SEO Services for Chiropractors:
Free Local SEO Guide

Chiropractors face immense challenges when attempting to draw in new patients. You might get some referrals from your network of medical professionals, but many people prefer to self-refer. When that happens, the patient generally runs a quick Google search and then calls the first chiropractor or two on the list. So to increase your patient list, you must find your way into that all-important top slot.

SEO for Chiropractors

We will guide you through our proven, step by step process to boost your practice to the top of the rankings. But before we start, let’s take a look at why local SEO is a must-have for all chiropractors.

3 Reasons to Invest in Local SEO for Chiropractors

Goodbye Yellow Pages, Hello Google Search Results!

In the not too distant past, chiropractors seeking new chiropractic patients could take out a Yellow Pages ad and wait for prospects to call. Times have changed, and today 97% of people seek out local businesses online. Google is by far the dominant force in online search engines.

Free Organic Traffic:

Although its face has changed, advertising is still a massive expenditure for the majority of small businesses. If you raise your Google rankings, you will have a constant stream of free website traffic that you need only convert to chiropractic patients.

Get Snappy Results with Local SEO:

On average, national and international companies do not see much movement in their Google rankings for 6 months to a year. As a chiropractor, though, you have one huge advantage. You are competing only against other chiropractors nearby, not those located on the other side of the country. And many of your competitors are not using local SEO techniques. This means that you could reach the first page of Google local search results in as little as 30 days!

Step 1: Start Your Keyword Research

The first step is to develop a list of chiropractic keywords that reflect your services. For example, you might list “chiropractic adjustment”, “spinal decompression”, and “neck pain treatment”. When you have a reasonably lengthy list of seo keywords, create a free account in Google Ads.

You do not need to create or pay for an advertising campaign. The Google Ads account allows you to access the Google Keyword Planner. This tool lets you input keywords to learn how much traffic they drive, and suggests additional related keywords that might not be on your list.

You can now narrow down your list. All keywords fall into 1 of 2 basic types:

  • Buying Intent Keywords: Buying intent keywords indicate that the prospect is imminently ready to make a purchase. For example, a local searches for “pediatric chiropractor Portland” probably represents someone who has a child who needs chiropractic work, and is seeking the right professional for the job. Your local SEO campaign should focus on buying intent keywords, since they drive the quickest conversions. Feature them on your homepage and create pages for each of your chiropractic services.
  • Research Intent Keywords: Prospects using research intent keywords are “just looking.” They might use your services someday, but not yet. For example, someone searching for “do chiropractors give massages” might have some back pain, and is likely looking around to see who might help. These keywords should be of lower priority, since they do not drive fast conversions. Don’t get rid of them, though, as they are quite useful for FAQs and blogs. These posts introduce your practice to prospects who might remember you when they are ready to have work done.

Step 2: Optimize Your Chiropractic Keywords

Now you are ready to optimize for your final keywords in 2 places — your Google Business Profile and your chiropractic website. Here is what you need to do:

Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile will appear in the “Map” section of Google local business results. Think of it as a mini-website that provides a brief summary of your practice and increases your overall presence online. It can also give you a speedy boost to your Google rankings, as it is much easier to achieve high rankings with a Google My Business page than with a website.

Accurately fill out all sections of your Google Business Profile:

  • First, claim your page and follow the instructions for Google’s verification process. You know you were successful when a checkmark and the word “Verified” appear next to the name of your practice.
  • Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) must be accurate and identical across all web references. Distinguish your business as local by choosing a local phone number instead of an 800 number.
  • According to Google’s rules, your categories must list services rather than results. For example, in addition to Chiropractor, you might choose Reflexologist and Sports Massage Therapist, if you provide those services. Try to list 3 to 5 categories.
  • Your description is a 100 to 200-word overview of your practice that ends with a call to action. Try this format: {Name of Practice} offers quality {chiropractic and massage therapist services, or similar} in {Your City}. {Provide some information about your practice and/or why patients love you.} Call {Phone Number} today for 10% off your first appointment!
  • Make sure your hours of operation are updated, and are identical across the internet.
  • Images can vastly increase patient engagement, so add a few photos of your office and your staff. Make sure your images have a sharp focus, are sized between 10KB and 5MB, and have a minimum resolution of 720px x 720px. We also recommend replacing the generic Google My Business background image with a branded image.

