Local SEO for Physios

local seo for physios

Practical, step-by-step strategies to get more bookings from nearby patients — fast.

This guide walks physiotherapists through the exact local SEO and online presence tasks that deliver measurable results: Google Business Profile, on-page SEO, citations, reviews, schema and a 30-day action plan you can follow even if you’re not technical.

30-Day Action Plan Launch with Congero

$49

Average monthly cost for pro site (Congero)

50%+

Users search "physio near me" on mobile

4.8★

Increase in calls after optimised GBP & reviews

60s

Demo: get a mobile-ready site via text (Congero)

In this guide

Google Business Profile setup On-page SEO & keywords Schema & structured data Citations & directories Reviews & reputation Local content ideas Tracking & KPIs 30-day action plan

What is Local SEO for Physios?

Local SEO helps your practice show up when nearby patients search for services like "physio near me", "sports physio [suburb]" or "back pain physio". It’s focused on signals Google uses to rank local businesses: proximity, relevance and prominence.

Quick summary: To win local searches you must have a fully optimised Google Business Profile, consistent NAP (name, address, phone), targeted local pages on your website, great reviews, and accurate citations across the web.

Google Business Profile: setup & optimisation

The Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most powerful local ranking factor. Many physios can dramatically increase calls and bookings by cleaning up and optimising GBP.

Claim and verify your GBP now. Go to Google Business and claim your practice — verification is usually by postcard or instant verification if you already manage the domain.
Business name: Use your clinic name. Do not keyword-stuff (avoid "Smith Physio - Best Back Pain Clinic in Suburb"). Keep it real.
Category: Primary category = "Physiotherapist" or "Physical Therapy Clinic". Add secondary categories like "Sports Medicine Clinic", "Pilates Studio" if accurate.
Business hours & services: Add service list (e.g., back pain treatment, post-op rehab, dry needling). Include descriptions 1–2 lines each.
Photos: Upload interior, exterior, team, equipment, and treatment photos. Aim for 10+ images. Use descriptive filenames and alt text.
Posts & offers: Use GBP posts weekly — short updates, new appointment availability, or COVID-safe measures.
Products/Services menu: If your GBP supports "Services", list your common appointment types and starting prices.

GBP Description Template (copy & paste)

We’re [Clinic Name] — a trusted physiotherapy clinic in [Suburb]. We treat back pain, neck pain, sports injuries and post-op rehab. Same-week appointments available. Call [phone] to book.

Tip: include suburb and 1–2 main services in the first 150 characters.

On-page SEO: pages that convert local patients

Your website should have clear pages that match the searches potential patients are typing. Focus on service pages + location pages.

Must-have pages

Home — clear phone number and booking button, hero message that includes your suburb.
Services — dedicated page for each: "Back Pain Physio", "Post-op Rehab".
Location — unique page for each clinic with address, map, parking, and opening hours.
About & team — include clinician qualifications and photos (builds trust).
Contact / Bookings — phone, email, embedded booking or clear call-to-action.

SEO microcopy checklist

Title tag: [Service] in [Suburb] | [Clinic Name] — keep ~50–60 chars.
Meta description: One-sentence benefit + phone + suburb. 120–155 chars.
H1: One per page; e.g., "Back Pain Physiotherapy in [Suburb]".
URL: /services/back-pain-physio-suburb/ — keep short, include suburb for location pages.
Local keywords: use variations: physio near me, physiotherapist [suburb], sports physio [suburb].

Write content for patients, not search engines. Explain outcomes and include clear next steps ("Call now", "Book online"). Pages that answer common patient questions rank better and convert more visitors.

Schema & structured data for clinics

Structured data helps Google understand your clinic and can enable rich results. Implement basic LocalBusiness schema and Service schema for each service page.

Minimum recommended JSON-LD

{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"MedicalBusiness",
  "name":"[Clinic Name]",
  "url":"https://yourclinic.com.au",
  "logo":"https://yourclinic.com.au/logo.png",
  "telephone":"[+61-...]",
  "address":{
    "@type":"PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress":"123 Example St",
    "addressLocality":"Suburb",
    "addressRegion":"State",
    "postalCode":"2000",
    "addressCountry":"AU"
  },
  "priceRange":"$$",
  "openingHours":["Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00","Sa 08:00-12:00"],
  "aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":"4.9","reviewCount":"120"}
}

Tip: replace values with your real clinic data. Add Service objects for each treatment.

If you're unsure, ask your developer to add JSON-LD to the header. Congero automatically includes appropriate schema for local businesses and services for clients.

Local citations & directories

Citations are online mentions of your clinic name, address and phone (NAP). Consistency matters more than quantity.

