Ranking a Massage Therapist #1 in Google Maps Throughout New York City
Comprehensive Local SEO Framework Ranks Massage Therapist #1 in Both Google Maps and Organic Local Results
The Impact of Chaz Edward Local Marketing's Service
Want to Dominate Local Search Rankings?
Client Overview: Massage Therapy SEO
Our client, a massage therapist, reached out to Chaz Edward Local Marketing with a clear goal: they wanted to dominate local search results across multiple geographic locations, including New York City and Manhattan.
Chaz developed a custom Massage Therapy SEO strategy to achieve the client’s objectives: improve Google Maps rankings, firmly establish their 3 Pack rankings throughout the metropolitan area, increase organic traffic, and generate a higher volume of qualified leads. The client had existing visibility but struggled to rank for competitive keywords in multiple service areas, and their presence on Google Maps was inconsistent. They were missing opportunities to connect with customers searching for services in these additional locations.
Over an 7-month period, we implemented a comprehensive Local SEO strategy that included detailed keyword research, competitor analysis, location-based content creation, technical SEO audits, ongoing GBP optimization, and link-building. By focusing on both visibility and relevance, we were able to significantly increase the client’s rankings, drive organic traffic, and elevate their local presence across several locations.
This local SEO case study for massage therapist demonstrates how effective SEO strategies can dramatically improve local search rankings and drive new clients to service-based businesses. The case study highlights the steps taken to drive these impressive Local business SEO results and demonstrates how other small businesses can achieve similar success.
Set-Up: SEO Strategy & Research for Massage Therapists
Competitor Listings Audit
Our process began with an in-depth competitor analysis. We identified the top two competitors in each of the client’s targeted service areas. Through this analysis, we were able to gather key insights into how these competitors structured their GBP listings, which categories they were using, and how well-optimized their profiles were. We also examined their local SEO strategies, including content structure, keyword usage, and backlink profiles. This competitor audit provided a roadmap that allowed us to position our client more effectively in local search rankings. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these top competitors, we formulated a strategy that would surpass their efforts and position our client as a dominant player in their service areas.
Keyword Targeting
With the competitor analysis complete, we moved into extensive keyword research. Our focus was on identifying high-intent keywords specific to each location and service the client offered. This included a mix of transactional keywords and informational keywords. We also incorporated long-tail keywords to capture searchers with specific needs and intents. By developing a keyword hierarchy that prioritized the most competitive terms, we were able to target both high-volume, competitive searches as well as niche, location-specific searches. These keywords formed the backbone of our content strategy, ensuring that every page we optimized or created was aligned with how users were searching in those areas.
Campaign Sheet & Content Planner
In addition to keyword research, we created a comprehensive campaign sheet that mapped out all of the tasks, milestones, and deadlines for the campaign. This included every aspect of the SEO strategy, from content creation and technical SEO fixes to link building and GBP optimization. The campaign sheet was essential for keeping the project organized and ensuring that every task was executed on time and in alignment with our strategic goals. Along with this, we developed a detailed content planner. This planner outlined the creation of service pages, location pages, blog posts, and other supporting content. Each piece of content was tied to the specific keywords we had identified, ensuring consistency and relevance throughout the campaign.
Semantic Core & Location Page Audits
A key component of our strategy was a semantic core analysis. By reviewing the semantic relationships between keywords and phrases on the client’s existing pages, we were able to optimize each page for broader keyword coverage without losing focus on core search terms. We audited every location page to ensure that they were optimized not only for local keywords but also for searcher intent. This audit helped us identify gaps in content and optimize the pages for both users and search engines. By ensuring that the semantic core aligned with searcher intent, we improved the contextual relevance of each page, which contributed to better rankings over time.
Technical SEO Audit
Our technical SEO audit involved a deep dive into the website’s infrastructure to identify and fix any issues that could hinder performance. This included optimizing page speed, improving mobile usability, resolving crawl errors, and ensuring that the website’s code was clean and easy for search engines to index. We fixed issues related to duplicate content, ensured that schema markup was implemented correctly, and addressed any internal linking issues. We also optimized image file sizes, implemented lazy loading for videos and images, and minimized code bloat to improve page load times. By enhancing the technical health of the website, we ensured that it was performing at its peak and fully optimized for search engine indexing.
