SEO for optometrists is essential for boosting your online visibility, attracting more patients, and setting your practice apart. Most people searching for vision care, whether it’s for eye exams, contact lenses, or glasses start their journey with a search engine query. Whether on Google or ChatGPT, the practices that show up first gain more attention and trust. The higher your website ranks, the more credible you appear in the eyes of potential patients (even if that’s not always the case). Our optometrist clients often share that once they started ranking higher, patients came in already convinced they were the right choice making it much easier to grow their practice.
What is SEO?
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. It’s optimizing a website’s online content to ensure it ranks high on SERP or Search Engine Result Pages. Optimizing your website’s content relevance, link popularity, and technical configuration will make your optometry website more popular and easier to find, and increase organic traffic and revenue to your optometry clinic.
Understanding SEO Optimization
To fully implement this strategy as part of your marketing campaign for your optometry clinic, it’s important to understand why you need on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO to help your optometry website rank higher organically on SERP.
- On-Page SEO: This involves optimizing on-page elements like URL slugs, title tags, relevant keywords, internal links, and meta descriptions.
- Off-Page SEO: This involves optimizing off-page elements (or elements outside your website) like building backlinks, and making efforts to increase the exposure of your site using different platforms and channels.
- Technical SEO: This involves optimizing your optometry website for search engines, which usually involves elements like fixing indexing issues, duplicate content, page speed, and ensuring it’s a mobile-friendly website for a better user experience.
How SEO works
Now that you understand the importance of the different aspects of search engine optimization, it’s also essential to understand how SEO works:
- Crawling is usually the first step before your optometry website is considered for ranking on search engines. This is when search engine bots (or website crawlers) find new and updated content on your optometry website. The content on your website can include webpages, PDFs, videos, images, and other types of files that are accessible to these engine bots through links.
- Indexing is the next step after crawling, and this is usually when a website or page URL is indexed. Indexing involves storing, analyzing, and organizing the content and connections between the pages on your website. You want to ensure that you are indexing your website or webpage URL so search engines can find it and rank it on SERP.
- Ranking is the final step and will usually happen after search engines rank your web pages using intricate algorithms. Remember that factors like content quality, relevance, and overall user experience will also affect your ranking.
Difference Between SEO and Google Ads
Many eye care professionals wonder whether they should invest in SEO or simply run Google Ads. The main difference is that SEO focuses on organic results, meaning you don’t pay every time someone clicks on your website. It does, however, take time and consistency to build authority and rank well.
On the other hand, Google Ads allow you to appear at the very top of search results instantly, but only for as long as you are paying for the ads. For optometrists, the best strategy is often to use both Google Ads to capture quick patient leads and SEO to build a steady, long-term flow of new patients without ongoing ad spend.
Difference Between SEO and Google Ads
Many eye care professionals wonder whether they should invest in SEO or simply run Google Ads. The main difference is that SEO focuses on organic results, meaning you don’t pay every time someone clicks on your website. It does, however, take time and consistency to build authority and rank well.
On the other hand, Google Ads allow you to appear at the very top of search results instantly, but only for as long as you are paying for the ads. For optometrists, the best strategy is often to use both Google Ads to capture quick patient leads and SEO to build a steady, long-term flow of new patients without ongoing ad spend.
Google Business Profile (Previously Called Google My Business)
A Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the most powerful tools for local SEO, and it is especially important for optometrists. When someone searches for an eye doctor in your area, your GBP listing is often the first impression they will see.
An optimized profile should include your clinic’s contact details, business hours, services offered, and photos of your practice, staff, and eyewear selection. Features like online appointment booking, Q&A, and patient reviews further boost trust and engagement. Regularly updating your profile with posts about promotions, new eyewear arrivals, or eye health tips also keeps your practice visible and active in the eyes of potential patients.
Local SEO
For optometrists, local SEO is one of the most important strategies. Since most patients are searching for providers near their home or workplace, optimizing your online presence for local searches ensures that your clinic shows up in Google Maps and the local “3-pack” results.
