SEO for Therapists
A simple (but effective) step-by-step guide to build a targeted SEO therapy marketing strategy.
What is SEO for therapists?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of enhancing a website or web page to improve its visibility on search engines like Google and Bing.
SEO is crucial for any therapist looking to attract more clients, as the higher your website ranks in search results, the more likely potential clients are to find and contact you.
Think of it like mental health for your website.
Just as mental health involves regular care and attention, SEO ensures your website remains ‘healthy.’ In other words, it helps your site show up in relevant searches, driving more traffic and making it easier for clients to find you.
Did you know?
- 99% of people use the internet to search for local businesses. (Source: BrightLocal)
- Consumer use of Google to evaluate local businesses has leapt from 63% in 2020 to 81% in 2021. (Source: BrightLocal)
- Mobile devices are used for over 50% of all online searches. (Source: Statista)
A person searching for a therapist on Google may use a search query like “therapist near me” or “best therapy clinic in [city name]”.
They may search for specific services such as “CBT therapist for anxiety” or “couples therapy near me”. Or they may even include their insurance information in the search query, such as “Medicaid therapist in [city name]”.
In order to benefit from SEO, you want your website to rank for these kind of searches.
Why is therapy SEO important?
Here are some of the benefits of using SEO for your therapy practice:
- Increased visibility: SEO helps to increase the visibility of your website on search engines, making it more likely that potential clients will find you when searching for therapy services.
- Cost-effective: Compared to traditional advertising methods like print or TV ads, SEO can be a more cost-effective way for therapists to attract new clients.
- Targeted audience: SEO enables you to target specific keywords related to your therapeutic services, helping you reach the right individuals who are seeking the type of support you provide.
- Local SEO: Local SEO boosts your website’s visibility for people searching for therapy services within a specific geographic area. This is especially useful for therapists looking to connect with clients nearby.
- Building trust: SEO can help your website build trust and authority with search engines and potential clients by offering high-quality, relevant content. This not only attracts new clients but also strengthens your reputation in the community.
Don’t forget!
Therapists must comply with various regulations such as HIPAA, state licensing requirements, and ethical guidelines set forth by professional organizations (e.g., the American Psychological Association).
Therefore, it is essential that the SEO strategies and tactics used by therapists are in full compliance with these regulations. This includes ensuring that patient/client privacy is protected, advertising is ethical, and any claims made about services are truthful and appropriate.
How do search engines work?
Search engines work by crawling billions of webpages with their own web crawlers, known as search engine bots or spiders. These are then stored and saved in an index.
Google Search Essentials (formerly Webmaster Guidelines)
The Google Search Essentials define the actions that webmasters can take to make their websites better indexable or crawlable.
Read them here: Official Google Guidelines
The guidelines are based on three central aspects:
- Crawling – webmasters should support Google in finding websites.
- Indexing – webmasters should help Google to classify and “recognize” the content.
- Usability and user experience – webmasters should support the users of the websites in their use (usability and user experience).
Essentially, according to these Google guidelines, a website should support the search engine in crawling and indexing and ensure a good user experience.
Before you get started with SEO, there are a few prerequisites you want to check off first:
SEO Basics
At a bare minimum, you want to make sure you cover these basic standards before embarking on doing SEO:
- Website Speed – Have a fast loading site so potential customers don’t get tired of waiting for things to load.
- Mobile Friendliness – Make sure your site works on mobile as over 50% of users browse on mobile devices
- Analytics – Setup Google Analytics, Google Search Console & so you can understand what is and isn’t working.
- XML Sitemap – search engines use this to get your site’s URLs
- Robots.txt – tells search engine crawlers where they can (and where they can’t go) on your site.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the process of making website and server optimizations to help search engines to crawl and index your site more effectively (and therefore help to improve organic rankings).
Technical errors can hurt a website’s ability to rank. There are potentially a lot of errors, but here are some of the most common that will have the biggest impact when fixed:
- 404 errors
- Broken backlinks
- Poor URL structure
- Duplicate/thin content
- Poor internal linking
- Poor website architecture
- Missing metadata (page titles & meta descriptions)
- Missing H1 tags
Reach more clients with therapist practice SEO services
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of identifying the words and phrases that people use when searching for specific products or services:
Once you understand the keywords your target audience is using, you can optimize your website to appear for these in search results.