Rank Tracker & Local Viking Geo Grids
We set up a rank tracker to monitor keyword positions and track the progress of the SEO campaign. This provided valuable insights into how well specific keywords were performing and allowed us to make real-time adjustments to our strategy as needed. Additionally, we used Local Viking Geo Grids to monitor the client’s Google Maps rankings across different service areas. This gave us a clear visual representation of where the client was ranking for key search terms in various geographic locations. The geo grids provided us with location-specific data that helped inform our ongoing local SEO strategy, ensuring that we were targeting the right areas and improving visibility where it mattered most.
Initial SEO Tasks to Rank a Massage Therapist Locally
Low-Content Revenue Pages
During the initial audit of the client’s website, we identified several revenue-generating pages that had thin content. These pages were underperforming because they lacked depth, keyword optimization, and sufficient local relevance. To address this, we expanded the content on each of these pages by adding detailed service descriptions, locally relevant keywords, and customer testimonials. We also ensured that the content addressed common customer pain points and frequently asked questions, making these pages more useful to both users and search engines. The enhanced content led to improved rankings and higher engagement from site visitors.
Additional Location Pages & Service Pages
As part of our strategy to increase the client’s local visibility, we created new location pages for each of the client’s service areas. Each location page was optimized for its specific geographic area, including the use of location-based keywords, Google Maps embeds, and localized service descriptions. We also added new service pages to the website to target services that were either missing or not fully covered in the existing site structure. These pages were optimized for both local and service-specific search terms, allowing the client to rank for a broader range of keywords and capture more traffic.
Hub Pages, Areas Served Pages, & All Services Pages
To improve internal linking and the overall structure of the site, we created hub pages that grouped the client’s services into relevant categories. We also built an “Areas Served” page that listed all of the locations where the client operates, providing users with an easy way to find services in their area. Additionally, we created an “All Services” page that linked to each individual service page, improving the site’s architecture and making it easier for both users and search engines to navigate.
Project Gallery, Local Success Stories, and Case Studies
To further build trust with potential customers and enhance the client’s topical authority, we created a project gallery, along with local success stories and case studies. These additions showcased the client’s successful projects and highlighted their experience in serving customers in various locations. The project gallery included before-and-after images, while the success stories and case studies provided detailed narratives of how the client solved specific customer problems. This not only improved the user experience but also contributed to better rankings by providing unique, engaging content.
About, Business, and Team Pages
We expanded the About, Business, and Team pages to provide more detailed information about the client’s company, history, and team members. Personalizing these pages helped build trust with users and gave the client a competitive edge for branded search terms. We also optimized these pages with location-specific keywords, ensuring that they contributed to the overall local SEO strategy.
Resource Pages, Checklists, FAQs, and Blogs
As part of our content strategy, we developed resource pages, checklists, FAQs, and blog posts that provided valuable information to users. These pages were designed to target long-tail keywords and answer common customer questions. By providing informative, engaging content, we were able to capture additional traffic and establish the client as a trusted resource in their industry. The FAQs, in particular, helped improve massage therapist rankings by addressing specific user queries and providing clear, concise answers.
Technical SEO & On-Page Optimization for Massage Therapy Websites
Website Optimization and Site SEO Set-Up
Our full SEO setup included optimizing all key pages for target keywords, as well as implementing on-page SEO best practices. We optimized meta titles, meta descriptions, and header tags across all major service and location pages. We also focused on keyword placement within the content, ensuring that it was naturally integrated and aligned with search intent. This helped improve click-through rates and rankings for critical pages.
Site Performance Set-Up
Improving the site’s performance was a top priority. We addressed issues related to page speed, mobile responsiveness, and user experience by optimizing images, minifying code, and implementing lazy loading for heavy content like videos and images. These efforts resulted in faster page load times and a better user experience, which in turn contributed to better rankings.
Location Page Optimization
Each location page was meticulously optimized to include local keywords, relevant service descriptions, and customer testimonials. We also embedded Google Maps into each location page to boost local relevance and improve massage therapist rankings in Google’s local pack.
GA & GSC Set-Up and Looker Studio Integration
To track performance, we set up Google Analytics (GA) and Google Search Console (GSC) to monitor key metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate, and goal completions. We also integrated Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) to provide custom reports that gave the client real-time insights into the performance of their SEO campaign. These reports helped the client understand the value of the SEO efforts and the progress being made month over month.
