Get More Doodles & Poodles In Your Clinic With Highly Targeted
Veterinarian SEO
This Veterinarian SEO Guide Has Been Comprehensively Updated for 2023
Due to consistent algorithm updates, the relatively recent Helpful Content Update in late 2022, we’ve updated the written content that already existed on the page. We’ve written new content. And we’ve filmed new video content. Everything is up-to-date, fresh, and helpful for your veterinary business to dominate Google for 2023.
How We Help Veterinarians Grow Their Practice & See A
5.7x ROI on Their Monthly SEO Investment
Increase Google Rankings
Get your veterinarian website ranking on Google for high-value keywords that pet owners are searching for.
More High-Quality Web Traffic
Get more interested dog and cat owners coming to your website each month.
Increased Leads & Phone Calls
Get more motivated animal lovers calling your clinic to schedule visits.
You Get Your Time Back
Stop having your receptionist or technician writing blog content or trying to figure out digital marketing on their own.
Here's What You Want To See With Your Veterinarian Website & SEO
When Someone Types into Google "Veterinarian Near Me", You Show Up Here...
When Someone Types into Google "Veterinarian Near Me", You Show Up Here...
Think about how people search for veterinarians. They’re probably cuddling with their dog or cat on the couch, watching some netflix, and pull out their smartphone.
They go to Google and type in something like “Veterinarian Near Me” – the FIRST thing to show up is the Maps area of Google called the Google Local Pack. The vets that show up here “win” and get the most phone calls.
When Someone Types into Google "Best Vet in [City]", You Show Up Here...
When pet owners are looking for veterinarians, they often use the language of “best vet near me” or “best vet in [city]”.
The veterinarians that rank in the Maps area for these keywords get the most website visitors and phone calls.
When Someone Types in Questions into Google like "How to Prevent Parvo in my Puppy", You Show Up Here..
When Someone Types in Questions into Google like "How to Prevent Parvo in my Puppy", You Show Up Here..
Pet owners ask tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of questions into Google each day. Questions like…
- “What’s the best dog food for my puppy with an upset stomach?”
- “What are the best dog parks in Portland, OR?”
- “Red rash on my dogs belly after changing dog food”
Ranking for these keywords in Google proves that your website is an “authority” and can be trusted.
People Are Searching Differently For Veterinarians Than They Used To
See The Common Theme? You Want To Increase Your Vet's Digital Presence Online To Be Found By Motivated Pet Owners
At the end of the day, you want more animal lovers in your city to know that you exist. Whenever they do a Google search online around veterinarians, you want to show up over your competitors.
How Do You Get Tangible Results With Veterinarian SEO Services?
Step 1: Comprehensive SEO Audit
Most SEO companies fail to complete this step. And, this is the most important step of all.
How can you get to where you want to be if you don’t even know where you are?
We recommend doing a comprehensive SEO audit to determine your:
- Current SEO performance
- Current SEO errors
- What your local competitors are doing
- Technical SEO performance
- And more
Step 2: Local SEO Visibility Audit
The goal for veterinary SEO is to increase your “local visibility,” as we call it.
We use robust and powerful third party tools to run a “SEO visibility test” on your business. This allows us to see how visible your business is on Google.
The report looks like this:
Step 3: Create a Roadmap Based on Data
We now have a lot of data from the SEO audit and the local SEO visibility audit.
SEO for vets should be strategized based on data. Most other SEO companies don’t do this! They have a “hunch” that something will work.
We recommend creating a comprehensive roadmap based on the data. If the data shows that your website is loading really slowly (which is negatively impacting performance), you should probably fix that first!
Step 4: Implement Highest Priority Changes First
Here’s where the magic happens:
Not all SEO activities are created equal.
Updating the alt text for images on a blog post from 2015 won’t be as impactful as improving your home page’s content.
Therefore, based on the data, you need to target the “low hanging fruit” opportunities first.
You don’t have a Google Business Profile set up? You should probably make one! You don’t have Service Pages specifically for “Dogs” and “Cats,” you should probably build those first before worrying about your About Us Page’s images.
Step 5: Local SEO Best Practices & Content Creation at Scale
Local SEO for vets comes down to the following:
- Consistent information that Google trusts
- Authority
- Accurate information
If your business has a different phone number on your website than what’s on your Facebook page, that’s a red flag for Google.
If Google chooses to rank your business, they can’t trust that if a user picks up the phone and calls, they’ll actually get through to you.
Having consistent NAPs on high-authority directories across the internet is critical.
Now, when it comes to “authority,” that’s where content comes in. If you create content that answers the questions that your target audience has, Google will see your business as more authoritative than a veterinarian that does not have much content on their site.
Step 6: Meticulously Track Data
The goal of SEO is to have tangible impact on your veterinary clinic. To increase website visitors. To increase phone calls. And to ultimately have those activities lead to increased revenue.
