A lot of clinic websites don’t have an “SEO doesn’t work” problem. They have an SEO foundation problem.

The site is unclear, feels outdated, or blends in with every other clinic website, and that quietly hurts rankings, trust, and conversions at the same time.

In 2026, that matters more than ever because SEO is no longer just about keywords and backlinks.

Google is still a major driver, but patients are also using voice search, AI answers, maps, reviews, and quick comparison behaviors. Your website has to do two jobs at once.

It needs to be easy for search engines and AI systems to understand and summarize, and it needs to build trust with real people fast.

That’s exactly what this “remove list” is designed to fix. It’s not about rebuilding your entire site from scratch. It’s about removing friction, cleaning up weak signals, and replacing them with content and structure that improve visibility and conversions.

In 2026, those issues do not just hurt conversions. They can also hurt how you show up in search, including AI-driven search results. Patients are still using Google, but they are also using voice search, AI answers, maps, reviews, and comparison behaviors.

That means your website has to do two jobs at once:

• Be easy for search engines and AI systems to understand and summarize

• Be trusted by real people fast

This post is a practical checklist of what to remove, what to rewrite, what to replace it with, and why it matters right now.

If you want a second set of eyes on your website, book a discovery call. We’ll review what’s helping, what’s holding you back, and what changes will make the biggest impact.

1) Remove outdated COVID-related information

If your site still has COVID banners, old protocol copy, or “temporary updates” from years ago, take them down.

Where these usually hide:

• Top-of-site banners or pop-ups

• Footer notes

• Contact page paragraphs

• Old “telehealth updates” pages

• Sidebars on blog pages

• FAQs that reference old protocols

Why it matters:

• Even if patients do not consciously think “this site is outdated,” they feel it.

• Outdated info creates noise that makes it harder for search engines and AI summaries to confidently identify what is current and true.

What to replace it with:

• Keep any real, current policies, but rewrite them as calm, timeless statements (no dates, no emergency language).

• Example: “We prioritize a clean, professional environment. If you’re feeling unwell, please reschedule. Questions before your visit? Call our office.”

If you delete a page:

• Delete it and redirect it (ideally a 301 redirect).

• Redirect the old URL to your homepage, “What to Expect,” or your new patient page.

2) Remove vague, generic homepage headlines

If your homepage starts with “Welcome to our clinic” or “Helping you feel your best,” it is not doing its job.

Your homepage headline needs to answer, in about five seconds:

• Who do you help?

• What do you help them with?

• Where are you located?

• What should they do next?

Better headline patterns:

• “Chiropractic care in Lake Worth for back pain, sciatica, and sports injuries”

• “Physical therapy in Austin focused on shoulder rehab and return to sport”

• “Acupuncture in Portland for fertility support, stress, and pain relief”

Then add a human sub-headline:

• “Modern care, clear plans, and appointments that start on time.”

• “Evidence-based treatment with a focus on long-term results.”

And match your CTA to intent:

• Book an appointment

• Request a consult

• Call the office

• Check availability

3) Remove sliders and rotating carousels

Rotating sliders look fancy, but they rarely perform.

Common issues:

• Most visitors never see slide two

• On mobile, they are slow and hard to read

• They create mixed messaging, which destroys clarity

What to replace them with:

• One strong hero section, one clear message, one call to action

• If you need to feature multiple items, use a simple grid below the hero so people can scan

4) Remove fake-feeling stock photos and dated visuals

Stock photos are not automatically bad. The problem is the overly staged, obviously-not-your-clinic photos.

What to remove:

• Perfect-smile model shots

• Awkward “laughing patient while being touched” photos

• Handshake photos that look like a brochure from 2012

What to replace them with:

• Real photos of your space, team, and treatment rooms

• If you do use stock, choose neutral, believable images that do not pretend to be your clinic

Why it matters in 2026:

• Patients are more skeptical than ever. Generic visuals make your clinic feel generic.

5) Remove walls of text at the top of service pages

Many service pages start like a textbook and only later explain who it’s for, what happens, and how to book.

What to do instead:
Start with clarity first, then depth.

A better service page opening:

• A plain-language summary of who it’s for

• A short list of common symptoms or goals

• What you do, explained simply

• A clear next step (book, call, request consult)

Then place the deeper educational content below. That long-form content still helps credibility and visibility, even if visitors skim.

