City Massage London Case Study | Website for Health Practitioners
He’s vying for attention in a competitive London market. Using Rocketspark, John Kim-Yorke was able to get his City Massage London website on Google’s coveted first page.
The Challenge
Even over Skype, John Kim-Yorke of City Massage London’s demeanour is calm and warm—exactly what you’d expect from a masseur. But he wasn’t always such a serene type. Five years ago, while working a high-stress retail job, he found himself becoming increasingly crabby with his colleagues and even customers. “One day, a customer took me aside and said, ‘Look, you do realise you’re being rude, don’t you?,” John recalls. “She said, ‘I could complain but I won’t, just so long as you take some advice: do something to relax.’” Heeding her advice, John got a massage and found a new career beckoning him. Half a decade on, John is not only much more relaxed but also has his own business specialising in corporate massage.
2Ts Massage, as John’s practice was previously known, had a website that was “cheap and cheerful”. It didn’t cost a lot, but it was very plain and basic; John was looking for something with a bit more visual pizzazz. “It was okay, but it didn’t have the bells and whistles I wanted.” Also high on John’s priorities was ensuring his site ranked well in search engines like Google, which would entail undergoing a process called search engine optimisation (SEO). “There’s so many people doing massage, I really needed something that stood head and shoulders over the rest.”
John’s first contact with Rocketspark came through a London business networking initiative, where he met Rocketspark co-founder and UK man-on-the-ground, Grant Johnson. The first thing they discussed was rebranding the business. Together they came up with the SEO-friendly name City Massage London, “which, in Google terms, ticks so many boxes,” explains John. After a few days of experimentation using Rocketspark’s free trial, John decided to become a permanent customer.
The Outcome
The new-look City Massage London website is a vast improvement on the old one. But for John the benefits of Rocketspark go far beyond the site’s design. Instead of generic Gmail addresses, his new company name is reflected in his Rocketspark email addresses (@citymassagelondon.co.uk), a detail that conveys professionalism—all important when targeting corporate clients. He also cites customer service as a step-up from prior web provider experiences. One of the perks of being a UK customer is that he has almost round-the-clock support. John recalls phoning customer support at his previous internet provider: “I knew full well I was being passed off to the Philippines or the States—certainly not the UK. I’ve always felt with Rocketspark it’s a more personal service.” He finds that Rocketspark’s support is prompt and personal, whether it’s his UK go-to guy, Grant, or the larger New Zealand team available during the Northern Hemisphere’s wee hours.
One of the best outcomes for John has been the big boost in City Massage London’s rankings in Google. Search for “massage london” and John’s practice shows up on page one—an outstanding result for a small business in a crowded market. Rocketspark’s system includes a number of features that help improve rankings like a built-in blogging facility, a feature John makes full use of. “I know I should [blog] purely from a rankings point of view,” John says. And blog he does. Team members submit ideas and information, giving John enough material to post regularly. Sharing quality information with customers is not only a great service; it also helps City Massage London rank well in Google. Grant also put John in touch with an SEO specialist. Rocketspark’s connection to Google Analytics allows John to monitor his website’s performance, and he likes what he’s seeing. “Traditionally, massage therapists have relied on word of mouth,” he says. “But having good SEO—I’m very conscious of it.”
John’s SEO-conscious approach is paying dividends. “Without this website I don’t think I’d have the exposure I’ve got or the number of phone calls.” John’s enthusiasm for Rocketspark is evident. “Such is the interest in Rocketspark—because I just talk about it—that I’ve had to go back to Grant and get more flyers,” John raves. “If you find a product that’s good, it’s all about passing on referrals…I’m more than happy to shout it from the rooftops.”