To ensure your SEO campaign is performing, you have to track data. Build a comprehensive dashboard that gives insights into your:
- keyword rankings
- website visitors
- phone calls
- and other important KPIs
Veterinarian SEO Services Shouldn't Be 
Cutter - Everything Is 100% Customized To Your Business
Veterinary clinic SEO is not the same as other types of SEO. Unfortunately, many other SEO companies treat it as such. They use the same “tips and tricks” that they use in other industries, thinking that it’ll work with veterinarians. That’s not the best way to do it.
We treat your business as unique. We take an individualized approach to each individual industry (such as veterinarians), to your specific city (NYC might be different than a smaller town in Montana), and your specific website (is your website built on WordPress or Webflow).
5 Tactical Local SEO Strategies for Veterinarians
Strategy 1: Google Business Profile Optimizations
This is an example of a veterinarian’s Google Business Profile:
Well this is an example of the front-end of a Google Business Profile. The part that a Google searcher can see.
Actually, before we go any further, let’s back up:
Why do Google Business Profiles matter for vets? Google Business Profiles are relevant and important ranking factors in order to rank in the Google Local Pack. If you forgot what the Google Local Pack is, below is a screenshot:
Optimizing your Google Business Profile helps you get found there ☝️
And, when you show up in the Google Local Pack, you WIN. You get more phone calls and website visitors than your competitors.
So, how do you properly optimize your Google Business Profile so you get found in the Google Local Pack?
The answer is… you ready for it? Comprehensiveness.
The best way to optimize your Google Business Profile is to provide as comprehensive information as possible.
There are many sections that you can provide comprehensive information, such as:
- Your categories
- Your main description
- Your services
- Your products
- Your photos
Here’s a quick example that explains the difference between being comprehensive and not being comprehensive:
For your main description, you may just be inclined to write a sentence like… “We are a team of animal-loving veterinarians that is ready to help your animals feel better.”
That is just one sentence… Google allows 750 characters for the main description. Use them up! Do you offer surgeries? Do you serve dogs and cats? What about horses? Do you offer emergency vet services?
Answering EVERY possible question is how you can be more comprehensive.
Strategy 2: On-Page SEO for Your Homepage and Location Pages
On-page SEO for veterinarians is just a fancy way of describing the content on your website.
It includes things like:
- Your title tags
- Your meta description
- Your header tags (H1, H2, H3)
- Internal and external links
- Your images
- And basically anything that you can put on a website page!
Why does on-page SEO for vets matter? Well, Google cares about it.
For single-location veterinarians, the most important page on your website, from a local SEO perspective, is the homepage. For multilocation veterinarians, the most important pages on your website are your location pages.
When doing on-page SEO for these pages, you want to implement SEO-friendliness through keywords while also providing as comprehensive information as possible to the user (and Google).
For example, instead of a title tag like “Johnny’s Vet Clinic – 503.111.1111” you can provide more context to Google by writing something like “Trusted Veterinarians in Downtown Portland – Johnny’s Vet Clinic.”
Strategy 3: Website Architecture Best Practices
This is an underrated SEO strategy for vet clinics. Your website architecture and your sitemap are intimately connected.
Google crawls your sitemap to understand your website architecture, which in turn allows Google to understand what your website is about.
Here’s what a sitemap might look like to Google.
A little confusing, right? Don’t worry about it too much. Just know that when Google looks at a sitemap like this, it’s putting together what your website is about (which is really important for local SEO).
The main point is that your website structure should make sense hierarchically. Let’s use two of the main services that vets offer – 1) surgeries and 2) vaccinations.
Where should these pages live on your site? First, you should probably have a “services” page that has the URL structure similar to .com/services/
Now, any services that you offer (such as surgeries and vaccinations) should live UNDER this main services page. See below:
- .com/services/pet-surgeries
- .com/services/pet-vaccinations
This seems obvious, but many websites do this wrong. There’s no vertical architecture. Instead, every page lives directly under the homepage. See below:
- .com/services/
- .com/pet-surgeries/
- .com/pet-vaccinations/
- .com/pet-dental-care/
With this structure, it’s not clear to Google that “Pet Vaccinations” is a service that you offer. It’s just another page on your site!
Strategy 4: Content Creation at Scale
This is where it gets fun. Pet owners search for thousands of questions into Google every day.
Some are very local:
- best dogs parks in Portland
- best hikes for dogs near Portland
Some are generic:
- Is a keto diet good for a dog?
- What to do if my cat is sick?
- Does my dog need a chip?
- How do I know if the dog I adopted is vaccinated?
If you answer these types of questions through comprehensive blog articles on your website, it will do 2 things:
1. You may rank in Google for these keywords that people are searching and therefore drive traffic.
2. Google will take notice and see your website as an authority over your competitors. Google will think, “wow, they’re answering all of these animal-related questions that users have. Their website is therefore more valuable than local competitors how haven’t answered any questions.”
