seo for physiotherapy clinic
Step-by-step SEO and online marketing tactics physiotherapy clinics can implement today to get more patients from Google.
This guide breaks SEO into clear tasks: on-page, technical, local, content, and conversion optimisation — with checklists, examples and quick wins you can apply this week.
Quick SEO checklist — do these first
Immediate wins
- Claim and complete Google Business Profile
- Add clear phone number and "Book Appointment" CTA on every page
- Ensure site loads under 3s on mobile
On-page basics
- Unique page title & meta description for each service
- Use H1 for page title and H2/H3 for subheadings
- Include service + location keywords naturally (e.g., "shoulder physio")
Technical & tracking
- Install Google Analytics + Google Search Console
- Enable HTTPS and check mobile responsiveness
- Create an XML sitemap and submit to Search Console
Make these 10 tasks your launch checklist — they typically deliver measurable traffic and calls within 4–8 weeks when paired with targeted content.
On-page optimisation for physiotherapy clinics
On-page SEO is what Google reads on each page. For a physiotherapy clinic, the highest-impact pages are: home page, services (e.g., sports physio, back pain, post-surgical rehab), practitioner bios, and a clear contact/booking page. Here's a practical checklist for each page:
1. Page titles & meta descriptions
- Title format example: Clinic Name — Sports Physiotherapy | Treatment + City (if relevant)
- Keep titles under 60 characters and meta descriptions under 155 characters; use one primary keyword per page.
2. Headings & structure
- Use one H1 per page (the visible main title). Use H2s for services and H3s for details or FAQs.
- Break content into short paragraphs and bulleted lists — patients scan content quickly.
3. Targeted keywords — examples
Combine intent + service + (optional) modifier:
Service intent: "rotator cuff physiotherapy", "post-surgery rehabilitation physiotherapist"
Informational intent: "exercises for lower back pain", "what to expect at a physiotherapy appointment"
4. Practitioner bios
- Include qualifications, special interests, a friendly photo, and short FAQs like "what conditions I treat".
- Use structured data for Person and MedicalBusiness where appropriate (see Technical section).
5. CTAs & conversion elements
- Primary CTA: Book appointment (prominent button in header and footer).
- Secondary CTA: Call now (click-to-call on mobile) and an easy contact form (ensure form submissions are tested).
- Display opening hours and address on every page footer.
Technical SEO & performance
Speed Optimisation
- Target: under 2.5s mobile load. Test with PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse.
- Compress images (WebP), lazy-load below-the-fold media, and serve scaled images.
- Use browser caching, a fast hosting provider, and a CDN for global speed.
Core Setup
- Serve the site over HTTPS. Ensure no mixed-content errors.
- Mobile-first responsive design — test on real phones (iPhone/Android).
- Create and submit an XML sitemap and robots.txt to Google Search Console.
Structured Data (Schema)
Add relevant schema types to help Google show rich results:
- MedicalBusiness or HealthCareService for clinic pages
- Physician or Person for practitioner bios
- LocalBusiness markup with address, phone, openingHours
Indexing & Canonicals
- Use canonical tags to prevent duplicate content (e.g., print-friendly pages).
- Check Search Console for crawl errors and fix 4xx/5xx responses.
- Block staging or dev environments with robots.txt.
Local SEO — get found by patients nearby
Local search is usually the highest-value traffic for a physiotherapy clinic. Follow these steps to dominate local listings and “near me” searches.
1. Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Complete every field: services, categories, phone, website, opening hours, and photos.
- Use a primary category like Physiotherapist and add service-specific categories where available.
- Collect and respond to patient reviews — reply professionally and encourage reviews after appointments.
2. Local citations & NAP consistency
- Ensure Name, Address, Phone number (NAP) are identical across your website, Google, Facebook, health directories, and local listings.
- List the clinic on key directories (HealthEngine-type sites, local directories, Yellow Pages). Avoid duplicated or conflicting listings.
3. Location pages (if multi-site)
- Create a dedicated page per clinic location with unique content, directions, photos, and staff details.
- Embed a Google Map and add driving directions and parking notes.
4. Local landing content
Write short, service-focused landing pages for queries patients use, e.g., "post-surgical rehab clinic" or "sports physiotherapist for runners". Include local modifiers like suburbs and neighbourhoods if relevant.
Content strategy that converts patients
Content builds trust and drives organic traffic. For physiotherapy clinics, mix service pages, educational articles, and conversion-focused content.
Content ideas with intent
- Service pages: Deep pages for each specialisation (e.g., "pregnancy physiotherapy", "shoulder rehabilitation"). Include treatment steps and common outcomes.
- Guides: "What to expect at your first physiotherapy appointment" — great for conversions.
- How-to & exercises: Short videos or step-by-step articles with images for common issues (back pain, knee rehab).
- Case studies: Before/after outcomes (with patient consent) — powerful for credibility.
Format & multimedia
- Use short explainer videos (60–120s) for exercises and patient testimonials.
- Add downloadable PDF exercise sheets for common conditions (capture email optionally).
- Use clear, clinic-branded photography of your treatment rooms and team.
Content calendar (simple)
- Week 1: Publish/update 1 service page with improved headings & schema.
- Week 3: Publish 1 educational article targeting a high-volume question.
- Monthly: Add one patient testimonial or case study (with consent).
Local link building & partnerships
Quality local links improve authority and discovery. Here are practical tactics suited to clinics.
Easy wins
- Partner pages: Ask allied health professionals (GPs, orthopaedic surgeons, gyms) to add a “Recommended physio” link to your site.
- Local sponsorships: Sponsor a community sports team and request a link from the club website.
- Local directories: Ensure full, accurate listing on major directories — but prioritise quality sites over mass submissions.
Content-driven link tactics
- Create a useful resource (e.g., "Return-to-run rehab checklist") and promote it to local sports clubs and running groups.
- Write guest posts for local health blogs or community newsletters with a link back to a service or resource page.
Avoid low-quality link schemes
Focus on relevance and trust — avoid paid link farms or spammy directories that can harm rankings.
Tracking, analytics & conversion optimisation
Essential setup
- Google Analytics 4 + link it to Google Ads if you run ads.
- Google Search Console for performance, indexing and URL inspection.
- Set up conversion events: appointment booked, phone call (via call tracking if needed), contact form submitted.
Conversion tips
- Place primary CTA above the fold (Book appointment) and use contrasting button colours.
- Show average wait time, insurance details and common fees — reduce friction for callers.
- Add social proof — patient testimonials and star ratings near CTAs.
90-day SEO plan (practical)
Follow this timeline to organise work and measure results.
Weeks 1–2: Foundation
- Claim and optimise Google Business Profile; publish 5 photos.
- Fix mobile issues and ensure HTTPS; submit sitemap.
- Install analytics and set up conversion events.
Weeks 3–6: Content & on-page
- Rewrite the home page with clear service sections & CTAs.
- Publish 2 service pages and 1 educational article (targeted keyword).
- Update practitioner bios with schema.
Weeks 7–12: Local & growth
- Begin outreach for local links and partnerships.
- Collect patient reviews and publish case studies.
- Monitor performance in Search Console & iterate content.
By month 3 you should see increases in impressions, clicks, and phone calls for targeted service queries.
Frequently asked questions
How long until SEO brings results?
Should we run local paid ads alongside SEO?
Do I need a blog to rank?
How many reviews do we need on Google?
Ready to improve your clinic's visibility?
Use this guide as your roadmap: fix the tech basics, publish helpful content, optimise for local search, and measure conversions. Small, consistent changes compound.
Implement the quick checklist this week to start seeing better phone calls and bookings within a month.