SEO for Optometrists to Show Up in Google, Maps, and AI Answers

SEO for optometry is how your practice shows up when nearby patients search for an eye exam, contact lenses, or an optometrist near them. That means earning visibility in Google’s organic results, the local pack and Maps, and AI answers like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT.

Call 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about SEO plans from WebFX, or keep reading for a few optimization strategies you can start using today.

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What is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to a number of strategies designed to boost your rankings in search results for keywords and phrases related to your business.

For example, you can add targeted keywords on your site in places like your title tags, meta descriptions, and site content. In addition, you can add custom content to your site to address topics and questions that interest potential patients.

SEO also includes maintaining your HTML code, and creating a strong backlink profile – which is when other high authority websites link to yours.

These strategies can help your site appear higher in search results and in AI answers, and allow more people to find your practice and ultimately contact you to schedule an appointment.

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“WebFX has completely transformed my practice. With their support, I have expanded my practice significantly and grown exponentially. I could not have expanded to this degree, nor this quickly had it not been for the incredible efforts provided by WebFX and my team.”

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3 benefits of SEO for optometrists

Not sure how SEO will benefit your optometry practice? Let’s take a look at three of the top benefits of SEO.

1. Higher rankings in search results

First, SEO will boost your rankings in search results for keywords and phrases related to your business.

This matters because search is where patients start: Among consumers who look up medical information online, 84.1% use search engines and 65.1% start there. Higher rankings and citations in AI answers help more people find your site and contact you to schedule an appointment.

The higher your site appears in search results, the more credible you will appear. So people will feel more confident in their decision to choose your practice. By following medical SEO best practices, optometry sites can earn top placements for high‑intent procedure and symptom queries.

2. Increased awareness

When your site ranks higher in search results, more people will be able to find out about your practice and the services you offer.

Even if they don’t contact you right away to schedule an appointment, they will still remember your practice when they are in need of an optometrist.

People who find your site and the valuable content you publish online will also be more likely to recommend your practice to friends and family members. This is extremely important since people tend to trust word of mouth recommendations over brand advertisements.

3. More qualified traffic

One of the main goals of SEO is to meet people where they’re already searching – online. With SEO, you’re using targeted keywords to attract your most qualified audience. So that means that people who find and click on your site will be more likely to contact you to schedule an appointment.

This helps you avoid spending money trying to reach people who don’t need your services and get the most out of your SEO spend.

5 SEO tips for optometrists

Want to spice up your SEO strategy? Let’s take a look at five SEO tips your optometry practice can implement today.

1. Start with keyword research

Successful SEO campaigns begin with keyword research, including the longer, conversational questions patients ask Google and AI assistants.

Keyword research allows you to discover the keywords and phrases people use to find your site online. Sites like KeywordsFX and Keyword Tool are great because they give you a long list of keyword options that real users search for online.

You can also use Google’s Autocomplete feature. Start by typing a generic keyword related to your practice on Google, and instead of hitting the enter button, take a look at some of the related topics Google suggests.

Some of the most beneficial keywords for your optometry practice might be “tortoise shell glasses frames,” or “contact lenses in [your city].”

Keyword research will give you insight into the things potential patients want to learn about. Then, you can incorporate those keywords on your site and create custom content to address the topics.

2. Create custom content

Speaking of content, after you create the list of keywords you want to target, you can begin creating content on your site to address topics that interest patients.

For example, they might want to know things like “What does an optometrist do?” or “What to expect when visiting an optometrist.”

You can also add a blog to your site and keep it updated with the latest research, medical advice, and happenings in your office.

Be sure to also incorporate visual content like photos and videos on your site. This will give potential patients an inside look at your office and staff and help them feel more confident in their decision to choose your practice.

Incorporating helpful, valuable content on your site will position your practice as a leader in your field and people will be more likely to contact you to learn more.

3. Optimize for local search

It’s also important to optimize your website for local search. People want to find the best optometrist in their area, and local SEO can help your practice appear in front of more local searchers.

You can do this by incorporating keywords related to your location in your title tags and site content.

Registering your site on Google Maps and claiming your free, local business listings on sites like Google Business Profile, Bing, and Yelp are also great ways to increase your local exposure. When Hurst Pediatric Dentistry optimized its local listings and managed its local reviews as part of a broader local SEO program, it saw a 540% increase in leads from organic search.

4. Optimize for mobile users

Over half (51%) of people who use healthcare provider directories access them on mobile devices. This means that if your site isn’t optimized for mobile users, you could be missing out on valuable traffic and leads.

Mobile optimization ensures that your website looks great and displays properly across a number of platforms and devices including smartphones and tablets.

WebFX offers responsive web design services to ensure that your site visitors have the best possible experience no matter how they access your site.

5. Earn links to your site

Earning links to your website from other reputable sites can also boost your rankings in search results.

Creating great content on your site is a great way to encourage other sites to link to you. However, you will likely need to do some link building, reaching out to other website owners and asking them to link to your content.

If you need help earning links for your site, WebFX can help. We offer custom link building plans to help boost your rankings in search results and achieve your online goals.

How do patients choose an optometrist in AI search?

Patients choose an optometrist by comparing a short list of practices across the Google local pack, review sites, and AI answers in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. In a rater8 survey reported by eMarketer, 32% of U.S. adults said they started using AI tools in the past year to search for healthcare providers.

WebFX’s analysis of 130,070 U.S. health-related queries found AI Overviews on 51% of searches, and health queries of 7+ words triggered one 73.9% of the time. Detailed eye care questions are the searches most likely to get an AI answer before a click.

1. Answer the specific questions patients ask. Publish clear pages on concerns like dry eye, myopia control for kids, or what a contact lens exam includes, so AI answers have accurate content to cite.
2. Keep practice details identical everywhere. Match your name, address, phone number, and hours across Google Business Profile, Bing, Yelp, and vision insurance directories.
3. Earn reviews that mention your services. According to Google, prominence, one of its three core local ranking factors, is informed in part by review count and review scores.
4. Check which practices AI recommends. OmniSEO®, WebFX’s AI search visibility platform, tracks how often your practice and up to five competitors appear in AI answers. Use those gaps to decide which service pages and listings to update first.

WebFX is a top SEO company for optometrists

WebFX is an award-winning SEO company.

Our team has over 30 years of experience, and we offer custom SEO plans to help you evaluate your options and choose the plan that’s right for you.

When you choose WebFX as your SEO partner, you can rest assured that we’ll do everything in our power to help you earn the best possible ROI.

Not convinced that SEO is right for you?

If you’re still not convinced that SEO is right for you, don’t worry.

SEO is a low-risk investment, and it has the potential to yield an incredible ROI for your optometry practice.

What are you waiting for? We also offer social media, content marketing, web design, and so much more. For a complete overview of how these services work together, our guide to marketing strategies for optometry practices covers all the digital channels that help optometrists attract and retain more patients.

Learn more about optometry SEO

Want to learn more about how SEO can help your optometry practice reach new heights online?

Check out our custom SEO plans and pricing to see how our SEO costs align with your business goals. Contact us today to speak with a strategist and receive a custom quote.

We’ve driven more than $10 billion in revenue for clients in the last 5 years, and we’re excited to work with you to help you achieve your goals online!