This article, guest written by SEO expert, Suzanne Rushton, is part of our series on wellness business resources.
You got into wellness work because you wanted to help people, not because you wanted to become a marketer. And yet here we are.
In a world where someone searches “breathwork Vancouver” or “sound bath near me” before they ever ask a friend for a recommendation, if you’re not showing up in those results, you’re invisible to people who are actively looking for exactly what you offer.
I’m Suzanne Rushton, an SEO strategist and founder of Digital Optimist. I first became aware of Head + Heart when I was planning a women’s wellness retreat on Bowen Island and looking for facilitators. Since then I launched myself into the digital world, and was fortunate enough to work with Monica on SEO strategy for H+H. I am now part of Head + Heart, and have loved being part of this high vibe community ever since.
One of the things I keep noticing throughout the wellness and movement world is how many incredible people aren’t showing up online in the way they should. Not because of anything wrong with their work, but because a few critical things are missing from their digital presence.
This is what I want to share with you today.
What SEO is (the short version)
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of making sure Google and AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity, can find you, understand what you do, and show you to the right people at the right time.
When someone types “meditation classes Vancouver” (or any city) or “reiki practitioner near me,” Google is trying to match that person with the most relevant, credible, local result. Your job is to make sure that result is you.
That’s really it. All the technical stuff exists in service of that one idea.
Why SEO matters more than ever right now
The wellness space is vibrant, and it’s busy. People are searching for sound baths, breathwork, shamanic healing, meditation retreats, and more every single day. The practitioners who show up consistently in those results build trust before a potential client has even landed on their website.
Being listed in a directory like Head + Heart genuinely helps. It’s basically the Psychology Today of wellness! Established sites with existing authority can rank for searches that a newer website might not reach on its own. Your own digital presence matters too, and a few intentional changes can make a real difference.
Three things you can do this week to optimize for SEO
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
If you haven’t done this yet, it’s the single highest-impact action you can take for local search. A Google Business Profile is what shows up in the map results when someone searches for services near them, and it’s completely free.
Head to google.com/business to claim your profile. Once you’re in, focus on these four things:
Select the most specific category available for your modality (you can list up to five)
Add at least five photos, of you, your space, your work
Write a clear description that includes what you do and where you’re based.
Ask past and present happy clients to leave you a Google review
Google uses all of this to decide who to show in local results. An incomplete profile is a missed opportunity, and it really doesn’t take long to fix. Don’t add the words “near me” to your website, just make sure your Google profile is up to date. With reviews. And an update if you have time.
Read your own website like Google does
Open your homepage and ask yourself honestly, if someone landed here with no context, would they immediately know what you do, what modality you practice, and where you’re located?
Most practitioner websites don’t pass this test, not because they aren’t beautiful or meaningful, but because they lead with philosophy and feeling rather than specifics. Google needs to know, what is this person offering, where are they, and who is it for? Ideally that’s all clear in the first paragraph, not buried in an About page.
Also check your page title, the text that shows up in the browser tab. If it just says “Home,” that’s a missed opportunity. It should include your name or business name, your modality, and your city.
Make sure your Head + Heart directory profile is doing its job
Your directory listing here is a real SEO asset, and it’s one a lot of practitioners underestimate. Head + Heart has established authority in the wellness space, which means a well-optimized profile like this one (yes, mine) can show up in Google searches independently of your own website. I should know, I’ve seen the data.
A strong profile has a full bio written in plain language (not just a list of certifications), your specific location, the modalities you practice, and a link back to your website. The difference between a thin profile and a detailed one is the difference between showing up and not showing up.
One more thing – AI is changing the picture
Search isn’t just Google anymore. When someone asks ChatGPT, Claude or Perplexity to recommend a breathwork facilitator in Vancouver, those tools are pulling from the same signals Google uses – credible websites, directory listings, reviews, mentions on trusted platforms. Bonus points if you use the same language and have a consistent message across multiple platforms. Being well-represented online in multiple places isn’t just good SEO. It’s how you get recommended by AI too.
The good news is that doing the three things above moves the needle on both.
SEO isn’t a one-time fix, and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with those three steps and you’ll already be ahead of most practitioners in your space.
If you want to go deeper on any of this, you can find me here or on my YouTube channel where I have videos on these very exciting topics. I work with wellness practitioners and small businesses across Canada.
Go Deeper with Suzanne
Suzanne Rushton is the founder of Digital Optimist, an SEO and digital marketing consultancy based in Nova Scotia. She helps small businesses get found online.
