Not SEO’ing? It’s Costing You.
Creating a search engine optimization (SEO) campaign for your clinic is a necessity, not an option. We’re about to explain why…
Did you know that the number one way customers, clients, and patients are finding local businesses is through online search engines?
Yes, social media and online directories are also important, and part of a solid SEO campaign, but between 88% and 97% of your potential patients are searching Google to find you.
Translation: If you’re unable to be found on the search engines, you’re unable to secure the patient base you want in your clinic.
SEO is not a driving force for your clinic; it’s the driving force for your clinic. And if you’re not 100% committed to establishing yourself online, you’re not simply treading water; you’re actually moving backwards.
Without an SEO strategy in place, you’re losing patients, money, and Google credibility. Why? Because your prospective patients are finding your competition.
We’re not telling you this to scare you. Maybe you’re happy with your current patient schedule and not trying to get more people on your tables. That’s totally fine. In fact, that’s incredible.
So, whether you’re just curious or you know you need to turn website traffic into foot traffic, this post offers some estimates regarding what a successful SEO strategy can do for your bottom line, so you can better understand the impact of optimizing for search.
You’ll learn:
What SEO is
What happens if you skip SEO altogether or stop managing your SEO campaign
What happens when you correctly implement an SEO plan (and keep up with it)
Again, the numbers we’ll be using are only estimates and should not be used as guaranteed outcomes for your clinic.
If you’re ready to take your clinic from unfindable to unstoppable, let’s do it.
You can keep reading (for math equations and more details) or listen to the short podcast episode...
Podcast - The Hidden Price of Ignoring SEO: What Clinics Lose Without It
Listen on...
What is SEO & Why It Matters for Your Clinic
First, a quick rundown of what SEO is.
Search engine optimization is the process of improving your website so it appears higher in search engine results (like Google) when potential patients search for the services you offer.
Instead of relying solely on word of mouth or paid ads, SEO helps your clinic get discovered organically (for free) by people who are already searching for care.
By optimizing your clinic website’s content, structure, and online presence, you increase visibility, attract more quality traffic (your target audience), and position your clinic as a trusted resource.
The key benefits of SEO for clinics:
Increased visibility: Appear at the top of Google and the other search engines when patients search for your services or products
More qualified leads: Draw patients who are actively seeking care, not just casual visitors
Cost-effective marketing: Drive long-term traffic without ongoing ad spend
Builds trust and authority: Patients trust clinics that rank higher in search results
Sustainable growth: Create a steady stream of new patients for years to come
With the right SEO strategy, your clinic not only gets found but also excels in today’s competitive digital world.
What You're Losing if You Don’t Have an SEO Plan or Don’t Maintain Your SEO Plan
We’re gonna do some simple math now (don’t worry, it really is simple) to help visualize what you’re missing out on when you don’t create an SEO strategy. This is a three-step process.
Step 1
First, we need to estimate your patient’s lifetime value (LTV).
Here’s how:
Average # of visits per patient per month/year: __________
Average revenue per visit: $ ___________
Average patient stays for _______ months/years
Let’s math.
Multiply the first number by the second, and then multiply that answer by the third number:
Estimated Lifetime Value of a Patient = $_____________
Example: A patient usually comes 12 times per year for three years and pays $100 per visit. That patient’s LTV is $3,600.
Step 2
Next, let’s figure out how patients are currently finding you.
This may look something like:
Number of new patients from SEO (Google search/maps) last month: _______
Your Breakdown:
Percentage from SEO: (SEO patients ÷ Total patients) × 100 = __________%
Number of new patients from paid ads last month: _______
Your Breakdown:
Percentage from ads: (Ads patients ÷ Total patients) × 100 = __________%
Number of new patients from referrals last month: _______
Your Breakdown:
Percentage from referrals: (Referral patients ÷ Total patients) × 100 = __________%
Number of new patients from social media last month: _______
Your Breakdown:
Percentage from socials: (Social patients ÷ Total patients) × 100 = __________%
The numbers to focus on are those coming from NON-organic (NON-free) sources. So, if you’re using paid ads and any portion of your base is finding you that way, you may be overpaying for leads. Plus, if you stop paying for ads, you lose that income source immediately.
