Weight loss clinic marketing is uniquely challenging for a handful of reasons:

1. Market competition: The weight loss industry has a large TAM, and many weight loss companies have multi-million-dollar marketing budgets. This competition makes it challenging for smaller clinics to compete.
2. Building patient trust: Patients are aware of unscrupulous weight loss providers promising unrealistic results. This makes it challenging to build patient trust. Additionally, traditional trust-building methods, such as customer case studies, are often not possible in the medical industry due to HIPAA compliance.
3. Long buying cycles: Unlike other local businesses, like a local bakery, medical weight loss patients don’t make a purchase decision in a single day. It’s a considered process and a longer buying cycle, meaning your marketing strategy must involve more lead nurturing and follow-up.

We recognize all of these challenges and have developed a weight loss clinic marketing strategy that still allows you to generate a steady pipeline of qualified patients predictably.

Our Step by Step Weight Loss Clinic Marketing Strategy

There are many marketing tactics you can implement to generate leads. 

Yet tactics alone can only move the needle so much. Instead, build a solid foundation so that each marketing campaign builds upon the previous campaign to generate compounding results.

For example, if you run paid ads to a landing page that’s poorly optimized, the ads won’t convert. 

This is why we first start by establishing a strong SEO foundation so that search engines and LLMs can easily discover your website.

Then, we’ll build the clinic’s credibility through thought leadership content and participate in industry conversations (e.g., podcast appearances, guest posts, etc.).

After building a strong organic foundation and establishing the clinic’s credibility, we’ll run Google ads. 

Here’s a more detailed overview of each step of the process.

Step 1: Create a Google Business Profile

Google remains the primary platform many patients use to research credible weight loss doctors, so our first priority is setting up a Google Business Profile.

By creating a Google Business Profile, the following information box will appear when patients search your clinic’s name:

More importantly, creating a Google Business Profile enables your clinic to appear in the map pack when patients search for weight loss clinics nearby.

Here’s an example of the map pack:

Creating a Google Business Profile is relatively simple.

You’ll fill out your clinic’s name, address, phone number, operating hours, and About section. You can also upload a variety of interior and exterior photos.

Finally, you’ll verify your address via postcard.

Source

In addition to filling out the basic information, you can further optimize your Google Business Profile by creating posts and responding to questions and comments. 

Here’s a great example of a plastic surgery clinic that actively updates its Google Business Profile posts:

However, reviews are arguably the most impactful element of your Google Business Profile. 

Not only are reviews valuable for converting new patients, but they can also help you rank higher in the map pack.

It’s illegal to offer a monetary incentive for patients to leave a review (positive or negative), though there are a few ways you can encourage reviews.

First, train staff to ask patients for reviews in person. 

For example, tape a QR code to the front desk and give staff the following script:

“We’re working on increasing our rankings in Google, and earning more reviews can help. If you could take 30 seconds to scan this QR code and leave a review, we’d really appreciate it!”

Secondly, consider creating SMS and email based follow-ups. 

For example, you could use a tool like Textedly to create an SMS review campaign. They also offer a variety of review request templates.

Additionally, you can send patients a follow-up survey asking them about their overall experience with your clinic, and include a link to your Google reviews. 

Step 2: Implement Basic Technical SEO 

Technical SEO may seem intimidating, but the fundamentals (which are usually all you need to worry about) are relatively simple. 

Essentially, your website needs to be easy enough for both visitors and search engines to quickly and easily find all of your pages. 

If you do get stuck, you can always give this checklist to a technical SEO on Upwork to execute the tasks for you.  

Before jumping into the checklist, set up Google Search Console.

This tool is excellent for identifying and uncovering technical errors (many of which we’ll discuss in detail below), and it also provides data on keywords driving traffic, CTRs, and other helpful data:

Website Architecture

First, ensure that you have the correct pages on your website and that each critical page is accessible within 2-3 clicks from your homepage. 

Here’s a sample website architecture for a basic weight loss clinic website:

Using this website architecture makes it easy for both search engines and users to quickly find what they’re looking for, delivering a positive user experience.

Strategic Internal Linking

In addition to structuring the main menu of your website appropriately, adding internal links contextually throughout the website can also help your other content be discovered.

For example, you’ll likely include some context about the doctors at each clinic on the location page, so internally link to the more detailed bio page about each doctor.

Check Indexation Issues

If a page isn’t indexed, bots can’t crawl it and it therefore can’t rank in search results.

However, not every page needs to be indexed. 