This involves optimizing your website with local keywords, ensuring your clinic’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across online directories, and encouraging satisfied patients to leave reviews. Publishing location-based content, such as “Best Eye Exams in Los Angeles,” also helps establish local relevance and attracts nearby patients.
Competitive Offer
To stand out from other eye care practices in your area, it’s essential to highlight competitive offers that appeal to patients. This might include a free vision screening for new patients, special discounts on eyewear packages, or even same-day glasses service for busy individuals who need convenience.
You can also emphasize specialized care, such as pediatric optometry, dry eye treatment, or emergency eye exams, which may not be offered by every clinic in your area. Showcasing these unique benefits in your website content, Google Business Profile, and local ads gives patients a clear reason to choose your practice over competitors.
Why SEO for Optometrists?
Implementing SEO as your marketing strategy will help your optometry clinic establish credibility and a stronger online presence on SERP. This will then indicate to search engines and users that you are an expert in the field of optometry and that they can trust your optometry website.
SEO for optometrists can help you reach your target audience, with lower advertising costs compared to traditional advertising, and it will give you long-term results and a competitive advantage over local competitors without the need for expensive ads. Once your SEO strategy is in place, it can improve your digital return on investment while promoting your optometry website every day, and bring you a continuous stream of organic leads, sales, and high-quality traffic.
Let’s look at the results on SERP when searching for “Optometrist Near Me”:
Want to get started with SEO for optometrists, but don’t know how?
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO is the process of optimizing the content and structure of your website so that search engines can easily understand it and users can navigate it smoothly. For optometrists, this ensures that patients searching for services like “eye exams in Los Angeles” or “contact lens fitting near me” find a professional, well-optimized site that answers their needs. Below are the key elements every optometry website should focus on.
URL Slugs
URL Slugs (also known as website slugs) can be found at the very end of the URL address. Ideally, you will want to include the target or primary keyword of the page on your site since this will also be used as its unique identifier.
The first example uses the “testimonials” keyword as its URL slug. It indicates to the website visitor that the content of the webpage contains reviews and feedback from previous clients, and should contain all the information they need regarding the service.
Example: https://www.ea-ny.com/testimonials
Your URL slug doesn’t have to be just one keyword. You can use more keywords to describe the content of your webpage, like the second example below, which uses “pediatric-eye-exams”, catering specifically to eye exams for children. Using more than one keyword for your URL slug can help explain the product or service on your optometry web page.
Example: https://www.eyeandhealth.com/pediatric-eye-exams
Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions provide a summary of each page and appear under the title tag in search results. While they don’t directly impact rankings, they significantly affect click-through rates. For optometrists, an engaging meta description could look like this:
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“Modern eye care and designer frames in Fresno. Click or call to schedule your next eye exam with Fig Garden Optometry.”
Title Tags
Title Tags are usually HTML code tags. These give your optometry webpage a title and can be seen in the browser and on the search results page. Your title tag should support your keyword ranking efforts, and you can do so by ensuring it meets the search intent of a user.
Below is an example of a title tag on SERP:
The second example also showcases title tags, but on browser tabs instead:
Alt Tags
Alt tags (alternative text) describe the content of images for search engines and users who rely on screen readers. Since optometry websites often feature images of doctors performing exams, glasses displays, or advanced diagnostic equipment, adding descriptive alt text makes your site more accessible and improves its chances of ranking in Google Images.
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“Optometrist performing an eye exam in Los Angeles”
Does SEO for optometrists sound like too much work? We can take it from here!
Internal Links
Internal linking connects different pages within your website. For example, from your “Eye Exams” page, you could link to your “Contact Lens Fitting” page or your “Pediatric Eye Care” page. This helps patients discover related services and encourages them to spend more time browsing your site.
From an SEO standpoint, internal links signal to Google how your site is structured and which pages are most important. By creating logical pathways, you not only guide users but also improve your overall rankings. A good rule of thumb is to naturally include at least two to three internal links on every page.
External Links
External links point to other websites, usually trusted sources or industry authorities. Linking to reputable sites such as the American Optometric Association (AOA), National Eye Institute, or Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows both Google and your patients that your information is reliable.