Massage Therapist Google Business Profile Optimization
GBP Audits & Local Viking Competitor Audit
We performed a detailed audit of the client’s Google Business Profile (GBP) for each location, ensuring that all information was accurate and optimized for search. This included updating NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency, optimizing business categories, and regularly updating the profile with new photos, posts, and videos. We also conducted a competitor audit using Local Viking to understand how top competitors were using their GBP listings to rank in Google Maps. This audit informed our optimization efforts, allowing us to fine-tune the client’s GBP listings for better performance.
Client Check-Ins & Strategic Adjustments
2-Week Client Check-In
Two weeks into the campaign, we scheduled a Zoom call with the client to review any outstanding onboarding items and ensure that they were aligned with our approach. During this call, we also discussed the content strategy and provided an overview of the keyword targeting and semantic strategy. This check-in was crucial for keeping the client informed and making any necessary adjustments early in the campaign.
End-of-Month Strategy Sessions
At the end of each month, we held a strategy session to review the campaign’s progress. We analyzed performance data from GA, GSC, and Looker Studio reports, as well as rank tracking and geo grid data from Local Viking. These strategy sessions allowed us to adjust our approach based on real-time results and ensure that we were meeting the client’s goals.
Monthly SEO Tasks
Content Creation and Publishing
Each month, we produced 4 new pages or blog posts as part of the content strategy. These posts were optimized for target keywords and focused on addressing user intent, whether it was informational content or service-specific content. The new content consistently improved the site’s SEO performance and helped the client rank for more keywords.
Website Optimization and Technical SEO Fixes
We performed ongoing technical SEO fixes and optimizations to ensure the site was running smoothly. This included resolving crawl errors, fixing broken links, optimizing internal linking, and improving page speed. We also implemented custom schema markup on key pages to enhance how the site appeared in search engine results.
Link Building and Backlink Earning
Our link-building strategy focused on acquiring high-quality, niche-relevant links each month. These backlinks helped build the site’s domain authority and improve its overall SEO performance.
Here are just some of the backlinks acquired through the course of the campaign.
Local Ranking Stack
We also implemented a local ranking stack strategy that combined press releases, guest posts, and Google Map embeds to boost local relevance and off-page signals. The Local Ranking Stack allows us to precisely target and quickly move rankings for our client’s service-level keywords. It leverages these 5 tactics which we explored in depth in our Stacking Signals case study.
- Create keyword relevance across multiple platforms
- Silo these relevant pages, posts, and assets using DAS principles
- Use hyper-local targeting to create map signals unique for each targeted location
- Align our local targeting with real-time GeoGrid rankings for precise targeting
- Create powerful and relevant signals that will improve massage therapist local rankings
Are You Ready to Rank Locally?
Details and Pricing: Amplify Local SEONews Article Syndication
We published high-quality articles on top-tier news websites to create additional brand prominence. These articles were a combination of advertorials for the client’s services, owner profile features, and notable brand announcements. These articles allowed us to acquire powerful brand links from authority sites like New York Weekly, CEO Weekly and Influencer Daily.
Brand Profiles, Business Listings, Competitor Signal Creation
Each month our off-page team built approximately 60 signals for the brand. These included a mix of citations, brand profiles, business directory listings, niche and local directories, and top-ranking competitor signals. After six months of consistent signal creation, we had exhausted all of the quality signals and profiles. This foundation signal creation helps boost the brand’s online prominence and we periodically force-indexed all the new signals. We helped further strengthen our branding efforts by strategically linking to the most authoritative signals in each subsequent month, creating a highly interlinked signal graph for our entity.
Patch Posts
Once we exhaust our lists of business listings, citations, and competitor signals we move on to locally optimized classified articles using Patch. These posts index well, can include embeds, NAP, and links and makes for a strong addition to our monthly signal creation. We ensure maximum impact by including the Company Name, Keyword and Location in each article title, very similar to our press release strategy.
GBP Posts, Photos, and Videos
To keep the GBP listings active and engaging, we regularly posted updates, photos, and videos. This helped improve the visibility of the listings in local search results and increased user interaction with the profiles. We also monitored and responded to customer reviews, ensuring that the client maintained a strong online reputation.
Social Media Posts, YouTube Video, and 30 Second Reels
As part of our monthly local SEO efforts, our Social Media team prepares 12 static posts, one video, and one 30-second reel for the location. These social media posts are all focused on our target search terms and allow us to amplify relevant content for the brand. This SM content is incorporated into our SEO strategy by linking these posts to our GBP listing, previous GBP posts, and our location and service pages. The monthly social media posts also form the basis of the Local Ranking Stack as each keyword-relevant post and video is embedded into our Geo Maps creating a highly relevant silo of content.
