The PT Clinic Website Checklist: What Google Looks For Before Ranking You Locally
Local search is competitive. Every clinic wants to show up in the map pack. Most think reviews and content alone will get them there. Google doesn’t work that way. It looks at how fast your site loads, how clean the structure is, and how easy it is for a patient to understand what you do.
Below is a checklist I use when helping owners get control of their marketing. It’s simple, direct, and tied to how Google ranks local businesses.
1. Speed: The First Filter Google Uses
Google rewards fast websites. Speed shows that a business cares about user experience. A slow site drives patients away before they ever call.
What you need:
Load time under 2.5 seconds
Images compressed
Hosting that is not bargain-level
No bloated plugins
Clean code
Google will test your pages using Core Web Vitals. If you fail, your ranking drops. If your competitor loads faster, they win the map pack placement. Speed also affects conversion. Every one-second delay drops conversions by roughly 7 percent (Akamai, 2024).
Keep your site simple. No heavy animations. No oversized photos. A clean site converts better and ranks better.
2. Mobile Layout: Google Ranks Mobile First
Most clinics still design for desktop screens even though most patients come from mobile. Google uses mobile-first indexing. If your mobile layout looks sloppy, everything else you do won’t matter.
Minimum mobile standards:
Pages must scale correctly
Buttons must be easy to tap
Phone number must be click-to-call
Forms must be short
Navigation must be simple
Google tracks bounce rate. If someone lands on your page and leaves immediately because the mobile site is a mess, Google stops ranking you. A good mobile layout gives you two wins: better ranking and more calls.
3. Page Structure: Google Wants Clear, Logical Layouts
Think of this like organizing your clinic. A messy front desk slows everything down. A messy website structure slows indexing.
Your site must have:
A clean homepage
Simple header navigation
Clear service categories
H1, H2, and H3 headers that make sense
A footer with your NAP (name, address, phone)
Fast-loading core pages
Do not overcomplicate the homepage. A patient should know three things within three seconds:
Who you help
What you treat
How to contact you
Google’s crawlers need the same clarity. If the structure is confusing, Google won’t understand what you do. If Google doesn’t understand, it doesn’t rank you.
4. Service Pages: Each Condition Needs Its Own Page
Clinics often put all services on one page. That hurts ranking. Google ranks pages, not websites. If you want to show up for “knee pain near me,” you need a page dedicated to knee pain.
Create one page for each of these:
Knee pain
Back pain
Shoulder pain
Balance issues
Sports rehab
Post-surgical care
Sciatica
Manual therapy
Any specialty you offer
Each page should include:
What the condition is
What the problem feels like
What most people try first
What the treatment plan looks like
A call-to-action to schedule
More high-quality pages equal more search visibility. Many clinics who think they have a “website problem” actually have a “not enough service pages” problem.
This approach matches your overall management philosophy: break a large operation into divisions and measure each one. A website works the same way. Each service page is a division with its own product and purpose, which aligns with your guidance on creating measurable outputs across a company.
5. Schema: The Hidden Signal Google Uses to Verify You
Schema is structured data that tells Google what your business is, where you are, and what pages represent.
You need:
Local Business Schema
Service Schema
FAQ Schema (optional but helpful)
Organization Schema
Schema doesn't change the look of your site. It works behind the scenes. It helps Google match your site to your Google Business Profile. When these two align, your map ranking climbs.
Schema also ties directly to your philosophy of running a business by objective data, not subjective statements. Schema gives Google data it can measure and verify.
6. Internal Linking: The Most Underrated SEO Tool
Internal linking is simple. You link your pages to each other in a clean way. Google uses internal links to understand which pages matter most.
You need to:
Link from the homepage to your core services
Link between related service pages
Link from blogs to relevant services
Keep anchor text simple and direct
This builds authority. If your “knee pain” page gets many internal links, Google views it as important. This helps you rank for knee-related searches.
Internal linking also helps patients understand the treatment journey you describe in your clinical communication systems. You teach clinics to show patients what phase they’re in and what comes next. Internal links do the same thing online. They guide the user on a path.
7. Local SEO Signals That Clinics Often Ignore
These aren’t website elements, but they affect your site’s ranking:
Name, address, and phone number need to match everywhere
You need steady Google reviews weekly, not in bursts
Your Google Business Profile category must be correct
You need real photos that show your office and equipment
Your marketing effectiveness strategy explains why consistent output matters. Weekly reviews, not random pushes, build control over your lead flow the same way your “marketing faucet” analogy works in practice management.
8. Content Quality: Write for Patients, Not Algorithms
Google’s Helpful Content System rewards clear, simple, human-focused writing. You already avoid fluff in your business communication and stress clarity over complexity. The same rules apply online.
Good content:
Is easy to read
Uses short sentences
Avoids jargon
Offers direct solutions
Speaks to patient fears and goals
Bad content:
Uses generic medical definitions
Tries to rank with keyword stuffing
Sounds like a textbook
Write in the same tone you use when you talk to patients. Clear, simple, and focused on outcomes.
9. Tracking: Measure What Matters
A clinic can’t run without stats. A website can’t grow without them either. Track:
Page speed
Bounce rate
Calls from website
Form submissions
Service page visits
Blog page visits
Click-to-call activity
This mirrors your Practice Debug Checklist approach: diagnose the out-point, fix the source, measure again.
Owners who monitor stats grow faster than those who guess.
10. The Full Checklist
Use this list monthly:
Speed: under 2.5 seconds
Mobile layout: easy to read and navigate
Page structure: clean headers, simple menus
Service pages: one page per condition
Schema: properly installed
Internal links: every service page linked
Content: simple and helpful
NAP: consistent everywhere
Reviews: steady, weekly
Tracking: numbers monitored monthly
If you fix these items, Google sees you as a real, credible local business. That alone moves your ranking. More visibility creates more evaluations. And when your operations are under control, more evaluations translate to higher profit margins, not chaos.
Want Help Building a Site That Ranks and Converts?
If you want a site built for real-world results, not theory, reach out. The goal isn’t to “look good online.” The goal is more visits per week, better retention, and a business that runs on clear systems rather than luck. You can schedule a coaching inquiry to see what gaps exist and what steps come next.
FAQ
How long does it take to rank locally?
Most clinics see movement in 60–120 days once they fix technical issues and start producing steady reviews.
Do I need a blog?
A blog helps if it links back to core service pages and answers patient questions in a simple way.
What matters more, reviews or website quality?
Both matter. Google uses them together to decide if your business is credible and active.
Can I rank without paid ads?
Yes. A fast site, strong local signals, and consistent reviews give you organic visibility.
How often should I update the website?
Monthly updates are ideal. New pages, new reviews, and fresh content show Google your business is alive.