For example, if you’re writing a blog post about dry eye, you might link to the AOA’s guidelines on dry eye management. This adds credibility to your content and builds patient trust. Just make sure to avoid linking to competitors in your area.
Compress Large Image Files
High-quality images of your clinic, staff, and eyewear selection are essential for building trust online. However, large, uncompressed image files can slow down your site, which frustrates visitors and negatively impacts SEO rankings.
By compressing images using tools like TinyPNG, ShortPixel, or built-in CMS plugins, you can significantly reduce file sizes without losing visual quality. A faster-loading website improves user experience, lowers bounce rates, and signals to Google that your site provides value. Considering that many patients will access your site on their phones with slower connections, this step is especially important.
Improve Readability Level
Patients want clear, simple explanations of your services, not dense medical jargon. Improving readability means writing in a way that the average reader can easily understand. For example, instead of saying “ocular examination,” you should say “eye exam.” Breaking information into shorter sentences and paragraphs also makes your content less overwhelming.
A conversational tone that explains complex topics in plain language builds trust and keeps patients engaged. When your content feels approachable, people are more likely to choose your practice.
Optimize Website
All of these elements come together in the broader goal of website optimization. A fully optimized site loads quickly, looks great on all devices, and is easy to navigate.
For an optometrist, that means patients should be able to find your services, contact details, and appointment booking options within just a few clicks. Clear menus, visible “Book Appointment” buttons, and a responsive design ensure that users have a smooth experience. When patients can navigate your site effortlessly, they are far more likely to call your office or schedule an appointment online, turning casual visitors into loyal patients.
Update Old Blog Posts
If your optometry website has a section specifically for blog posts, you will want to update these to maximize your reach and support your on-page SEO efforts. Updating old blog posts will also help your optometry website rank higher on relevant searches, and it will signal to search engines that your site content is relevant and up-to-date.
Understanding Keywords
Conducting keyword research is critical to support your SEO efforts for optometrists. Keyword research will help you understand the terms and search queries users use to find your products and services.
Monthly Search Volume
Monthly search volume refers to the number of times a specific keyword is searched in a given month. A keyword like “optometrist near me” might have thousands of monthly searches, while something more specific like “glaucoma screening optometrist Los Angeles” will have fewer searches but may bring in highly qualified leads.
Understanding search volume helps you balance between broad keywords that bring in more traffic and niche keywords that attract patients looking for specific services.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty measures how hard it is to rank for a particular keyword based on competition. High-volume keywords like “eye doctor” may be very competitive because many practices are trying to rank for them.
On the other hand, keywords with lower difficulty, such as “children’s eye exams in Los Angeles,” give you a better chance of ranking higher in search results. For optometrists, targeting a mix of easier, lower-difficulty keywords along with some competitive ones can lead to faster wins while building long-term authority.
Using Relevant Keywords
It’s not enough to just target popular keywords; you need to choose ones that are relevant to your practice. If you specialize in pediatric eye care, targeting “LASIK surgery” won’t help because that doesn’t match your services.
Instead, use keywords that accurately describe what you offer, such as “pediatric optometrist in Los Angeles” or “children’s vision tests.” Relevance ensures the right patients find your website and reduces the chances of people bouncing off your site after realizing you don’t offer what they were searching for.
Choosing the Right Target Keywords
Choosing target keywords means deciding which terms you’ll focus on in your content, title tags, and service pages. The right keywords should balance three things: search volume, keyword difficulty, and relevance.
For example, “optometrist in Los Angeles” is almost always a must-have target keyword because it directly drives patients in your area. From there, you can build supporting content around related services like “contact lens fitting” or “treatment for dry eyes.” By focusing on keywords that directly connect to patient intent, you maximize your chances of converting searchers into appointments.
Still unsure which keywords to choose for your SEO campaign?
Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific search phrases, such as “affordable eye exam for seniors in Los Angeles. While these may have lower search volume, they attract highly targeted patients who are closer to making a decision.