Think of keyword research like a diagnostic tool for your therapy practice’s online presence. Just as a therapist uses assessments to understand a client’s needs and tailor treatment, keyword research helps you understand what potential clients are searching for when they need therapy services.
For example, if someone searches for “counseling for anxiety” or “therapist near me,” keyword research reveals these phrases as valuable insights. By optimizing your website with these keywords, you ensure it appears higher in search results when people search for therapy services. This way, you attract more clients who are looking for the support you provide.
Why is keyword research important?
Keyword research is important for therapists because it helps to:
- understand what people are searching for when they are looking for therapeutic services, and to optimize their website accordingly.
- identify the specific needs and pain points of their target audience, which can inform the content they create and services they offer, ultimately leading to more conversion and better client experience.
- identify the competition in the local area and understand what they are doing, so they can create a more effective SEO strategy.
What keywords are best to target?
Understand that there’s no “best” keywords, just those that are highly searched by your audience. With this in mind, it’s up to you to craft a strategy that will help you rank pages and drive traffic.
The best keywords for your SEO strategy will take into account relevance, authority, and volume. You want to find highly searched keywords that you can reasonably compete for based on:
- The level of competition you’re up against.
- Your ability to produce content that exceeds in quality what’s currently ranking.
Short tail keywords are broad, general keywords that are made up of one or two words:
- Therapist
- Counseling
- Therapy services
- Mental health
- Psychologist
Whereas long tail keywords are more specific and longer phrases that are made up of multiple words:
- Therapy for anxiety and depression near me
- Affordable couples counseling services
- Online therapy for stress management
- Licensed therapist for PTSD treatment
- Child counseling services for behavioral issues
How to do keyword research for your therapy practice
To start keyword research: put yourself in your customers shoes.
What words, phrases and terms might they use in order to find solutions to these problems? These are the keywords you want to find and target.
Here is a simple process to follow:
Step 1) Make a list of broad topics
Create a list of general topics related to your business. These might correspond to product categories, services or anything you believe your target audience would be interested in.
For example, broad topics like:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Marriage and Couples Counseling
- Trauma-Informed Therapy
- Child and Adolescent Therapy
- Mental Health and Wellness Strategies
Step 2) Expand topics into a list of phrases
Now you want to take those topics and expand them into a list of related phrases to target.
Imagine yourself as a buyer looking for your product or service and ask yourself: what would I type into Google?
Whilst keyword research tools are useful here, you can do this for free by Googling your keyword.
For example, Google “therapy for anxiety” and you’ll get a list of related questions people ask (which you can answer with blog content).
As well as related searches which may uncover other keywords to target:
Step 3) Analyze your keywords
Once you have a list of potential keywords, you need to gauge which terms are worth targeting.
You’ll need to use a keyword research tool here to pay attention to the following keyword metrics:
- Search volume
- Trends
- Search value over time
- Difficulty
- CPC
- SERP features
But most importantly, you want to consider relevancy and search intent:
Relevant keywords:
For relevancy, you want to ask yourself:
- Are these keywords relevant to my business?
- Do I have a chance of ranking for these terms based on the competition?
- Is ranking for these keywords going to have a positive ROI?
If you can answer YES to the above questions, chances are you have picked a relevant keyword
Search intent:
Search intent is the goal and purpose of a search query in Google. When someone searches for something, they are typically looking for more information before performing an action.
Search intent falls in four buckets:
- Informational – Searchers looking for information, they’ll use words like: how, what, why, when etc.
- Navigational – Searchers trying to find a specific site, they’ll use words relating to the service/product/brand
- Transactional – Searchers looking to purchase, they’ll use words like: buy, cost, pricing, cheap etc.
- Commercial investigation – Searchers researching prior to making a purchase, they’ll use words like: best, review, comparison etc
Not only is it important to select good keywords, but also to pick keywords you have a chance of ranking for.
