offer an easy "call now" option for urgent appointments

Micro-conversions

Use chat, click-to-call, and simple contact forms to capture leads
Track form submissions, clicks on booking buttons, and phone calls
Use thank-you pages to run appointment reminders and collect reviews

Example patient path

Search > GBP listing > Click Book > Select practitioner & time > Confirmation email/SMS. Aim for under 5 minutes from search to confirmed appointment.

Measure, Iterate, and Scale: KPIs that Matter for Clinics

Track these metrics weekly and use them to guide changes.

Calls / wk

Phone leads from GBP & site

Bookings / wk

Confirmed appointments

Conversion %

Visitors → bookings

Tools & Setup

Google Analytics + GA4 events for bookings
Call tracking (dynamic number insertion) for campaign attribution
Google Search Console for performance & indexing issues

90-Day Action Plan: Week-by-week Tasks for Clinics

Weeks 1–2: Fix the foundations

Claim & verify GBP; add 10+ photos
Update website header with click-to-call + booking
Resolve NAP inconsistencies

Weeks 3–6: Content & conversions

Publish 3 service pages (600–1,200 words each)
Set up GA4 events and phone tracking
Start review request flow (SMS template)

Weeks 7–12: Growth

Run a targeted search campaign for new patient offers
Publish local blog posts and internal links
Measure and iterate: double down on top-performing keywords

By the end of 90 days you should see improvements in GBP impressions, calls, and booking conversions. Keep iterating monthly.

How Congero Helps Clinics Grow Locally

Congero builds clinic websites optimised for local search and patient conversion — live fast, update by text, and get ongoing local SEO handled for a predictable monthly fee.

Fast Launch

Live in 60 seconds demo — then full site in 24–48 hours.

Unlimited Updates

Text updates for clinic hours, staff, and services — no dev time.

Local SEO Included

GBP setup, on-page optimisation, schema, and monthly analytics.

All-inclusive plans include hosting, SSL, domain registration, and monthly performance reports — from $49/month. No lock-in contracts.

Get a Clinic Demo — Free

Frequently Asked Questions

How long before I see local SEO results?

Small changes (GBP update, title tags) can increase visibility within 2–4 weeks. Meaningful organic growth typically appears in 8–12 weeks with consistent content and reviews.

Should clinics pay for Google Ads if they have GBP?

Use ads to fill appointment gaps and promote new patient offers. Only run ads once the website and GBP convert reliably — otherwise you'll waste budget.

Is it okay to ask patients for reviews?

Yes — ask sensitively, follow privacy rules, and never incentivise reviews. Use an automated SMS after the appointment with a direct link to your GBP review form.

What if my clinic has multiple locations?

Create a separate GBP and landing page for each location. Use local content and unique practitioner bios to avoid duplicate content and compete locally.

Ready to get more local patients?

Optimise your clinic for local search and patient conversions. Start with a free clinic demo and local SEO audit.

Request a Clinic Demo Learn About Congero Services

Congero builds clinic websites optimised for local SEO — domain, hosting, security, unlimited updates and analytics — from $49/month. No lock-in.