Long-tail keywords are especially important for optometrists because patients often search with specific needs in mind, whether it’s children’s eye exams, specialty lenses, or diabetic eye screenings. Ranking for long-tail terms can drive high-quality leads that are ready to book.
Short-Tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords are broad, general terms like “eye doctor” or “optometrist.” These have very high search volume but are extremely competitive. While you should still aim to rank for them over time, relying only on short-tail keywords can be difficult, especially for smaller practices.
The best strategy is to use short-tail keywords for your main service pages (like your homepage and general services page) and then support them with long-tail keywords that capture more specific patient searches.
Keyword Tools
Now that we understand the importance of keyword research, below are a few tools we recommend, which should help with your keyword research for SEO for optometrists.
Google Autocomplete Predictions
Google autocomplete predictions are a feature that uses an automated system to generate real and trending predictions, which are usually based on the location and language of the search query.
Google Related Searches
Related searches on Google can be found at the end of the results page. It’s a feature that will allow you to understand the search intent of your target audience better, and it also uses Google’s algorithm to generate SEO-related search keywords.
Google keyword planner
Google’s keyword planner is a great tool to use to help with keyword research because it will provide you with data insights on relevant and high-intent keywords, like how popular a keyword is and its competition level. It’s free and you can access it from Google Ads.
To use the keyword planner, all you have to do is enter the products or services offered by your optometry business, then click “Get results”.
The keyword planner will provide you with all the relevant keywords from your keyword search query. Make sure that you select the right location when using the keyword planner, since results can vary depending on the geographical location.
Browser Extension: Whatsmyserp
Browser extensions are another great tool to help with keyword research, for instance, WhatsMySerp. It’s a free tool that can give you data on related keywords, and it offers a free SERP checker tool. To use this tool, you will need to create an account.
Let’s look at an example result for the search “eye exam near me”:
Browser Extension: Keywords Everywhere
Keywords Everywhere is another browser extension you can use for keyword research. No signup or login is needed, and it offers a “freemium” plan that will provide you with enough keyword analytics, like volume searches, CPC, relevant keywords, and long-tail keywords.
Let’s look at an example result for the search “optometrist near me New York”:
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator
Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator. This tool helps uncover long-tail keywords and related ideas that may not appear in Google tools. It’s especially powerful for finding less competitive keywords that can bring in patients quickly.
Why “optometrist near me” and “best optometrist near me” are strong keywords because they bring in local, high-intent patients who are actively seeking eye care. Here’s why each works:
“Optometrist near me”
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Local + Immediate Intent → Searchers using this keyword need an eye exam, glasses, or contact lenses, and they want a provider close to them. This signals they’re ready to book an appointment.
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Boosts Local SEO → Google automatically connects the query with the searcher’s location, making it easier for optometry practices to show up in the local map pack and attract walk-ins or calls.
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Mobile & Voice Search Friendly → Many patients use voice assistants or smartphones to search: “Find an optometrist near me.” Optimizing for this keyword ensures your clinic appears in those results.
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High Conversion Rate → These users aren’t browsing for information — they’re seeking services nearby, which means more scheduled appointments.
“Best optometrist near me”
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Stronger Buying Signal → Adding “best” shows the searcher wants quality and trust, not just proximity. They’re more likely to compare reviews, ratings, and experience before booking.
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Reputation-Driven → This keyword favors practices that showcase patient testimonials, awards, and expertise, helping you stand out as the top choice in your area.
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Higher Value Patients → People searching “best” are often less price-sensitive and more focused on finding the most reliable provider, which can mean higher lifetime value.
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Competitive Advantage → Ranking for “best optometrist near me” positions your practice as a leader in your local market, not just one of many.
Why “optometrist salary” and “difference between optometrist and ophthalmologist” are not good keywords if your goal is to get more patients for an optometry practice.
“Optometrist salary”
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Wrong Audience → Attracts job seekers, students, or people curious about the profession — not patients looking for an eye exam or glasses.
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Zero Conversion Value → Even with high search volume, this traffic won’t result in bookings, calls, or new patients.
