Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 05.10.2026 We’ve won Best Local Campaign (SEO): Small at the Global Search Awards 2026 for our work with Physio Pro.
Our campaign, “From Zero to Google Hero”, helped the Perth physiotherapy business increase Google-sourced new patients from 36 to 91 across its Floreat and Como clinics. The win follows four finalist nominations for our work with Physio Pro and For Eyes Optometrist.
For our team, this recognition celebrates the work behind those results: understanding the clinics, making their expertise easier to find and connecting local searches with patient bookings.
Quick summary
- Award: Best local campaign (SEO): Small at the Global Search Awards 2026.
- Agency: Digital Hitmen, who are based in Perth, Western Australia
- Client: Physio Pro, with clinics in Floreat and Como.
- Campaign period: February 2025 to February 2026.
- Patient growth: Google-sourced new patients increased from 36 to 91.
- Local visibility: Google Business Profile calls increased from approximately 1,170 to 2,737.
- Wider recognition: Four finalist nominations across two clients and two categories.
The brief: making Google a consistent source of new patients
Physio Pro had the clinical expertise and local relationships to grow. Our job was to help more patients discover that expertise through search.
At the start of the campaign, the business relied heavily on word-of-mouth and GP referrals. Organic search visibility was limited, and the newly rebranded Como clinic needed to establish its online presence.
We set out to make Google a consistent patient acquisition channel for both locations. That meant attracting people searching for help with specific injuries, conditions and treatments, then giving them clear information about the right clinic and practitioner.
We also wanted to strengthen the clinics’ connections with local sporting clubs, supporting referral relationships alongside search visibility.
The challenges: two clinics with different starting points
Floreat and Como needed their own local strategies. Each clinic served a different area, faced different competitors and started with a different level of recognition.
Como recorded just two Google-sourced new patients in the baseline period. We needed to build its visibility while continuing to grow Floreat.
Larger physiotherapy providers also competed for broad searches such as “physio Perth”. We focused our effort on more specific searches that matched Physio Pro’s services and practitioners’ experience.
Another priority was helping patients understand the expertise across the team. Established practitioners attracted demand, while newer physiotherapists needed a stronger introduction online. We improved practitioner profiles and connected their experience with relevant services and content.
Our strategy: connecting local searches with clinical expertise
Giving each clinic a clear local presence
We built individual location pages that explained the services, practitioners and products available at each clinic.
Alongside those pages, we expanded and aligned the clinics’ Google Business Profiles, including categories, services, photos and questions and answers. We also supported review acquisition.
Together, these improvements helped patients understand where to go and how to contact the clinic.
Answering specific patient questions
We developed injury, condition and treatment pages around the searches patients make when they need help.
Someone searching for ACL rehabilitation, for example, needs information about that injury and the physiotherapists who can support their recovery. A general overview of physiotherapy gives them less help with that decision.
We connected educational articles with relevant service pages through internal links, giving readers a clear route from learning about a problem to exploring treatment.
Making practitioner expertise visible
We strengthened author biographies and practitioner profiles with qualifications, experience and areas of interest.
This gave patients more information about the people behind the advice. It also helped us connect specific topics and services with relevant clinical expertise.
Building on local sporting relationships
Physio Pro’s sporting club associations formed another part of the campaign.
Club website mentions and association pages helped people discover the clinics through trusted local organisations. These relationships supported referrals and relevant local links, reflecting the clinics’ involvement in their communities.
We supported the content and local work with improvements to mobile usability, site structure and structured data.
The results: more patients across both clinics
Across the campaign, Google-sourced new patients increased from 36 to 91, a rise of approximately 153%.
Both locations grew:
- Floreat: From 34 to 72 Google-sourced new patients.
- Como: From two to 19 Google-sourced new patients.
- Google’s share of all new patients: From 6% to 14%.
We tracked these patient referral figures through Cliniko, Physio Pro’s practice management platform.
Supporting results included:
- Google Business Profile calls increasing from approximately 1,170 to 2,737.
- 109 keyword positions in Google’s top three.
- 2,334 ranking keywords.
- 176 AI Overview appearances, from a baseline of zero.
The patient figures mattered most to us. They helped connect the search campaign with people choosing the clinics, while the visibility metrics showed how our work expanded Physio Pro’s reach.
What the judges said
The judges highlighted our objectives, execution, strategy and measurement:
“Clear objectives, strong execution and a well-articulated strategy made this a compelling local SEO campaign. By adding genuine value to established techniques, the team delivered credible, well-attributed results.”
That feedback reflects how we approached the campaign. We chose practical improvements that matched the clinics’ needs and measured progress against patient acquisition.
Four finalist nominations across two client campaigns
Our Physio Pro win followed four finalist nominations at the 2026 Global Search Awards:
| Category | Client | Recognition |
| Best local campaign (SEO): Small | Physio Pro | Winner |
| Best local campaign (SEO): Small | For Eyes Optometrist | Finalist |
| Best use of search: Health: Small | Physio Pro | Finalist |
| Best use of search: Health: Small | For Eyes Optometrist | Finalist |
We’re proud to see both client partnerships recognised. Healthcare search requires us to understand the services, communicate professional expertise and help people make informed decisions about their care.
A shared win with Physio Pro
We thank the Physio Pro team for their trust, collaboration and contribution throughout the campaign.
Their clinical knowledge and local involvement gave us the foundation to create useful content and strengthen the clinics’ presence online. We’re pleased to share this recognition with them and with everyone in our team who contributed.
Explore our Physio Pro case study for more detail on the campaign.