Priority citation sites (Australia)

Google Business Profile
Facebook Business Page
HealthEngine / HotDoc (if you use bookings)
Yellow Pages (yellowpages.com.au)
White Pages
Local council / chamber directory

Citation checklist

Exact same business name across listings
Same phone number format (e.g., +61 2 1234 5678)
Single primary address — avoid PO boxes
Consistent opening hours
Upload logo and photos where possible

Use one spreadsheet to track where your clinic is listed and what credentials (login/email) were used to claim it. If you change phone or address, update all listings within 48 hours.

Reviews & reputation: turn patients into promoters

Reviews are both a ranking factor and a conversion factor. More positive reviews = higher visibility + more clicks.

Simple review request templates

SMS (short): Hi [First], thanks for coming in today — we’d love a quick Google review: [short link]

Email (longer): Hi [First], glad to hear your progress! Reviews help other patients find care. Could you leave a 1–2 line Google review here: [link]. Thank you — [Clinician Name].

How to get more reviews (ethical & compliant)

Ask every satisfied patient immediately after treatment
Send a direct Google review link — make it one click
Train reception staff to mention reviews when booking
Display a short QR code card in-clinic linking to reviews

Managing negative reviews

Respond promptly, politely and publicly.
Offer to take the conversation offline (phone/email).
Record learnings internally to avoid repeat issues.
If false, flag to Google and respond explaining your side concisely.

Create local content that ranks

Helpful local content builds relevance. Aim for patient-focused topics that answer real questions and include local signals (suburb, landmarks).

Content ideas

"5 exercises to ease lower back pain in [Suburb]"
"What to expect at your first physio appointment in [Clinic]"
"How physio helps runners in [Suburb] — return-to-run guide"
"Local sports clubs we work with in [Suburb]"

Practical tips

Include local keywords naturally (avoid keyword stuffing).
Add patient stories or anonymised case studies mentioning suburb.
Use short video clips of exercises — boosts engagement.
Repurpose FAQs as page content — they often rank well.

Local link building & partnerships

Local links show Google that your practice is embedded in the community. They also drive referral traffic.

Partner with local gyms, sports clubs and GPs for referral pages and links.
Offer to write a short rehab column for the local paper or community newsletter (digital linkable copy).
Sponsor a junior sports team and ask for a link on their site.
Create a "Local clinics & services" page and include cross-links where appropriate.

Tracking & KPIs: measure what matters

Track local performance to know what’s working. Set up simple tracking and monitor monthly.

Essential tracking

Google Analytics 4 — monitor organic and direct traffic
Google Search Console — watch local keyword performance
GBP Insights — calls, direction requests, profile views
Call tracking (optional) — attribute phone calls to campaigns

KPIs to watch

Organic sessions from local queries (month-on-month)
Number of GBP calls and direction requests
Conversion rate: site visitors → bookings or enquiry calls
Average review rating and review volume

Common local SEO mistakes physios make

Unclaimed or incomplete Google Business Profile.
Inconsistent NAP across directories and social profiles.
Thin service pages without local relevance (no suburb mentions).
Not asking for reviews or not making it easy to leave one.
Relying only on word-of-mouth and ignoring local search behaviour.

30-Day Action Plan: Do this in the next 4 weeks

Week 1 — Foundation

Claim & verify your Google Business Profile.
Ensure NAP consistency on your website and social pages.
Install Google Analytics 4 and Search Console.
Add clear call-to-action (phone & booking) on homepage.

Week 2 — Content & On-page

Create/optimise 2 service pages (include suburb in title and H1).
Publish one local blog/post answering a common patient question.
Add structured data (JSON-LD) for clinic and services.

Week 3 — Citations & Reviews

Claim 5 priority local listings (Yellow Pages, HealthEngine, Facebook).
Launch a review drive: QR cards at reception + 1 SMS template.
Respond to all existing reviews professionally.

Week 4 — Local outreach & testing

Contact 3 local partners (gyms, sports clubs, GPs) about cross-referrals.
Run a PageSpeed test and fix obvious speed issues (compress images, lazy-load).
Review analytics: track GBP actions and booking conversions.

Prioritise tasks that directly affect patient contact (GBP, phone visibility, reviews). Those deliver the fastest return.

Frequently asked questions

How long until I see results?

You can see more GBP calls and direction requests within 2–6 weeks after optimising GBP and running a review drive. Organic ranking lifts often take 2–3 months for competitive keywords.

Do I need a lot of content to rank locally?

Not necessarily. Well-optimised service & location pages plus regular GBP activity and reviews are often enough to outrank competitors who neglect local SEO.

Can I ask patients for reviews?

Yes — ethically and politely. Never offer incentives for reviews. Make it easy with a direct Google review link and a short script staff can use.

Ready to attract more local patients?

If you want expert help implementing this plan, Congero builds mobile-optimised, SEO-ready physiotherapy websites that include GBP setup, schema, professional design and unlimited updates for a flat monthly fee. Fast deployment, no lock-in contracts.

Get a local-ready site — demo Learn about Congero services

Prefer to DIY? Use the 30-day plan above and track results weekly.