Therefore, you can check the reasons why pages aren’t indexed by scrolling down:

Page Speed Optimization 

A slow loading website is frustrating, and most users will leave it altogether. 

Use a tool like PageSpeed Insights to check your website speed, or simply check the Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console.

If there are problems with your website speed, you can send the report to a page speed optimization expert on Upwork: 

Use Local Business Schema Markup

Schema markup further helps Google easily understand that you’re a weight loss clinic that offers weight loss solutions.

You can learn more about local business schema at schema.org, though the easiest solution is to use a plugin like RankMath that does this for you.

Embed a Map on Your Website

Embedding a map on your clinic’s location pages (assuming you have a clinic in the targeted city) is also a great way to further reinforce the idea that your clinic is open in that location.

If you only have one location, you can also embed the map on your contact page. 

Optimize The Mobile Experience

Patients who are ready to buy are likely browsing your website on their mobile device, so it’s essential to have a simple and easy-to-use mobile site.

Today, most website themes are responsive on mobile, but they aren’t necessarily well optimized for mobile. 

Specifically, make sure the “call” button is placed prominently at the top of the mobile site.

Additionally, position the main value proposition above the fold and give users an incentive to continue scrolling (e.g., position the first line of a paragraph above the fold).

Here’s a great example of a well optimized mobile site: 

Step 3: Execute On Page SEO and Content Marketing

Creating a solid technical foundation means that your website is essentially structurally sound and ready to be crawled by search engines and navigated by users.

However, you then need to fill each page with relevant information to attract the right users. 

Basic Keyword Optimization

Today, search engines and LLMs are fairly sophisticated at understanding what a page is about, even if it doesn’t include the exact keyword a user types.

For example, a well-optimized page ranking for “semaglutide clinic” would likely also rank for “weight loss clinic” as the searcher’s intent is very similar.

However, including the main keyword in the title, a subheader or two, and several times throughout the text can help search engines better understand that the page is designed for users searching that keyword. 

Also, use a shortened version of the keyword in the URL as well. 

For example, if the keyword is “semaglutide clinic in Atlanta,” the URL should be something like: www.example.com/semaglutide-atlanta.

Create Unique Content For Location and Services Pages

One of the most challenging elements of on-page SEO for a local business is creating unique content for all of your location and service pages.

If the content on each page is too thin, search engines and LLMs might lack context to understand what that page is about and therefore won’t rank it.

On the other hand, if it’s overly repetitive, search engines may view your website as less credible and helpful due to its lack of unique value, which can negatively impact rankings.

To ensure your content is unique, use this basic outline for services pages as it embeds unique differentiators into the content:

• About the condition
• Studies and data on semaglutide treatment for that condition
• Your treatment process for that specific service
• FAQs (procedure recovery time, cost estimates, etc.)

Here’s a basic outline you can use for location based pages to ensure each is unique:

• Introduction of the location and nearby landmarks
• Brief overview of the doctors who work there
• Local partnerships and community connections
• Conditions treated at that location
• Location-specific hours and scheduling
• Parking and directions

Optimize The Design For Scannability

User experience is a major factor search engines consider when ranking websites, because users will simply leave if it’s just a wall of text that’s difficult to consume. 

Here are a few basic rules to consider when optimizing the design for scannability:

• Use plenty of bullet points
• Avoid paragraphs that are longer than three lines tall
• Embrace white space
• Implement a consistent visual hierarchy with different font sizes and weights
• Include relevant images, icons, and graphics to break up text blocks
• Use contrasting colors for important information like call-to-action buttons
• Add visual cues like arrows, borders, or background colors to guide the eye

Create Content Relevant to Weight Loss

Publishing a library of detailed, authoritative content about medical weight loss helps search engines and LLMs understand that your clinic is an authority on that topic. 

Content is also a great way to attract potential patients to your clinic. While not all people reading your content will live near your clinic and become patients, it will help convert those who do live within a reasonable distance.

Here are a few different keyword categories and keywords you can write blog articles on:

Medication Based Keywords

• Semaglutide weight loss
• Ozempic for weight loss
• Wegovy weight loss program
• Tirzepatide weight loss
• GLP-1 weight loss medications
• Prescription appetite suppressants
• Weight loss injections
• Medical weight loss with semaglutide

Program Based Keywords

• Personalized weight loss programs
• Sustainable weight loss solutions
• Non-surgical weight loss clinic
• Long-term weight loss success

Nutrition and Lifestyle Keywords

• weight loss meal plans
• nutritionist vs dietitian for weight loss
• metabolic health and weight loss
• healthy weight loss tips from doctors
• medical weight loss diet
• low carb medical diet
• intermittent fasting under medical supervision
• behavioral change weight loss
• lifestyle medicine for weight loss

