Ep. 77 - SEO Method Pt. 3
Search doesn't work the way it did even a year ago, and most spa owners have no idea. This isn't a reason to panic, it's a reason to make a few small adjustments now, before everyone else catches on. Here's what's genuinely different heading into 2027, and what it means for your spa business.
Search Isn't Just Ten Blue Links Anymore
Google now shows an AI-generated summary at the top of a growing number of searches, and increasingly, people get their answer without ever clicking through to a website. For a spa owner, that changes the goal. It's no longer just about ranking, it's about getting cited inside that AI-written summary.
The businesses being cited are the ones offering real, specific, detailed information, actual pricing, actual procedure details, an actual city and neighborhood. Vague marketing language simply doesn't give Google's AI enough to work with. This is exactly why building a habit of answering specific client questions (covered in part one of this series) matters more now than ever.
Your Google Business Profile Needs to Look Alive
It used to be enough to have a complete profile — hours filled in, a few photos, done. Now, Google is paying attention to whether a profile looks actively used. Weekly posts, fresh photos every month, responding to reviews and messages within about 48 hours, and accurate hours all signal that a spa business is genuinely open and operating.
A thin or outdated profile can actually receive a worse AI-generated summary, even with strong reviews — which means upkeep isn't optional for a spa team that wants to stay visible.
The Overlooked Ranking Lever: Your Category
One of the simplest, highest-impact changes any spa owner can make: check the primary category on your Google Business Profile. Choosing the narrowest, most accurate category — something like "Facial Spa" or "Medical Spa" instead of just "Spa" — is now considered one of the biggest ranking levers a business owner directly controls. It costs nothing and takes minutes.
Bringing the Whole Series Together
Three things that still work exactly like before: weekly consistent content, owning your website and email list, and a real review-ask system for your whole spa team. Three things that are new heading into 2027: aiming to get cited by AI, keeping your Google Business Profile looking actively alive, and making sure your category is as specific as possible.
None of this requires becoming an SEO expert. It requires the same thing this whole method has always required — consistency, applied one small step at a time.
Ready to Build This Into Your Spa's Systems? Join the free masterclass
If this series gave you a clearer picture of what actually drives spa profits through organic search, the full episode has even more detail. And if you want hands-on help implementing any of it, Fill out this intake form to book a discovery call with me.