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Mismatched Intent → The search is career-related (informational), not service-related (transactional).
“Difference between optometrist and ophthalmologist”
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Educational, Not Transactional → Most people searching this want to understand the roles of each profession — students, researchers, or casual readers. Only a small fraction may be potential patients.
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Low Immediate ROI → Even if some searchers eventually need eye care, they’re still in the research stage, not ready to book.
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Dilutes Your SEO Focus → Having too much content around definitions and comparisons could confuse Google, making your site look more like an education blog than a local service provider.
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If your time is too valuable to spend learning SEO, we can do all the work for you!
Understanding Search Intent for Optometrists
Keyword research is only effective if you understand the search intent behind the words patients use. Search intent refers to the reason why someone is searching online.
Are they looking for general information? Are they trying to find a specific practice? Or are they ready to book an appointment? By understanding search intent, optometrists can create the right type of content that meets patients exactly where they are in their journey from researching eye health to scheduling a visit.
Informational Intent
Patients with informational intent are looking for answers, guidance, or education. They are not ready to book an appointment yet, but want to learn more about eye health topics. For example, a patient may search “what causes blurry vision” or “how often should kids get an eye exam.”
To capture this audience, optometrists can create blog posts, FAQ pages, or educational guides. Providing clear, trustworthy answers builds credibility and positions your practice as the go-to expert, making patients more likely to choose you later when they need professional care.
Navigational Intent
Navigational intent means the person already knows what business or brand they are looking for. For instance, someone searching “Dr. Smith Optometry Clinic” or “VisionCare Optometrists Los Angeles website” is trying to find a specific practice’s site.
To meet this intent, optometrists must ensure their website is easy to find by optimizing their Google Business Profile, keeping NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) details consistent, and maintaining strong brand visibility online. If a patient is already looking for you, your website should appear quickly and clearly in search results so they can get the information they need without confusion.
Commercial Intent
Patients with commercial intent are comparing options and considering which optometrist to choose. They might search “best optometrist in Los Angeles” or “pediatric eye doctor reviews near me.”
At this stage, they’re researching providers but haven’t committed yet. Optometrists can capture these searches by publishing service pages that highlight unique offerings, showcase testimonials, display pricing transparency when possible, and emphasize credentials or experience. Content that explains why your clinic is the right choice helps move patients closer to booking.
Transactional Intent
Transactional intent is the most valuable for optometrists. This is when a patient is ready to take action. A search like “book eye exam near me” or “schedule contact lens fitting Los Angeles” shows that the person is looking for immediate service.
To meet this intent, your website should make booking as simple as possible. Prominent “Book Appointment” buttons, click-to-call phone numbers, and streamlined online scheduling all help turn searchers into patients. Optimizing for transactional keywords ensures your practice captures people who are ready to convert right away.
Is SEO too much to set up on your own?
Off-Page SEO
While on-page SEO focuses on optimizing your website itself, off-page SEO is all about building your reputation and authority outside of your site.
Google uses signals from other websites, social platforms, and online communities to determine whether your optometry practice is trustworthy and worth ranking highly. For an optometrist, strong off-page SEO can mean more local visibility, stronger credibility, and a steady flow of new patients.
Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your site. They act like votes of confidence, signaling to Google that your optometry practice is reputable. For example, if a local health blog writes about “eye care tips” and links back to your website, it tells search engines that your site is a trusted source.
Quality matters more than quantity. Links from respected local organizations, medical associations, or community news outlets carry much more weight than random directories. Building backlinks through partnerships, press mentions, and community involvement can significantly boost your rankings.
You can use Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker.
Guest Posting
Guest posting is a tactic that can help with link-building for your site. As a result, it will be able to drive high-quality traffic to your optometry website whilst also improving your ranking on SERP. To be able to do guest posting, you can search for guesting opportunities by typing in a search engine search bar “write for us+optometry“. Effective guest posting will also help indicate to search engines that you are an industry expert.
It’s important to note that when you participate in guest posting opportunities, you will need to ensure that you are following all guidelines, like their quality, word count, content review, originality, and more.