Condition Based Keywords 

• weight loss for diabetes management
• PCOS weight loss doctor
• postmenopausal weight loss treatment
• hormone imbalance and weight gain
• weight loss for high blood pressure
• metabolic syndrome weight loss
• weight loss after 40
• weight loss for women over 50

As you’re creating content for these keywords, here are a few tips:

1. Medically reviewed: Google wants to show its users legitimate information – especially if it’s related to health. Therefore, include a tag in the author bio that the article was at least medically reviewed by one of your doctors.
2. Easy-to-understand: Avoid using any jargon and make sure that even a high school student can understand it. Using medical language can confuse people, so break down complex concepts using simple language. Analogies can also help people understand.
3. Easy-to-scan: People will click away if your blog post is just a wall of text. Instead, make each paragraph no more than three sentences long, use plenty of graphics, and incorporate bullet points to break up the text.

Step 4: Off Page SEO

Which doctor are you more likely to a trust:

1. One recommended by a friend?
2. One that recommends themselves?

In most cases, you’d choose the doctor a friend recommends.

In digital marketing, links from other trusted medical websites are similar to friend recommendations. 

Search engines like Google view links as signals that your weight loss clinic is a legitimate and trusted source, which they can direct their users to for information about weight loss. 

Patients are also more likely to trust your clinic if they see a credible website, such as Harvard, mentioning your clinic. 

Earning links and brand mentions from other websites is often considered “off page SEO.”

So how do you earn more links and brand mentions? And which websites should you target for links?

There are several buckets of ideal websites for weight loss clinics to earn links and brand mentions from:

1. Local citations (e.g., Yelp, ZocDoc, etc.)
2. Trusted medical and websites (e.g., Harvard, WebMD, Obesity World Conference, etc.)
3. Trusted general websites (e.g., New York Times, Forbes, etc.)
4. Trusted medical creators (e.g., Andrew Huberman, Peter Attia, etc.)
5. Partners (e.g., primary care physicians, personal trainers, nutritionists/dietitians, etc.)
6. Trusted local organizations (e.g., local charities, other local hospitals and clinics, etc.) 

Below, we’ll discuss how to find and pitch organizations in each of these categories.

1. Earn Local Citations

Local citations are business directory listings, such as Yelp and ZocDoc. 

Business directory listings are the easiest links to achieve because you create them yourself (i.e., you don’t have to get another person to agree to create the link for you). 

Yet they’re very important from an SEO standpoint, and the more relevant directory listings you obtain, the more it will help your clinic show up for local searches.

Local citations are also incredibly valuable for brand awareness. In fact the top search result for “weight loss doctor near me” is Yelp:

Therefore, appearing as the top business on Yelp is almost as valuable as the top result on Google. 

Local citations are also very valuable from an SEO standpoint. The more relevant local directories search engines see your medical weight loss clinic appear in, the more credible you appear.

However, it’s critical that the name, address, and phone number across all of these citations is consistent. 

If there are any discrepancies across these results, it can negatively impact your local SEO.

So if you have multiple locations, you might want to consider using a tool like BrightLocal, which allows you to identify and manage all of your local citations in one place: 

However, search engines (and users) realize that you can create all of these citations yourself, so it only minimally increases your clinic’s credibility. 

Therefore, the next strategies we’ll discuss involve collaborations with other respected industry experts. 

2. Ask For Links/Mentions From Partners

The lowest-hanging fruit (i.e., the least amount of effort required to deliver high-impact results) is asking your partners to link to your website. 

Here’s a list of potential partners you might want to reach out to:

• Primary Care Physicians: For patient referrals and coordinated care
• Endocrinologists: Especially for hormone-related weight issues
• Pharmacies/Compounding Pharmacies: For distributing medications like semaglutide
• Labs (e.g. Quest, Labcorp): For blood work and metabolic testing
• Fitness Centers or Personal Trainers: To offer integrated fitness plans
• Behavioral Therapists / Psychologists: For emotional eating, body image, etc.
• Nutritionists/Dietitians: For meal planning and nutrition counseling

You can create a page with all of your partners and then reach out to them with a request for links like this:

Hi (name),

We recently created a page for all of our partners. We included you under our (X) category. Feel free to check it out here.

Also, as we’re working on creating our own online presence. Would you consider adding a link to our website (provide a location suggestion here – on the partners page, on the blog, etc.)? 

Thanks,

John

By creating your own list of local partners and featuring them, those partners are more likely to respond positively to your request.

