Online Chiropractic Marketing: What to Watch for and Avoid

Learn How to Avoid Costly Mistakes in Chiropractic Marketing

Key Takeaways

• Many chiropractic marketing companies make big promises but fail to deliver real results.

• SEO, social media, and blog content only work when they’re customized to your practice and location.

• Pre-written patient newsletters and automated blog posts don’t engage patients or help with rankings.

• Most modern websites are already mobile-friendly, so paying extra for “mobile optimization” is unnecessary.

• Inception creates tailored marketing strategies that actually help chiropractors attract and convert new patients.

Chiropractic online marketing is a massive industry, with doctors spending millions every year. But too many get pulled into flashy programs that sound great yet fail to deliver real results.

Without knowing what to look for, it’s easy to waste money on marketing that doesn’t work. The good news? A little knowledge goes a long way.

This guide pulls back the curtain on marketing tactics, helping you spot red flags, avoid bad investments, and choose strategies that work.

Too Good to Be True? What to Look For

A quick search for chiropractic online marketing services pulls up plenty of companies claiming to offer “all-in-one” marketing solutions. On the surface, they seem to cover everything:

• Patient Education

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Social Media Marketing

• Newsletters

• Automated Blog Posting

• 100% Mobile Optimization

It all sounds great—but what are you actually getting? Many of these services don’t work the way they’re advertised. Let’s take a closer look at what’s really behind these claims.

Many marketing companies push patient education content as a key website feature—but when’s the last time a patient told you they learned something from your website? Patients aren’t visiting your site to read articles about chiropractic care. They’re there to:

• See who you are

• Check reviews from other patients

• Make sure your office looks professional and trustworthy

• Find your contact information

That doesn’t mean content is useless, but it needs to serve a different purpose. Inception’s websites have more pages than any competitor—not for patient education, but for SEO. Every page is optimized to rank for local searches, helping more people find your practice online.

If your website doesn’t show up for searches like “back pain [your city],” it’s likely because your marketing company didn’t optimize your internal pages. Instead of bringing in new patients, that content is just sitting there, unnoticed.

SEO Promises Rarely Deliver

Almost every marketing company claims to offer search engine optimization (SEO), but few explain what they actually do. In many cases, they provide little to no real optimization, leaving chiropractors paying for a service that isn’t helping them rank.

SEO isn’t a one-time setup. It requires ongoing updates, strategy adjustments, and staying ahead of Google’s algorithm changes. Most companies don’t have the expertise to keep up, and many chiropractors don’t realize their SEO is ineffective.

Inception takes a different approach. We constantly refine our strategies to keep clients ahead of the competition. As Google has made major shifts, our sites have continued to rise in rankings. Staying ahead of the curve is the only way to build a successful online presence.

Social Media Needs More Than Setup

Many marketing companies offer social media marketing, but for most, that just means creating accounts on platforms like Facebook and Google. They don’t actually grow your audience or post engaging content, which means those accounts don’t do much for your practice.

To see real results, social media needs to be fully built out and actively managed. That includes:

• Proper account setup and verification

• Complete profiles with branding and custom visuals

• Ongoing growth and engagement strategies

The problem is, this takes time and effort, which is why most companies cut corners. At Inception, social media setup takes longer than building a website because every detail matters. Without the right setup and strategy, your social media presence won’t bring in new patients.

Patient Newsletters Are Often Ignored

Pre-written patient newsletters may seem like a great idea, but most patients see them as generic and impersonal. If they know you didn’t write it, they’re unlikely to read it.

A more effective strategy is to send personal messages instead. Collect patient emails and use an autoresponder like AWeber to send short, genuine updates once a week or every other week.

Patients are far more likely to engage with something that feels real. A simple, heartfelt message will always have more impact than a mass-produced newsletter.

Automated Blog Posts Won’t Help Your Practices

Many marketing companies offer monthly blog posting, making it sound like a great way to boost your website. The problem? These posts are mass-produced and have nothing to do with your practice.

Most companies write a single generic blog and auto-post it to every client’s website. There’s no personalization, no local optimization, and no strategy to help you rank in your city.

For blog content to actually work, it needs to be customized to your practice, location, and services. That means real content, written and optimized for your audience—not just another copied-and-pasted article that no one will read.

Mobile Optimization Isn’t a Selling Point

Some marketing companies make “100% mobile optimized” sound like a premium feature, but almost every website today works on smartphones. It’s not an upgrade—it’s a basic expectation.

Older websites needed separate mobile versions, but modern websites use responsive design, which automatically adjusts to any screen size. If a company is pushing a paid mobile site as an extra service, they’re selling you something you don’t need.

What actually matters is how your site looks and functions on mobile. If patients struggle to navigate it, they’ll leave and find another chiropractor. A truly optimized website makes sure that doesn’t happen.

Choose the Right Chiropractic Online Marketing Strategy

Digital marketing can either help your chiropractic practice grow or drain your budget—it all depends on the provider you choose. Many companies make big promises but fail to deliver real results. The key is knowing what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for.

At Inception, we focus on more than just checking boxes. Our approach to SEO, website design, and site optimization is built around real patient growth, not empty marketing fluff. Every strategy is tailored to help chiropractors stand out, rank higher, and attract the right patients.

Don’t waste money on services that don’t work. Talk to a chiropractic marketing expert who understands what actually drives new patient conversions.

Online Marketing for Chiropractors: FAQs

How can I tell if my marketing is working?

Keep an eye on website traffic, search rankings, social media engagement, and new patient calls. If you're not seeing steady growth, it’s time to reassess your strategy.

What’s the best way to rank higher on Google?

Local SEO is key. Optimize your website, keep your Google Business profile updated, get patient reviews, and post relevant content tailored to your area.

Do I need to run paid ads, or is organic marketing enough?

Organic SEO and content marketing build long-term growth, while paid ads like Google Ads provide quicker leads. A mix of both works best.

What makes Inception different from other marketing companies?

Inception has deep experience in chiropractic marketing, so we know what actually works to attract new patients. Instead of generic, one-size-fits-all strategies, we focus on proven methods tailored to chiropractic practices for better visibility, stronger rankings, and real patient growth.

Can Inception help me rank higher on Google?

Yes! Our SEO strategies help chiropractors improve search rankings, increase visibility, and attract more local patients.

References

41 Chiropractic Internet Marketing Ideas. (2024, June 28). Inception Online Marketing. https://www.inceptiononlinemarketing.com/blog/41-chiropractic-marketing-ideas

Chiropractic Social Media Tips for Chiropractors. (2024, April 3). Inception Online Marketing. https://www.inceptiononlinemarketing.com/blog/chiropractic-social-media-tips-for-chiropractors

Search Engine Journal. (2025, January 22). History of Google Algorithm Updates. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-algorithm-history/

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide. (n.d.). Google. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide

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