SEO Services for Day Spas:
Free Local SEO Guide

Day spas face some tough challenges when trying to attract new clients. One of the biggest challenges is that when someone is looking for a day spa, she tends to run a Google search and simply call the first spa or two on the list. To build your client base, you need to find a way to reach that crucial top spot.

SEO for Day Spas

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We will walk you through our proven step by step process to boost your spa to the top of the search results. But first, let’s try to unravel why local SEO is essential for all day spas.

3 Reasons Day Spas Should Invest in Local SEO

1. The Yellow Pages Are Dead. Long Live Google

For generations, day spas could bring in new clients by placing an ad in the Yellow Pages and waiting for the phone to ring. In today’s always-connected world, though, a mind-blowing 97% of people look online for local businesses, and Google is the dominant force in search.

2. Free Traffic:

Its face may be changing, but advertising is still one of biggest expenses faced by the majority of small businesses. If you bring up your Google rankings, you will have an ongoing flow of free traffic that you can convert to paying clients.

3. Fast Results:

It takes, on average, 6 to 12 months for national and international companies to see much change in their Google rankings. As a day spa, though, you have a sizeable advantage. You are competing only against other day spas nearby, not those across the globe. And a lot of your competition is not yet using local SEO. This means that a targeted campaign could place you on the first page of Google local results in just 30 days!

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Step 1: Select Your Keywords

First, simply make a list of basic keywords that reflect your services. For example, you might try “day spa”, “spa treatments”, and “massage therapy”. When your list seems fairly complete, sign up for a free account with Google AdWords.

There is no need to build or fund an ad campaign, but Google AdWords gives you access to the free Google Keyword Planner. This tool lets you input your chosen keywords to find out how much traffic they drive, and suggests additional related keywords that you might not have thought of.

Now it is time to narrow down your final keyword list. All keywords can be loosely categorized into 2 groups:

  • Buying Intent: If a prospect is searching for buying intent keywords, she is imminently ready for your services. For example, someone who searches for “hot stone massage Los Angeles” has likely done her homework and decided which spa treatment she wants.Focus your campaign primarily on buying intent keywords, which drive the fastest results. Make sure they are prominent on your homepage, and build service pages around them.
  • Research Intent: Research intent keywords mean that a prospect is “just looking.” She might sign up for a spa appointment eventually, but not now. For example, someone who searches for “types of facials” might be curious about spa treatments and wondering whether they might be right for her.Place a lower priority on research intent keywords, since they take time to turn into conversions. Don’t drop them altogether, though, as they are a great choice for blogs and FAQs. These posts introduce your day spa to prospects who might remember you when they are ready to make an appointment.

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Step 2: Optimize Your Keywords

When you have finalized your list of keywords, you can optimize for them in 2 places—your Google My Business page and your website. Here are the keys:

Google My Business

Your Google My Business page is a sort of miniature website that appears in the “Map” section of Google local results. It gives prospects a short overview of your company and boosts your overall online presence. It can even provide you with a speedy rankings boost, as it is much easier to rank highly with a Google My Business page than with a traditional website.

Fill out the page completely and accurately, following these simple tips:

  • Verification: First, you must claim your page and submit it for Google’s verification procedure. When you see a checkmark and the word “Verified” next to your company name, you are ready to move on.
  • NAP: Your business NAP (name, address, and phone number) must be both correct and identical across all of your web listings. Let Google know that your business is local by choosing a local phone number rather than an 800 number.
  • Categories: Google requires all categories to highlight services instead of results. For example, in addition to Day Spa you might try Facial Spa and Massage Therapist, if you offer those services. Try to list 3 to 5 categories.
  • Description: Your description is simply a short summary of your company that ends with a call to action. Make sure it is 100 to 200 words long, and format it similarly to: {Name of Spa} offers professional {facial and body treatments and massage therapy, or similar} in {Your City}. {Provide some information about your background and/or why clients love you.} Call {Phone Number} today for 10% off your first treatment!
  • Hours: Make sure that your office hours are correctly and clearly listed across all of your internet listings.
  • Images: Images can boost customer engagement, and show your prospects that you do a great job. Add a few photos of your office, your staff, or your team at work (with permission!). Your images must have a sharp focus, be 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 Optimization