6) Remove “We Treat Everything” lists

A giant list of 45 conditions can hurt trust and clarity. It can also blur relevance signals for search.

What to do instead:

• Pick your top services or top conditions and build strong pages (or at least strong sections) for them

• If you keep a larger list, organize it by category and make it scannable

• Link to your most important topics (sports injuries, back pain, pelvic health, fertility support, etc.)

7) Remove outdated trust badges and footer clutter

Go look at your footer and sidebar areas.

What to remove:

• Old association logos that no longer apply

• Social widgets showing posts from years ago

• “Trust badges” that feel like old web design

• Any remaining Google Plus logo (yes, it still shows up sometimes)
  

What to replace clutter with:

• Recent reviews

• A clear “What to Expect” section

• Credentials and specialty training (as support, not as the only proof)

• A simple “Why Patients Choose Us” section

8) Remove confusing navigation labels

Your menu should make sense to patients, not just to clinic owners.

If your navigation includes “services,” “treatments,” “conditions,” “modalities,” and “specialties” all at once, simplify it.

A cleaner, patient-friendly menu:

• Home

• About

• Services

• Conditions (optional, if you truly have robust pages)

• New Patients

• Reviews

• Contact

• Book Now

Then organize the dropdowns based on how patients think and search.

9) Remove weak calls to action

If every button says “Learn More,” you are forcing high-intent visitors to do extra work.

Replace vague CTAs with direct ones:

• Book an appointment

• Request a consult

• Call now

• Check availability

• Start as a new patient

Also reduce competing buttons:

• One primary action per section

10) Remove content that exists only for SEO

SEO matters. Quality SEO content is not the problem.

The problem is thin pages like “Best Chiropractor Near Me” with repetitive, awkward copy. In 2026, thin content is a liability.

What to do instead:

• Rewrite those pages into genuinely helpful service area pages

• Add real details, real photos, and clear next steps

• Focus on relevance and usefulness, not filler

11) Remove the resume-style About page

If your About page is mostly degrees and certifications, it can feel professional, but it may not build connection.

What to add:

• Who you help best

• Your approach and what you believe

• What a new patient can expect

• A real photo

• A next step (book, call, request consult)

Credentials still matter, but make them supporting evidence, not the entire story.

12) Remove slow, heavy page elements

If it slows the site down or blocks the action, it is not helping.

What to remove or reduce:

• Video backgrounds

• Autoplay videos

• Huge uncompressed images

• Heavy animations

• Pop-ups that block the screen

• Chat widgets covering booking buttons on mobile

Use video intentionally:

• Embed it where it supports the page

• Make sure it does not hurt mobile usability or load speed

13) Remove inconsistent NAP info

NAP is your Name, Address, Phone number.

If your header shows one phone number, your footer shows another, and the contact page shows something different, fix it immediately.

Why it matters:

• Consistency still matters for local visibility

• It also matters for AI summaries that pull business details from multiple parts of your site

14) Remove duplicate location pages

If you have multiple locations and your location pages are basically the same with the city swapped, rewrite them.

What to add to make each location page truly unique:

• Team photos for that location

• Services offered at that location

• Parking instructions

• Nearby landmarks

• Real interior photos

• Location-specific FAQs

15) Remove risky claims and compliance landmines

Be confident without exaggeration.

What to remove or rewrite:

• Guaranteed outcomes

• Vague medical claims

• Overpromises

• Testimonials that include too much personal detail

If you are unsure, rewrite with clarity and professionalism, and keep claims specific and supportable.

The key takeaway for 2026

You do not win by stuffing your website with more pages. You win by making your best pages clearer, more trustworthy, and more current.

Clean sites convert better. Clean sites are easier for Google and AI-driven search systems to understand. Clean sites make it easier for patients to choose you quickly.

Start here if you want the fastest wins

1. Remove outdated COVID info

2. Rewrite your homepage headline

3. Improve the top section of your main service pages

Those three changes alone can make a noticeable difference.

Want us to review your website and tell you exactly what to remove and rewrite?

Book a discovery call and we’ll take a look at your website, your visibility, and your biggest clarity and trust gaps. Then we’ll map out what to fix first (and what is not worth your time).