Content Marketing
Content marketing goes beyond your own website and involves sharing valuable content across different channels to reach more people. This could include publishing informative blog posts, producing short educational videos about eye health, or creating infographics on topics like “Top 3 Foods for Healthy Vision.”
By distributing content on social media, email newsletters, or even local media outlets, you expand your reach and earn more opportunities for backlinks. For optometrists, content marketing demonstrates expertise, educates the community, and builds long-term trust with patients.
Social Media Marketing
Social media is a powerful off-page SEO tool because it allows you to connect directly with patients while also increasing your online visibility. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can be used to share updates, promote special offers, and post educational content.
For instance, posting before-and-after photos of patients getting new glasses (with permission) or sharing eye care tips can engage your local audience. Although social signals (likes, shares, comments) don’t directly affect Google rankings, they drive traffic, improve brand awareness, and can lead to more backlinks when your content gets shared widely.
You can check out our Social Media for Optometrists and TikTok Ads for Optometrists to know more about what type of content to put out for your clinic.
Local Listings
For an optometrist, local listings are crucial. These include directories like Yelp, Healthgrades, Zocdoc, and most importantly, Google Business Profile. Ensuring that your practice’s NAP information (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent across all listings helps Google verify your business’s legitimacy.
Positive reviews on these platforms also act as trust signals for both patients and search engines. Local listings not only improve your chances of appearing in the Google “Local Pack” (the map results at the top of searches) but also make it easy for patients to find and contact your practice.
Online Forums
Just like guest posting opportunities, online forums can help your SEO efforts for optometrists by gaining more backlinks and building authority. In addition to this, it will also drive traffic to your website, it will improve your ranking on SERP, and overall bring you more potential new clients.
When you join online forums, you want to ensure you establish your expertise in the optometry industry. You will also need to link relevant and trustworthy sources (like your optometry web pages) to support your answers. If you aren’t sure where to start, Reddit, Quora, LinkedIn, and Facebook are good places to start.
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AI SEO for Optometrists (LLM SEO, GEO, GSEO, ChatGPT SEO)
Search engines are no longer the only way patients discover information. Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are now acting as “answer engines,” delivering direct responses to patient questions.
This shift has created a new field called AI SEO (also known as LLM SEO, GEO, or GSEO), which focuses on optimizing your content so it appears in AI-generated answers. For optometrists, mastering AI SEO can help your practice get recommended when patients ask questions like “What’s the best optometrist near me?” or “How often should I have an eye exam?”
What is AI SEO?
AI SEO is the process of optimizing your website, content, and brand presence so that AI-driven tools (like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity) recognize your information as trustworthy and include it in their answers.
Unlike traditional SEO, which mainly focuses on ranking in Google’s search results, AI SEO is about being cited or summarized by conversational AI systems that patients increasingly rely on. For example, if someone asks ChatGPT, “What causes blurry vision?” the model may pull from your clinic’s blog post if it contains high-quality, original, and well-structured information.
Similarities with Traditional SEO
AI SEO shares many similarities with traditional SEO. Both require:
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Clear, well-structured content that answers patient questions directly.
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Authority and credibility signals such as backlinks, reviews, and mentions.
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User-friendly formatting like headings, FAQs, and bullet-point summaries.
In both cases, the goal is to be seen as the most reliable and helpful source of information. If you already follow best practices for SEO, you’re laying a strong foundation for AI SEO.
Differences in AI SEO
The key difference is that AI models don’t just rank websites; they summarize them. If your content looks generic and provides no new value beyond what’s already online, AI tools are less likely to reference it. Instead, AI prioritizes content that adds fresh insights, original data, or unique perspectives.
For optometrists, this means:
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If your blog post on “how to choose eyeglasses” says the same things as every other site, AI may ignore it.
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If you include new information such as your clinic’s own case studies, local statistics, or practical tips patients can’t easily find elsewhere, AI is much more likely to use your content in its summaries.
The more unique value you provide, the higher your chances of being cited in AI answers.