3. Guest Posting/Quote Contribution on Medical Websites 

Here’s a great example of how a doctor became featured on Healthline and earned a great link:

While Healthline is a great option, you can also use a tool like SparkToro to find trusted medical websites.

Enter keywords like “semaglutide options,” “medical weight loss,” or “obesity treatments,” and it will show you a list of the top websites your audience visits:

However, not all of these websites will accept guest posts, as many of them are also competitive providers. 

Therefore, you can also use a tool like ChatGPT to find relevant websites. Here’s an example of a prompt I gave ChatGPT:

Here are some of the results it provided:

Some of these publications, like Psychology Today, will allow you to have a regular author column. These regular articles can further lift your customer’s brand presence. 

If you’re having trouble getting a response from a larger publication, like WebMD and Healthline, start by reaching out to some smaller publications. To find smaller publications, here’s how I amended my prompt:

The resulting responses are much more targeted towards obesity and a perfect match for a weight loss clinic:

When you pitch these websites, put yourself in the shoes of an editor – how can you create a blog post that will make their brand look good?

Here are a few angles you can use:

1. New research reaction: When new research emerges on medical weight loss or Ozempic, leverage the data to create an authoritative thought leadership piece with your doctor’s expert analysis.
2. New treatment reaction: As new treatments become available, reach out and create a “what you need to know about X” type of pitch.
3. Content update: For websites that already have an informational guide on Ozempic or other medical weight loss treatments, offer to update the content for them with expert quotes from your doctors.  
4. Personal story: Do any of your doctors have a unique story? For example, the Physicians Committee featured a weight loss doctor because they shared their own journey with weight loss and how they now help patients solve similar challenges: 

4. Guest Posting/Quote Contribution on General Websites 

Guest posting or receiving quotes from websites like Forbes, The New York Times, or other major publications is more challenging, but you can receive a positive response if you have a great story and pitch. 

Here’s a great example of how a weight loss doctor received a mention on USA Today:

First, look for specific journalists at each of these publications. 

You can ask ChatGPT for help identifying the right journalist to reach out to:

As you’re reaching out to these journalists, be sure to attach it to a recent story or study on medical weight loss. 

You can use a social listening tool like Buzzsumo, Brand24, or Sprout Social to track keywords like “ozempic,” “semaglutide,” or “medical weight loss” to alert you of stories in general pop culture. 

Or, you can even use a free tool like Google Alerts:

Then, you can leverage newsjacking to offer a story to journalists that infuses your doctor’s professional perspective on a trending story.

5. Appear as a Guest on Reputable Medical Podcasts 

Appearing as a guest on podcasts (and even YouTube channels) is an underrated strategy to not only earn links but also build brand credibility and establish your doctors as thought leaders.

For example, Dr. Andrew Huberman recently did a podcast episode on Ozempic:

You can see that they included links to his affiliated websites in the show notes:

To find relevant podcasts, you can use SparkToro and type in “ozempic” or “medical weight loss” to find relevant websites: 

Alternatively, you can also do a quick search on ChatGPT for some relevant podcasts. I found that the results were pretty good:

Reach out to these podcast hosts individually and pitch them on specific insights that your doctors can bring to the podcast. For example, here’s a pitch you could send:

Hi (name),

I recently found your podcast and appreciate the detailed research you bring to each episode. 

I work with Dr. Alice Smith, a licensed medical weight loss doctor, and she’d be happy to do an episode discussing medical weight loss. 

Specifically, she can speak broadly about:

• Recent medical weight loss news and studies 

• Different types of medical weight loss options and how they work
• What patients should know before investing in medical weight loss

Let me know if you have any additional questions or if you’d like a more detailed episode outline. 

Thanks!

John

These podcast episodes can also be repurposed into social media clips, further increasing your doctor’s credibility.

6. Sponsor Local and National Events/Charities

In addition to earning valuable links, sponsoring health-related local and national events immediately gives your brand significantly more credibility for two reasons:

1. Borrowed trust: If the organization you’re sponsoring is well respected in the medical field or well established in your local community, your affiliation with them essentially borrows that trust. 
2. Proves legitimacy: There are plenty of illegitimate websites promising weight loss miracles, but they’re nothing more than a website. However, patients are much more likely to believe you’re a real clinic if they see that you’ve sponsored local or national events/charities. 

So how do you find local or national events and charities?

Again, ChatGPT is a great resource. To find local events, you can use a prompt like this:

Here are a list of excellent charities and events a weight loss clinic in Atlanta, GA could sponsor:

In addition to local events and organizations, you can also sponsor nationally recognized weight loss conferences and organizations. 

