Marketing strategies for vet clinics

There is little doubt that 2025 has presented challenges for independent veterinary clinics. Competition is being felt across the industry as corporate chains, mobile vets, and even telehealth service providers cut into traditional client streams. Pet owners have more options, and Google and AI search engines are ensuring that pet owners can access the information they need instantly. With a bit of online research, pet owners can make decisions quickly, and for many clinic owners, these external threats are very real. Combating them can feel overwhelming, and online marketing is not a skill set typically taught in veterinary school.

Independent veterinary clinics must market to both new and existing clients, and traditional marketing techniques of the past are no longer effective. It is crucial to adapt to the changing landscape of client acquisition and retention.

In this article, I explore some marketing strategies for independent veterinary clinics to consider, helping to safeguard against losing clients to larger marketing budgets.

Keep in mind that you are not selling a product; you are selling an experience and a solution. Your primary goal is to build trust with your audience during a time that is often highly emotive. Often, small business marketing tips ignore the power of messaging and exclude important points that convey compassion, clinical care and the relationship between the pet and its owner.

Your marketing message must include:

• The lifecycle of pets and the different stages of development and aging.
• The emotional triggers driving care decisions.
• The need for ongoing regular check-ups.
• Acknowledging your local community.
• An emphasis on trust and transparency.

A cookie-cutter generic approach to patient services won’t resonate with pet owners. You must tell your story, offer solutions and localise your content.

The majority of independent veterinary clinics draw their client base from a 1- to 10-km radius. This means that local SEO is a crucial component of your marketing strategy. When a potential client types into Google or asks an AI bot for “A vet near me in Chatswood” or “I need an emergency vet in Parramatta”, etc, you want to be in the top results. To achieve this outcome, it is important to focus on:

• Updating your Google business profile with accurate hours, services, and photos.
• Create location-specific landing pages on your website.
• Encourage clients to use local terms in reviews.
• Regularly publish blogs that include references to your community and location.

Local SEO is not overly complicated; however, it must be consistent. The numbers show that veterinary clinics that invest in local SEO outperform those that rely solely on paid advertising.

Google reviews are the new word of mouth. Don’t underestimate how powerful they are. Google reviews can make the difference between a client making an appointment with you or looking elsewhere.

• Ensure you have a consistent flow of recent high-value Google reviews.
• Ask clients immediately after a consultation, either in person or via SMS.
• Always respond to reviews, including positive and negative ones.
• Ensure your team is trained and can ask for a review with confidence.

A veterinary clinic with a substantial number of reviews and a 4.5-star rating or higher is perceived as a safe, professional, experienced, and friendly establishment.

Education in any health setting is an underutilised marketing vehicle. High-quality, targeted and well-crafted educational content that informs, solves problems and provides hope serves as a buffer against price sensitivities. When pet owners understand the “why” and the “process”, they are less likely to delay treatment or to second-guess themselves on cost.

Educational content has a look and feel. It speaks to:

• Common health issues in pets, primarily cats and dogs.
• Explainer content relating to surgeries, rehabilitation needs, medications and diets.
• Real case studies on successful treatment plans.
• Symptoms and care tips.

Regular commentary establishes your clinic as a thought leader and educator. Content can be shared across multiple marketing channels, including your website, newsletters, social media and brochures. The more you can educate and inform potential and existing clients about your expertise and opinions, the more trust and credibility you build.

It is not unusual for independent veterinary clinics to have done or be doing some form of digital marketing when we meet with them. Mostly, we see an active social media profile, either on Facebook or Instagram, driven by a team member in their practice. Others have gone a step further and created blog articles or have brochures inside the practice discussing their services or pet health conditions, all of which is encouraging. Issues arise when I ask about the data. How many visitors does the website get monthly, and where are they originating from? How many new clients are coming from social media campaigns or paid advertising? How much are you spending on paid advertising?

It is crucial to understand the data and be able to break it down effectively.

• What is the acquisition cost for a new client?
• What is the lifetime value of a new client?
• What service generates the most bookings, and which are the most profitable?
• What services need promoting or are underutilised?
• What do the conversion rates from Google ads or social media ads look like?
• What is the website traffic volume, and how does that translate to enquiries and bookings?

Without the data, your marketing has blurred vision. With accurate reporting, you can analyse what is working, what’s not working, and how to redirect your marketing efforts and costs to maximise return.

Whether you’re taking small incremental marketing steps or undertaking a comprehensive overhaul, the key is consistency and focusing on the basics. Ensure your Google Business Profile is up to date, publish quality content regulary, collate and nurture Google reviews, and be very aware of your local reputation and your local competition.

If you want to get ahead and ensure your online presence is at its best, I highly recommend scheduling a professional discovery meeting with us. There is no obligation; however, the industry is becoming increasingly saturated, innovative, and competitive. You are most likely an outstanding veterinary professional, but reputation alone does not guarantee success. If clients are unaware of you, they will likely go elsewhere.