Your SEO campaign, however, compounds and continues to work month after month when nurtured.
Step 3
Finally, determine the cost of doing nothing by NOT improving your SEO strategy:
How many patients you think you’re losing to competitors each month: _______
Estimated Patient Lifetime Value (from Step 1): $ _______
Let’s math.
Multiply the patients you’re losing to your competition by your Patient Lifetime Value.
Lost revenue per month: $_________
Lost revenue per year: $_________
Not investing in SEO doesn’t keep you where you are; it sets you back.
Example: Let’s say you’re losing two patients per month to your competition, so 24 per year, and your patients’ LTV is $1,200 per year. That’s a potential annual loss of $28,800.
What You Gain with a Working SEO Campaign
When considering your clinic’s growth, few strategies offer as much long-term return as SEO. While paid ads provide quick exposure, SEO establishes a steady stream of new patients who are actively searching for local care. And when you examine the numbers, the cost of not adhering to an SEO plan quickly becomes apparent.
Let’s break it down using our set annual $1,200 LTV from above:
Every time your website ranks well and attracts one new patient, you could be adding over a thousand dollars to your annual revenue. Multiply that by even just 10 new patients a year, and suddenly SEO is responsible for an extra $12,000 annually. With 25 patients, that jumps to $30,000 per year, all from taking the time to improve your online visibility.
Now consider what happens if your clinic isn’t showing up on Google when people search phrases like “chiropractor near me,” “sports massage therapy in [city],” or “acupuncture for sciatica relief.” Those searches don’t disappear; they go to your competitors who are investing in SEO. Every month you don’t optimize, you’re essentially handing over thousands of dollars in potential revenue.
SEO isn’t just about keywords; it’s about building visibility, credibility, and accessibility.
A strong SEO campaign ensures your website:
Loads quickly
Looks professional on mobile devices
Offers helpful, unique, and truthful content that answers patient questions
Incorporates a linking campaign
Has an excellent user experience (UX)
And so much more
All of these components help establish trust before a new patient even picks up the phone or books an appointment online with you.
For example, if you’re a chiropractor and someone finds your blog on “natural ways to treat plantar fasciitis” and then sees you specialize in that exact condition, the chances of them booking with you skyrocket.
The compounding effect is where SEO really shines.
Unlike ads that stop working the moment you stop paying, SEO continues to build momentum:
Your ranking improves
Your online authority grows
Your clinic gets more visibility every month
Over time, that can mean dozens of extra patient inquiries flowing through your website without increasing your advertising budget.
Think of SEO as an investment rather than a cost. If you invest a fraction of what a single patient brings in, say $1,200 yearly, you’re positioned to attract many more patients whose lifetime value quickly outweighs your marketing spend.
The return on SEO is clear: greater visibility, more patients, higher revenue, and sustainable growth with no ad spend.
SEO: For the Win
If you’re unsure where to start your SEO journey or are overwhelmed by SEO maintenance, we invite you to watch our upcoming webinar, 'How to Dominate Google Search, Google Maps, and AI-Driven Search Results — Without the Stress or Ad Spend.'
You can also explore our website, where you’ll find a wide range of resources designed to help your clinic thrive both online and off. From our DIY SEO program, The Ready. Set. Rank! Complete SEO Toolkit for Clinics, which provides step-by-step guidance to boost your website’s visibility, to our full suite of in-house SEO services managed by our team, we make it easy for you to focus on running your clinic while we handle the digital growth.
Whether you want to strengthen your local SEO strategy, design or redesign your website, set up or audit your Google Business Profile, or simply keep your site running smoothly with regular maintenance, our experts are here to help you rise to the top of Google.
Book your free discovery call to learn more.
Related Resources:
- Free Workshop + BONUS -- How to Dominate the 1st Page of Google and Get More New Patients
- The Ready. Set. Rank! Complete SEO Toolkit for Clinics
- Ready. Set. Rank! Accelerator
- Book a Discovery Call
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