These organizations are arguably even stronger links, as they often have more authority.

Here’s a list of excellent ideas from ChatGPT:

Step 5: Create a Funnel to Capture and Retain Leads

Many marketers devote all of their efforts to attracting website visitors, but most people won’t buy the first time they visit your website. 

Instead, you must build trust and educate them before they’ll take the next step and schedule a consultation. 

The problem is that most people won’t come back to your website after visiting it just once. 

The solution is to capture their email and remarket to them.

To earn their email, offer a valuable asset, like a free calculator or tool. A great example is a “medical weight loss quiz.” 

Here’s a great example:

Once you’ve captured their email address, you can send them content educating them on medical weight loss. 

Here’s an example of an email sequence we might send:

Here are some other ways you can retain website visitors:

Exit Intent Popups

When someone is about to leave the site, show a popup that says, “Wait! Want to know if medical weight loss is right for you? Take the 60-second quiz now.”

Live Chat with Email Capture

Add a live chat that asks users for their email address before they begin chatting with someone.

Retargeting Ads (Pixel-Based Remarketing)

Use a Facebook or Google pixel to retarget visitors who either:

• Took the quiz but didn’t book
• Viewed your pricing page
• Spent more than X minutes on your site

By retaining a higher percentage of your traffic, you’ll see a better return on your marketing spend for minimal additional effort.

Step 6: Run Ads  

Paid ads are excellent for gaining traffic immediately, but we typically wait to run them until we’ve built out the website and have optimized it to convert. 

If you drive traffic to a website that lacks credibility and proof, your ads won’t convert very well. 

Yet by this stage of the process, you’ve built a substantial organic presence on your website and through collaborations with other industry leaders. Therefore, as long as you’re attracting the right people, your ads should convert well. 

Google is our preferred paid ad channel.

To get started, create a Google Ads account.

Before you can run ads, you must become certified. 

Once you’re certified, the first step is to fill in your business information and locations:

Next, you’ll create your campaign goals. Start with the goal of either phone calls or form submissions so that you earn direct leads. 

Google will track which users complete those goals and then optimize who sees your ads accordingly. 

Next, you can type in some terms that describe your treatments, but the most important aspect here is the location selection:

Select “custom locations” and then click on “Advanced Search:”

This allows you to type in your address, and then it will only show your ads to people within that area:

After selecting who you’ll target, the next step is to create the ads themselves. You’ll fill out a few headlines and Google will optimize them accordingly to searchers:

As you write titles and descriptions, keep the language professional and avoid using fear-based language or language that promises results or cures.

Here are examples of language to avoid:

• “Lose 30 Pounds Fast — Guaranteed!”
• “The #1 Cure for Obesity”
• “Say Goodbye to Fat Forever”
• “You’ll Never Be Overweight Again”
• “This Secret Weight Loss Shot Changed My Life”

Instead, here are better headlines to use:

• “Medical Weight Loss in Atlanta”
• “Explore Medical Weight Loss Options”
• “Clinically Guided Weight Management”
• “Semaglutide Treatment Programs Available”
• “Start Your Medical Weight Loss Consultation Today”
• “Non-Surgical Weight Loss Programs”

You’ll also have the option to add sitelinks, upload images, and other assets.

The next screen will display your goals and ask if you would like to set a target CPA. 

Select “Conversions” for the goal. 

You’ll also see an option to enter a Target CPA, which is essentially the price you’re willing to pay for a conversion. 

If you’re just getting started, don’t enter a Target CPA. Instead allow the system to gather data for a few weeks. 

This is because if you don’t have enough conversion data to identify a realistic target, you’ll find that you won’t gather sufficient conversion data to understand what a realistic CPA is.

Finally, it will recommend an average budget based on the campaign details entered. We usually start with the recommended average and then adjust accordingly:

Then, you’ll enter your payment details and start your first campaign.

It will likely take a few weeks for your ads to start delivering an ROI, as Google will test various audiences and gather data and identify what converts. 

Get More Help Increasing Weight Loss Clinic Lead Volume and Predictability

This is the exact step-by-step process we use to generate leads for weight loss clinics, but we recognize that there are numerous nuances to each step.

If you need help developing your weight loss clinic’s marketing strategy, contact Quantum Leads today. We can execute this exact strategy for you and bring more leads to your weight loss clinic.

This allows your team to focus on serving patients and delivering the best results possible.

Reach out to Quantum Leads today to learn how we can help your weight loss clinic grow.