Role of Multimedia and PR in AI SEO
AI tools don’t only scan websites, they also pull insights from other sources. YouTube videos, for instance, are often summarized in AI answers. If your practice publishes short, educational videos such as “How to spot early signs of eye strain” or “Why kids need eye exams before school,” AI systems may extract and cite those points.
Similarly, press releases and PR articles published on reputable sites can increase your chances of being included in AI results. These count as fresh, authoritative mentions of your practice, boosting both visibility and trustworthiness.
How Different AIs Prioritize Content
Each AI system has its own way of deciding which content to use, and these priorities shift as the tools evolve. While the exact algorithms are not public, current trends suggest:
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ChatGPT tends to prioritize well-structured, explanatory content with clear answers, especially if it comes from authoritative sites.
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Gemini (Google’s AI) leans heavily on Google’s own ecosystem, so content that performs well in Google Search, YouTube, and Google News has an advantage.
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Perplexity emphasizes citation transparency and often pulls directly from recent articles, blogs, and forums—so freshness and credibility matter most here.
Because these systems are constantly updated, an effective AI SEO strategy involves continuously publishing new, original, and useful content across multiple platforms.
Why AI SEO Matters for Optometrists
Patients are no longer only typing “eye doctor near me” into Google; they’re also asking AI tools, “Who is the best optometrist in [city]?” or “What’s the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?”
If your clinic’s content is optimized for AI SEO, you increase the chances that these tools will cite your practice directly in their answers. This creates visibility, credibility, and patient trust before they ever click on your site.
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Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the next strategy you need to implement to ensure your SEO for optometrists efforts don’t go to waste. Ensuring that all technical aspects of your SEO for optometrists campaign are running will allow you to rank high on SERP, and the first technical aspect you could focus on for your optometry website is making sure it’s secure.
Website Security
Lacking website security on your optometry website poses a big risk not just for your actual website, but also for website visitors. Without website security, you are signaling search engines to rank your site low, since the risk of personal information from website visitors getting stolen, read, or modified by hackers will be high.
Making sure that your website is secure will help your optometry website gain the trust of users or website visitors, and one way to do this is by using HTTPS. This will make sure that your optometry website uses a “secure, encrypted connection,” and it will protect sensitive information from being compromised.
Single Website Version
Another technical aspect that goes hand in hand with website security is making sure your optometry website only has one accessible version. This will help support your campaign efforts for SEO for optometrists, and it will help avoid duplicate errors and issues.
Let’s have a look at the example below:
- Example: https://losangelesoptometrist.com
- Example: https://www.losangelesoptometrist.com
The example shows two versions of a website. The main difference between the two is that one has “www” at the beginning and the other does not, which will confuse search engines about which version to rank on SERP.
Avoid this to ensure that the performance of your optometry website won’t be negatively affected on Google. Having more than one single website version can also reduce the effectiveness of your backlinking profile and negatively affect your SEO efforts for SEO for optometrists.
Page Speed
Patients don’t want to wait for slow-loading pages, and neither does Google. A slow website can cause high bounce rates, where users leave before even seeing your services. Optometry sites often include images of frames, equipment, and staff, which can slow performance if not optimized.
Compressing images, using fast hosting, and enabling browser caching all help speed things up. A fast website provides a smoother experience for patients, improves rankings, and ensures you don’t lose potential appointments to frustration.
Mobile Friendly Website
Your optometry website should be accessible not just on desktop devices, but also on mobile devices. It is important to ensure that your site is mobile-friendly since many users and website visitors are likely using their smartphones to browse and search online, and because Google uses mobile-first indexing.
Check that your optometry website is compatible with different mobile devices in the market by using free tools like Mobile-Friendly Test on Google Search Console.
Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization happens when multiple pages on your site compete for the same keyword, confusing search engines about which page to prioritize. For example, if you have two pages optimized for “eye exams in Los Angeles,” both might rank poorly instead of one ranking highly.
To fix this, you can merge similar pages, adjust content to target slightly different keywords, or use internal linking to clarify the hierarchy. Eliminating keyword cannibalization helps ensure each service page has a clear purpose and the best chance to rank.