Strategy 5: User Experience is a Bigger Deal Than You Think - Stop the Keyword Stuffing!
The old days are gone. Keyword stuffing… PBN link building… all the stuff that used to work.
Google’s getting smarter. And Google’s starting to understand that a user’s experience on a website is important.
What does this mean for you as a vet?
- Make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for. They shouldn’t have to spend 5 minutes figuring out if you offer pet insurance or not.
- Make it easy for users to contact you. Your phone number should be clickable on a mobile device. You should consider online schedule so someone can easily get their pet an appointment. Anything to make the user’s experience SUPER easy.
- When writing content, you should actually offer value to the reader. Gone are the days of outsourcing writers who produce vague, keyword-stuffed articles. Your content should thoroughly answer the user’s questions and add value to them.
On Average, Our Vet SEO Services Cost
31% Less Than Other SEO Companies
Compared to Other SEO Companies That Average Between $1.5k and $3k Per Month.
FAQs About Vet SEO Services
Here are the most common questions we’ve heard.
What is Vet SEO?
Veterinarian SEO is a form of marketing that helps vets increase their visibility in search engines, particularly Google.
The specific SEO strategies that are used for veterinarians varies greatly (which is why all vet SEO is NOT created equal).
Strategies include:
- keyword research
- on-page SEO
- off-page SEO
- Google Maps optimizations
- local SEO
- content creation
- landing page creation
- PR
- and more
Why is Veterinarian SEO Important?
Veterinarian SEO is important because it allows you to get in front of your target audience (the pet owners looking to find a veterinarian RIGHT NOW).
Think about how social media marketing for veterinarians work: People are scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and stumble upon an advertisement for a vet in their city. They might be actively looking for a vet, but it’s unlikely.
On the other hand, SEO puts you in front of motivated buyers looking for what you have to offer:
SEO for vets allows you to show up in Google for people actively looking for a vet. People searching for “best vet near me” or “veterinarian in downtown Portland.” Ranking for those keywords has a MUCH higher conversion than people scrolling on Instagram.
How Long Does SEO for Vets Take To Work?
Veterinarian SEO can take 1 week – 6 months for you to start seeing results. It depends on a variety of factors:
- How big of a city you’re in
- How long your website has been around for
- How high your website’s “domain authority” is
- How your current SEO is performing
- And much more
Some of our clients have seen 2x – 3x the phone calls within a month after starting their SEO campaign. Other clients don’t see noticeable increases in phone calls for 2-3 months.
Think about this, though:
If everyone could make a couple of tweaks on their website and rank overnight for the HIGHEST value keywords out there, like “best vet in New York City” then the internet would go haywire.
Things take time. Google built their algorithms that way for a reason.
What Veterinarian SEO KPIs Should We Track?
Veterinarian SEO should be meticulously tracked.
You want to know, with absolute certainty, that the money you’re investing in SEO is working for your veterinary clinic.
Because of that, you need to track certain metrics to ensure that the campaign is working:
- Keyword rankings: Are your ranking on Page 1 of Google for your most important keywords? How are your keyword rankings changing week over week? Month over month?
- Organic website traffic: Is your organic website traffic from Google going up or down? Which keywords are driving the most traffic?
- Online lead submissions: Are you seeing more online leads? How are they changing month over month?
- Phone calls: Are you getting more phone calls from people searching on Google? How are phone calls changing over time?
What Type of Content Should Veterinarian Websites Have?
Veterinary SEO should include content that your target audience is searching for:
How do we know what keywords/content your target audience is searching for? We use advanced software and tools that give us insider information and data. We, for example, know that 920 people per month (on average) search for “best organic dog food.”
So, with that being said, we do extensive keyword research to find the topics/questions that pet owners have.
Questions like:
- “What are the best dog parks in Portland?”
- “Are dogs allergic to coffee beans?”
- “At what age should I bring my puppy to the vet?”
If you create content that answers these questions, then you can potentially rank in Google when people search for these.
Also, Google will favor your site more than competitors because Google will have more trust in your site.
What are the Most Valuable Veterinarian Keywords for SEO?
How To Work With Us
First of all – we don’t work with all veterinarians.
We only work with vets who:
- Are ambitious about growing their business
- Have the bandwidth to take the growth that will come from working with us
- Treat their employees and their customers well
Step 2
Check Your Email
In less than 24 hours, one of our talented SEO specialists will send you a 3-5 minute customized video analysis. It will explain opportunities for you to outperform competitors
Step 3
Sit Back And Watch Your SEO Skyrocket
Just take a look at our case studies of the success that other Portland businesses have seen. You can have the same results.
If you’re looking for Portland SEO services, we can help. Give us a call today to learn more about our pricing and availability.
Let's Take Your Veterinarian Clinic From the "best kept secret" to the "most sought after brand"