For example, if you want to rank for the keyword “Therapy Techniques for Anxiety” but your page doesn’t include specific techniques, you’re not fully meeting the searcher’s intent and may struggle to rank for it.
Find profitable therapist keywords
What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO describes specific elements of the pages on your website that you control, such as:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Header tags
- Internal linking
- Images
- Content
Why is on-page SEO important?
On-page SEO is crucial for therapists because it helps ensure that their website is easily discoverable and understood by search engines, which can boost visibility and drive more traffic. This increased visibility can ultimately lead to more clients seeking therapy services.
For instance, if a therapist specializes in a service like “cognitive behavioral therapy” (CBT) but doesn’t mention it on their website or doesn’t highlight it clearly, the website may not appear in search results when someone searches for “CBT” or related terms. However, if the therapist optimizes their website with keywords such as “cognitive behavioral therapy” or “CBT therapy,” it becomes more likely to appear in search results, attracting clients specifically looking for that service.
Additionally, on-page optimization can enhance the overall user experience of a therapist’s website, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. A well-organized, easy-to-navigate website with clear calls to action, like “Schedule a Session,” can help convert visitors into clients by making it simple for them to take the next step in reaching out for help.
On-Page SEO Checklist
- Use short & descriptive URLs – this helps people searching to understand what your page is about in Google.
- Write a good title tag & meta description – these show up in Google and help searchers understand what your page is about.
- Linking to relevant resources – this helps users to navigate your website.
- Optimize your images – give them a descriptive filename and alt text.
- Add schema markup – this helps search engines to understand your content
- Add internal links – these help Google understand what your page is about and to navigate your website.
Get actionable insights into your therapy SEO
What is off-page SEO?
Off-page SEO refers to specific actions done outside of your website, such as getting backlinks from other websites or social media.
What is link building?
Link building is the practice of building one-way hyperlinks (also known as “backlinks”) to a website with the goal of improving SEO. Common link building strategies include content marketing, building useful tools, email outreach, broken link building and guest posts.
Why is link building important?
Link building is important for therapists because it helps to increase the visibility of a website on search engines. Google, for example, use links to a website as a way to determine the authority and trustworthiness of a website.
The more high-quality links that point to a website, the more likely it is to be considered an authority in its field and be given higher rankings in the SERPs (search engine results page).
This increased visibility can drive more traffic to a website, which can lead to more clients for the therapist.
Link Building Tactics:
- Guest posts (either DIY it or use a done-for-you guest post service)
- Buying backlinks (like authority links)
- Content marketing (like linkable assets or editorial links)
- Tried and tested SEO methods (like blogger outreach, broken link building
- Using what you’ve got (link reclamation and brand mentions)
Additionally, link building can help establish a therapy practice as a reputable and trustworthy provider of mental health services, which is crucial for attracting new clients. High-quality links from reputable websites in the mental health or wellness industry signal to potential clients that a practice is well-respected and reliable in the field.
Link building can also increase referral traffic to a therapy website, where visitors are directed through a link on another trusted site. This can boost brand awareness and help reach new audiences who may not have discovered the therapist’s services otherwise.
In summary, link building is important for therapists because it enhances visibility, builds reputation and trust, and drives referral traffic to the website, ultimately attracting more clients seeking support.
Get high quality backlinks
Therapy SEO Best Practices (+ 4 Tips)
- Use HTTPs (SSL certificates)
- Make sure your web site pages load fast
- Target a relevant topic that has traffic potential
- Meet search intent
- Target a topic you can compete for
- Use your target keyword in your page title, H1 tag and URL
- Use a short (but descriptive) URL
- Write a good title tag and meta description
- Optimize your images
- Write good content
- Add internal links
- Get more quality backlinks
4 Actionable Therapist SEO Tips
Here are some things your practice can do to begin the process of developing a good therapy marketing strategy.
- Add relevant keywords
- Optimize for local searches
- Start blogging
- Earn links
1. Add relevant keywords to your website
People looking for therapists also search for specific services, such as anxiety therapy, couples counseling, or trauma recovery. Long-tail keywords, though they have fewer searches, often bring in highly targeted traffic, making visitors more likely to become real clients.