Fix Duplicate Content
Check if your optometry website has duplicate content by using tools like Semrush. You want to ensure that your site does not contain duplicate content, and if it does, make sure you fix it to avoid backlink dilution and wasted crawling spending.
Remember that the technical aspects of your SEO for optometrists campaign will support your SEO efforts to rank high on SERP, but if these are not fixed, for instance, duplicate content, it will make it hard for bots or website crawlers to decide which page should rank.
Using tools like Semrush can also help your optometry website by providing real-time performance reports that will identify your rank on search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, and YouTube.
Fix Broken Links
Just like fixing duplicate content, you want to find and fix any broken links on your website to support your SEO efforts for optometrists.
A broken link is when a website visitor is unable to access the link provided on your webpage, which can happen when there has been a change in the URL or if the page has been removed. This can also happen if you have forgotten to redirect the URL to its new domain.
Having broken or dead links in your optometry website can discourage users from converting, so make sure you update or remove these by using tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs’ Broken Link Checker. Using these tools will also allow you to track the performance and ranking of your website on SERP.
Improve User Experience (UX)
User experience is at the heart of technical SEO. Google tracks signals like how long patients stay on your site, how many pages they visit, and whether they leave quickly.
A well-designed optometry site should be simple to navigate, visually appealing, and intuitive. Clear menus, easy-to-find “Book Appointment” buttons, and logical page structures keep patients engaged. A good UX doesn’t just help with rankings, it directly improves patient satisfaction and conversions.
Analytics and Monitoring Your Website
No SEO strategy is complete without ongoing monitoring. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console provide valuable insights into how your site is performing.
You can track where your visitors come from, which keywords bring in traffic, and how many people complete booking actions. Regularly checking your analytics helps identify what’s working and what needs improvement. For optometrists, this means you can refine your strategy to attract more patients and measure the return on your SEO investment.
Don’t have the time to start and maintain?
Common SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, many optometry practices make critical SEO mistakes that hold back their online visibility.
Keyword Stuffing and Over-Optimization
A common mistake many optometry practices make is overusing keywords on their website. While terms like “optometrist near me” or “eye exam in Los Angeles” are important, cramming them into every sentence makes your content sound unnatural.
Search engines today are smart enough to detect this, and instead of rewarding your site, they may lower its rankings. Focus on writing content that flows naturally while still including important keywords strategically.
Neglecting Mobile Optimization
More than half of patients search for local services, including optometrists, on their smartphones. If your website doesn’t load quickly or display correctly on mobile devices, visitors are likely to leave before booking an appointment. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search rankings, so ignoring this factor can cost you both traffic and patients.
Ignoring User Experience (UX)
Even if your SEO strategy brings people to your site, a poor user experience can drive them away. Complicated navigation, slow-loading pages, or unclear calls to action, such as not having a prominent “Book Appointment” button, can frustrate potential patients. A clean, user-friendly website not only helps with SEO but also builds trust and encourages patients to take action.
Conclusion
If you want to experience long-term results that will consistently bring your optometric clinic more new clients, then SEO for optometrists is the advertising marketing strategy you want.
Investing in SEO for optometrists will help your optometry clinic not only to stand out over local competitors, but it will also help establish a stronger online presence by ranking high on search engine results pages and by making sure new clients can easily find your products and services. Additionally, effective implementation of on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO in your SEO for optometrists campaign will help you build credibility and trust, gaining more new clients and revenue as a result.
At YoYoFuMedia, we have been able to successfully run over 1,000 SEO campaigns for our clients. If you carefully implement all the SEO strategies and best practices discussed in this blog post, you will be able to successfully run your SEO for optometrists campaign. For faster results, you can consider Google Ads for Optometrists instead, or visit YoYoFuMedia’s page to learn more about our successful SEO and Google Ads campaigns.
If you don’t have the time to personally manage and optimize your SEO for optometrists, Schedule A Free Consultation with our team of experts, and watch how your ROI grows exponentially once your SEO for optometrists is up and running.
