I co-run one of Australia’s leading SEO agencies. Last year, our team took out the number one SEO award from nearly 900 entrants, and we’ve recently published a book on SEO. It’s a really significant portion of our product make-up, and we spend every day learning more about how search works, how it’s changing, and how businesses can maximise it.
Which is exactly why what I’m about to say usually catches people so off guard.
I don’t recommend SEO as the first priority for start-up private practices.
I’m not saying SEO doesn’t work, or that it isn’t worth investing in. But for private practices, it tends to be more effective when introduced at the right stage rather than as a first step.
SEO is effective, but it’s rarely fast
When you’re launching a private practice, the pressure is immediate and very real. Rent, registration fees, insurance, and admin costs don’t wait until your website shows up on the first page of Google. There’s constant pressure for enquiries to turn into real bookings quickly, and that urgency is why so many practices that lean on SEO this early end up disappointed.
SEO is a medium-long-term strategy; this is well-known by now. For a brand-new website, it can take months for Google to have enough signals to start ranking it consistently, and in some cases, even longer. In healthcare, that timeline is often extended further because of how cautious Google is around content that relates to people’s health and wellbeing.
This all comes down to Google’s EEAT and YMYL guidelines.
EEAT focuses on Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness, which means Google looks for evidence that you’re a legitimate, credible provider with real-world experience.
YMYL, which stands for “Your Money or Your Life”, applies to industries that can directly impact someone’s health, safety, or finances.
For a new private practice with no reviews, no backlinks, and no established online history, SEO can feel like a rough uphill battle, which isn’t ideal when you’re working with a limited budget and need clients now, not down the line.
What works faster? Google Ads
Google Ads often makes more sense early on, especially for private practices.
Unlike SEO, Ads don’t require months of groundwork before they start working. With the right structure and targeting, they can put your practice in front of people who are actively searching for support, literally within hours of the campaign going live.
For start-up practices, quick turnarounds can be make-or-break. Google Ads lets you control your spend, test what messaging resonates, and start generating enquiries while everything else is still being set up. More importantly, they help create cash flow, giving you room to think more strategically rather than react under pressure.
When does SEO make sense?
Once a practice has found its feet, has consistent enquiries coming in, and isn’t operating in survival mode, SEO becomes a far more effective and less stressful investment.
At that stage, SEO helps reduce reliance on paid ads over time, strengthens local visibility, and builds trust with people who are researching before choosing a provider. It becomes part of a broader, more reliable marketing strategy rather than something you’re anxiously waiting on.
In most cases, SEO complements Google Ads rather than simply replacing them. Ads can drive momentum in the early days, while SEO supports consistent, long-term growth once the gears start turning and the business has generated the revenue to support these efforts.
If budget allows, combining both works well
If a practice has the budget to invest in both SEO and Google Ads from the get-go, that is the best-case scenario, setting up long-term success while still generating enquiries and revenue. But when resources are tight and you need bookings or enquiries quickly, a choice has to be made, and Google Ads are typically the best way to go.
SEO is really effective, but it does require some patience. For most private practice owners, the more sustainable path is to focus on the short term first, then zoom out when the time is right.
– Nathanael Hubbard, Co-Founder of Excite Media