For example, instead of just optimizing your website for generic terms like “therapist” or “mental health services,” you could focus on keywords such as “therapist in [your city],” “anxiety therapist in [your area],” or “couples counseling in [your city], [state].” By targeting these more specific search terms, you can attract individuals who are actively seeking the exact services you offer, improving the chances of converting them into clients.
2. Optimize your site for local searches
If your SEO plan doesn’t use local SEO to target specific areas, you’ll likely miss out on some great leads. Adding the name of your town and nearby towns to your website copy is the easiest way to get better results.
But don’t forget about things on your site besides writing copy. You should also add places to the titles and URLs of your pages.
Also, make sure that your business is listed on Google Maps and local directory sites. This will help your business show up more in local searches.
3. Start writing useful content
The main goal of therapy SEO is to get more clients by making your website more visible in Google.
One effective way for therapists to improve visibility and attract new clients is by writing a blog. By offering helpful content such as tips for managing anxiety, improving relationships, or practicing self-care, you can engage potential clients who are seeking support or guidance.
As your blog traffic grows, so will your search engine rankings, making it more likely that people searching for therapy services in your area will see you as a trusted resource. Sharing valuable insights through a blog can also help establish your expertise and build trust with your audience, leading to more clients seeking your services.
4. Earn quality links
How high your site ranks in search results for keywords and phrases related to your business depends on how many and how good the links are to it. This means that you need to get good links if you want to keep your rankings.
You can do this by making good content and reaching out to bloggers and leaders in your field to ask them to share it. This will not only help you move up in search results, but it will also make your therapy business look like a leader in the field.
Backlinks are a very important part of SEO for therapists. They are like a vote of confidence for the content your practice puts out. Because of this, links are one of the most important ways that search engines like Google decide how to rank pages.
- Not doing enough keyword research
- Not matching user/search intent
- Targeting keywords that are far too difficult
- Not building enough quality backlinks
- Breaking Google’s Terms of Service when building backlinks
- Missing out on internal link opportunities
- Not allowing Google crawl your content
- Not allowing Google index your content
- Having a very slow site
- Treating SEO as a one-time thing
How does therapist SEO work?
SEO for therapists means making sure that your website is optimized for both search engines and users. This makes your website more visible in relevant and organic search results.
Optimizations include:
- on-page SEO
- link building
- technical SEO review
- content audit
- local citation audit
Why do therapists need marketing?
It helps set your practice apart.
Your clients are your customers. A well-crafted marketing plan not only helps you identify your target audience but also helps potential clients understand why they should choose your therapy services.
A strong marketing strategy for therapists should attract new clients, retain existing ones, and raise awareness about the services you offer. The primary goal is to encourage potential clients to reach out, whether by calling or scheduling an appointment online. Effective marketing ensures that your expertise and approach stand out, making it easier for people to find and connect with you when they need support.
How long does therapy practice SEO take?
Typically, therapy SEO takes at least six months to deliver results.
In some cases, practices may start to see results like increased traffic, phone calls, and appointments, in faster time frame than this.
Although typically 6 months is a good benchmark as SEO is a long-term strategy vs. a short-term strategy like PPC.
How much does SEO for therapy practices cost?
Prices for therapist website SEO depend on multiple factors, but the average cost for therapy SEO is $1500 – $5000 per month.
If you’re looking to partner with a consultant or therapist SEO expert, the average rate is $100 – $300 per hour.
What’s Next?
Guest Posts
We do guest posts better than anyone else with complete transparency. You get to approve all placements before they’re made and even the exact anchor text that’s going to be used. Site owners themselves will produce your content to guarantee its a perfect match.
Content
Crafting the right message isn’t just a matter of choosing the right words. We develop site content and blogs using the latest tools to determine the right keywords and balance of terms to build high-performing content.
Managed SEO
Sometimes, it takes more than just one service to make a difference. Multiple services working in concert can amplify the effect and create the growth that’s evaded you in the past. Talk to us about managed SEO campaigns built around any of your goals.
Too busy running your therapy practice to do SEO?
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