Results: Massage Therapist Ranked #1 in Local SERPs and Google Maps
Google Business Profile (GBP) Visibility
The geogrid comparison from Local Viking revealed a significant and steady improvement in the client’s Google Maps rankings throughout the campaign. At the onset, the client’s listings were underperforming across many of their target locations, with rankings frequently falling outside of the top 10. This poor visibility was evident in the predominantly red geo grids, indicating that in many areas, the client’s business was appearing in positions 15 or lower, far from the visibility needed to attract local traffic and generate leads. These lower rankings made it challenging for potential customers to discover the client’s business when searching for relevant services in their area, essentially limiting their online presence and reducing their competitiveness in the market.
By the end of the campaign, we saw a remarkable shift. Most of the locations that had been struggling were now ranking in the top 3 on Google Maps, with many of the red and orange zones from the initial geo grids turning green, representing top-tier rankings. This shift from low visibility to dominance in the top 3 was the direct result of our targeted Local SEO strategies, including optimized Google Business Profiles, strategic content updates, and consistent link building. The green grid areas signaled a substantial boost in local visibility, meaning the client was now prominently displayed in Google’s local pack for important search terms.
Organic Traffic Growth
The client experienced a substantial and sustained increase in organic traffic throughout the campaign, particularly in the final three months. At the beginning of this period, the client’s site was generating 6.09K clicks, which represented moderate traffic but still left significant room for growth. However, by the end of the campaign, clicks had surged to 9.4K—a clear indication that our Local SEO and content optimization efforts were working to capture more searchers and direct them to the client’s website. This 54% increase in clicks demonstrated that the optimizations we implemented were successfully improving the website’s visibility and relevance for the target keywords.
In tandem with the rise in clicks, impressions also experienced remarkable growth, soaring from 345K to 743K. This more than doubling of impressions underscored the extent to which our content strategy and technical SEO enhancements had broadened the client’s reach in search results. By targeting a wider array of relevant keywords, improving site performance, and optimizing both location-specific and service-related pages, we significantly increased the frequency with which the client appeared in search queries. The surge in impressions meant that the client’s website was being shown to a much larger audience, further enhancing the opportunities for conversion and lead generation. This impressive traffic growth was a direct reflection of the strategic approach we took to strengthen the client’s local SEO presence and optimize their site for organic performance.
Keyword Rankings Improvement
Key service-related keywords saw major ranking improvements. For example, “sports massage near me”, “massage therapy Manhattan” and many others improved to position 1. These top rankings not only increased the visibility of the client’s business but also established them as a trusted provider of these services in their local market. As a result, their website began to attract a higher volume of qualified traffic, leading to an increase in both online inquiries and direct customer calls. The consistent presence in the top 3 rankings across a range of search terms not only strengthened the client’s online authority but also provided a competitive edge over local competitors, ultimately driving more conversions and inquiries from interested customers.
Overall SEO Metrics
The overall SEO metrics showcased a substantial and sustained improvement in the client’s search engine performance, highlighting the long-term value of the Local SEO strategy implemented. One of the most significant achievements was the dramatic increase in the number of organic keywords ranking within the top 3 positions on Google. This shift in rankings was not isolated to a few select keywords but was seen across a wide range of high-intent service and location-specific terms, ensuring that the client’s business gained maximum visibility in the search results for multiple relevant queries.
The growth in traffic wasn’t just a short-term boost; it was part of a sustained upward trend that continued to build momentum as the campaign progressed. This consistent improvement in both rankings and traffic underscored the effectiveness of our holistic Local SEO strategy, which focused on optimizing on-page elements, building local relevance, and enhancing the client’s authority in their industry. Ultimately, the rise in keyword rankings and traffic translated into more qualified leads and inquiries, solidifying the client’s dominance in their local market and reinforcing the long-term value of the SEO efforts.
Conclusion
This local SEO case study for massage therapist highlights the effectiveness of a comprehensive Local SEO strategy that includes competitive analysis, content creation, GBP optimization, technical SEO, and link building. Over the course of 7 months, Chaz Edward Local Marketing was able to transform the client’s local visibility across multiple service areas, resulting in significant gains in Google Maps rankings, organic traffic, and lead generation. By focusing on both on-page and off-page SEO, we helped the client become a leader in their industry, solidifying their presence in local search results and driving long-term success.
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