Website On Page SEO Optimization:

Focus first on your “core” pages, or your homepage and service pages, optimizing them for your buying intent keywords. Later, you will shift your focus to optimizing your “content” pages, or blogs and FAQs, for your research intent keywords. Here are the basics:

  • The title tag is the most important element of your homepage. It serves the same basic function as a chapter title in a book, and should be 50 to 65 characters in length. Try this: Chiropractor in {Your City} | {Name of Your Practice}.
  • Next is the meta description, a 100 to 150-character overview of your main services that ends with a call to action. This format is a good choice: {Name of Practice} offers top-quality {pain relief and chiropractic care, or similar} in {Your City}. Call {Phone Number} today for 10% off your first appointment!
  • Also known as the H1, your visible headline should contain your primary category. It must be both descriptive and concise. This format generally works well: {Chiropractor} in {City, State}.
  • The last major element is your page copy, a 500 to 1000-word description of your practice. Provide some information on your background, briefly mention your core services, and close with a strong call to action. Double-check the copy to be sure it is well-written and edited.
  • Each main service needs its own service page, and each should be tightly focused on a buying intent keyword. Optimize your service web pages in the same ways as your homepage.

Website Technical SEO Optimization:

Technical SEO covers a lot of the behind the scenes facets of the website. While many of these things may not be immediately visible, they have the potential to lower your search results when not done correctly. Here are some of the more common technical seo factors:

  • Page Speed
  • Domain canonicalization
  • Proper site/page indexing
  • Accurate Schema Markup
  • Accurate Sitemap
  • SSL Certificate

Step 3: Develop Citations and Links

Now that the basic framework of your campaign is in place, you can develop citations and links. These are the primary methods of improving your off page seo. Both will boost your Google rankings and improve your online visibility.

  • Citations: A citation is an online directory listing of your business NAP (name, address, and phone number). There are numerous directories, including general national versions such as Facebook and yellowpages.com, general local versions such as your town’s Chamber of Commerce website, and even directories that are targeted to the medical industry in general and chiropractors in particular. Although many directories offer free listings, some require you to pay. Before making the investment, check Google Analytics to see whether the site is driving traffic and conversions.
  • Backlinks: You must have inbound links from top-quality, credible sites to achieve the highest Google rankings. Build relationships online and face to face with companies that provide services that complement yours, such as general practitioners and pain clinics. When a relationship is cemented, ask to trade web links. You can see where your competitors are finding their links with a tool such as the Moz Link Explorer.

Step 4: Get Reviews

Online reviews play 2 very important roles: they let Google (and your local community) know that your business is legitimate, and they convince prospects to try your services. All review sites are helpful, but Google Business Profile reviews can provide the fastest rankings boost. Send your satisfied patients an email with a link to your Google Business Profile, and ask directly for a review. If you make this a habit, you will soon have an ongoing flow of recent reviews.

Step 5: Track Your Organic Search Results

To learn how well your local SEO campaign is working, and identify areas that need tweaking, you must track your results. Focus on these 3 core metrics:

  • Keyword Ranking: Google’s search results are automatically customized to the user’s previous browsing activities. In order to find out how well a particular page actually ranks, you need to use a tool. Start with the free Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools), which your webmaster can easily install. Check your rankings at least once per month. To understand your rankings in more depth, switch to a paid tool like RankRanger.com, Ahrefs.com, or Semrush.com. We especially like the one offered by AgencyAnalytics.com. It gives you automatically updated information from all of your SEO campaigns, and tracks your Google Business Profile alongside your webpages. Do keep in mind that if you’re tracking your Google Business Profile within your rank tracking software, the software may show the ranking for your GBP instead of your chiropractic website.
  • Organic Website Traffic: The best way to track your traffic, or website visitors, is in Google Analytics. Besides overall traffic reports, you can learn which page draws the most traffic and even discover what percentage of your traffic is from Google search. Look at your reports once per month, with an eye toward finding any long-term trends.
  • Conversions: A conversion is a specific action that you want your website visitors to make. For a chiropractor, a common conversion is scheduling a discounted first appointment. In Google Analytics, you can track both web and telephone conversions, and find out which pages have the lowest and highest conversion rates.

Ready to Get Started?

Now you understand why chiropractor SEO services are crucial for driving new patients to your practice. Work through the steps in order, and finish each one before moving on. Here is a quick recap of the 5 steps of our chiropractic seo strategy:

  1.    Keyword research
  2.    Keyword optimization
  3.    Citations and Links
  4.    Online reviews
  5.    Result tracking

Want Help with a Chiropractic SEO Strategy?

At Main Street ROI, we specialize in helping chiropractors attract more local customers through Google. If you’d like help with SEO for chiropractors, contact us for a free quote.