Brauer Institute for Holistic Medicine approached us at the end of 2023 for strategic SEO solutions. The company was founded by Dorit Brauer, a seasoned holistic healer and reflexologist. Dorit offers private reflexology sessions and operates one of the country’s premier holistic reflexology training programs. She’s also a talented writer and artist.
Dorit has dedicated her life to elevating the standards of holistic reflexology and promoting integrated approaches to wellness and medicine at The Brauer Institute for Holistic Medicine.
The Challenge: More Leads, More Students, Less Work
When Dorit approached us, she wanted a change in her lifestyle. She wanted to work less, maintain her income, and reach more students. And she knew exactly how she wanted to do it—by overtaking search results for reflexology schools and training programs in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania.
She told us, “I want to rank #1 for ‘Reflexology schools in Pittsburgh’ and ‘Reflexology schools in Pennsylvania.’”
At the time, she didn’t rank on the first page of search results for either term. The initial research also showed we had a lot of work ahead of us. Her website and brand were up against established brick-and-mortar businesses and colleges—both of which tend to have higher ranking factors in search engine algorithms.
But, we knew exactly what vital SEO strategies would work to reach her goals.
The Strategic SEO Solutions We Used
To outrank a college or university, our Lead SEO Consultant, Kimberly, recommended a comprehensive audit of Dorit’s brand and online footprint. This audit revealed many untapped opportunities to send ranking signals, including local ranking signals, to search engines.
Here’s what we did.
Claimed & Refreshed Online Assets
- Claimed Dorit’s Google My Business listing so she could collect and manage reviews and update her business address and phone number.
- Refreshed her social media pages so her address and phone matched the Google Business listing.
Updated Her Website Footer
- Redesigned the footer of her website to include her business address and phone number.
Conducted SEO Research & Developed a Keyword Strategy
- Developed a site-wide SEO keyword strategy to target the keywords Dorit wanted to rank for: “Reflexology schools in Pittsburgh” and “Reflexology schools in Pennsylvania.”
- Optimized all on-page elements, including title tags, descriptions, headers, and image alt texts to align with the keyword strategy.
The Results? She Ranks #1.
Within three months, the website rose to the #1 spot in search results for “reflexology schools in Pittsburgh.” Since then, the site has earned both the coveted spots of “rich snippet” and “AI overview” for this and related keywords.
In addition to ranking #1, The Brauer Institute for Holistic Medicine owns three more of the top 10 results. For this keyword, the also outranks the college Kimberly was concerned we might be unable to outrank.
For “Reflexology schools in Pennsylvania,” the site ranks #3 and #4 and claims the AI Overview and a rich snippet. The college still outranks her for this keyword, but SEO is a long game. As Dorit pushes more traffic to her site, expands her online platform, and gets more Google Reviews, she will eventually overtake the coveted #1 spot.
Because we implemented strategic SEO solutions with a long-term plan, her website traffic and new user acquisition also continue to rise.
A 2,223% ROI!
Most students enrolling in the holistic reflexology program at The Brauer Institute of Holistic Medicine now find the program through organic search. In the first year, Dorit initially saw an ROI of 1,103%. This means for every dollar Dorit invested in her SEO strategy, she has seen a profit of $1,103. Looking at potential enrollment this year, the lifetime return on the investment may be 2,223% in 2025!
Continued SEO Growth & ROI
After seeing such a spectacular return on her investment, Dorit continues to invest in SEO support for her website, including an SEO-driven content strategy for her blog.
This year, Dorit asked us to collaborate on an SEO-driven content strategy for her blog.
Her goal? To be the go-to place on the Internet for all things Holistic Reflexology. We’re providing SEO research and content support to help her reach that aspiration.
Conclusion
The success of The Brauer Institute of Holistic Medicine underscores the immense potential of a well-executed SEO strategy to drive substantial business growth. Mostly importantly, Dorit Brauer’s vision of working less while attracting high-end clients has been realized through the power of effective SEO.
Rather than pursuing complex marketing funnels, unpredictable advertising, or continuous investment in live launches, Great Things LLC recommended a strategic, one-time investment in the most crucial aspect of Dorit’s online presence: her SEO strategy.
This focused approach has enabled Dorit’s website to consistently attract quality leads, allowing her to work less while maintaining her income and extending her reach.
For business owners seeking a high return on investment, a comprehensive SEO strategy offers a proven path to success. The story of The Brauer Institute of Holistic Medicine illustrates how a strong SEO foundation can unlock new opportunities and drive a significant return on investment.
Businesses looking to enhance their online presence and drive growth should consider investing in strategic SEO solutions, much like Dorit Brauer did.
She is also the owner of Open Roads, a writing coaching and editing agency.