Begin by optimizing your homepage and service pages (your “core” pages) for your buying intent keywords. Later, you will optimize your FAQs and blog posts (“content” pages) for your research intent keywords. Here’s what to do:

  • Homepage: The title tag, which serves the same purpose as a book’s chapter title, is the most important element on your homepage. Try this format, ensuring that it is 50 to 65 characters long: Spa Services in {Your City} | {Name of Your Spa}.The meta description is a 100 to 150-character summary that briefly explains your primary services and ends with a call to action. Try to approximate this format: {Name of Spa} offers quality {massage therapy, body wraps, and facials, or similar} in {Your City}. Call {Phone Number} today for 10% off your first treatment!The visible headline, also known as the H1, must be both concise and descriptive, and should include your primary category. This format works well: {Day Spa} in {City, State}.Finally, spend some time on your page copy. At approximately 500 to 1000 words long, it must be strongly written and edited, and incorporate your primary keyword in a natural way. Provide some background on your company, describe your core services, and close with a strong call to action.
  • Service Pages: Create a separate service page for each of your core services, and optimize it for a buying intent keyword following the steps above.

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Step 3: Build Citations and Links

With your campaign’s basic format in place, you are ready to build citations and links. Both increase your online reach while boosting your Google rankings.

  • Citations: A citation is an online listing of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) in a directory. Possible locations include general national directories (yellowpages.com and Facebook), general local directories (Chamber of Commerce website), and targeted spa directories. Your NAP must be completely identical across all listings.While many directories are free, some offer only paid citations. Before spending money, check out Google Analytics. You should never pay for a site that is not driving traffic and conversions.
  • Links: Reaching the highest Google rankings requires you to develop a collection of inbound links from credible, high-quality websites. Build relationships in person and online with companies that offer services that complement yours, such as fitness centers. Then ask to trade web links. Use the Moz Link Explorer to discover where other local day spas find their links.

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Step 4: Ask for Reviews

Online reviews are critical for 2 reasons: they help convince prospects to visit your day spa, and they reassure Google that yours is a legitimate business. While all reviews can be helpful, your rankings will get the fastest boost from Google My Business page reviews.

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to send a direct link to the review page. Instead, run a Google search for your company name, and send satisfied clients that URL. Ask them directly to click on Write a Review underneath your business name on the right side of that page. If you do this on a regular basis, you will soon have a steady flow of reviews.

Step 5: Track Your Results

You will only know if your local SEO campaign is successful, and which areas are under-performing, if you track your results. There are many different ways to analyze your data, but these 3 metrics are the most important:

  • Rankings: Google search results are customized based on past browsing behavior, so the only way to see your actual rankings is with a tool. Ask your webmaster to install the free Google Search Console (previously Google Webmaster Tools), and take a look at your results at least once per month.If you prefer more in-depth data analysis, try switching to a paid tool, such as the one offered by RankRanger. It tracks Google My Business pages as well as webpages, and provides automatically updated ranking data from all of your SEO campaigns.
  • Traffic: To track your traffic, or website visitors, use Google Analytics. This tool gives you the ability to view your overall traffic, each webpage’s individual traffic, and even what percentage of visitors come through Google search. Look at your reports at least once per month, and try to spot any long-term trends.
  • Conversions: A conversion could be any concrete action that you want your prospects to take. As a day spa, that action might be contacting you for 10% off a single treatment. Google Analytics lets you track both web and phone conversions, learn which of your services drives the most conversions, and discover which of your webpages have the lowest and highest conversion rates.

Ready to Get Started?

Now you know why a local SEO campaign is key to drawing more prospective clients to your day spa. Work your way through the steps in order, making sure that each is complete before starting the next. Here is a recap of the 5 steps:

  1.    Keyword research
  2.    Keyword optimization
  3.    Citations and Links
  4.    Reviews
  5.    Tracking

Want Help with SEO?

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

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