A Guide to Copywriting for SEO: Part One

Have you ever sat down to write copy for your website and realized that it was a lot harder than he thought it would be? I know I have. In fact, I’m sitting here writing this blog thinking the same thing. But here’s the thing, having good website copy and blogging regularity is an important component in achieving good SEO. But don’t worry, I won’t leave you to figure this out on your own, today I’ll give you three tips to make copywriting for SEO just a little easier. After this, be sure to check out Copywriting for SEO: Part Two!

3 Tips for Writing Copy for SEO

Tip #1: Write Like You’d Speak to a Client

We can’t stress this enough, you have to write like you’d speak to a client. Writing too clinically is the number one mistake clients make when they write their own copy. They assume that this reassures The potential clients that they know their stuff and can help them. They assume all their clients care about the letters behind their names or the specific certifications they hold. Although this may be true for a small handful of clients, this is not true for every client. Especially clients who are in crisis.

We call this writing to the 2 AM trauma brain. Think about your potential client who is up in the middle of the night worried their marriage is falling apart, having a panic attack, or concerned about their child’s well-being. They’re not in a mental state to look up a bunch of clinical terms or dissect big words. They are keyed up and have Cortisol coursing through their bodies and. Ask yourself what do they want to hear? My opinion is that they want to hear something that will offer reassurance during this tough time. Something calming and easy to understand. If you’re too technical, this person may navigate off your website to get what they’re looking for. This won’t get you your ideal client and it can actually hurt your SEO.

The clients that do need technical and credentials can get it in other places of your website like your personal about page for example. So, I encourage you to prioritize readability.

Tip #2: Speak to Their Pain Points

As I said above, when your potential client is struggling, what they really want to know is that they are not alone and you can help them. So you have to speak to and address their pain points.

Ask yourself, what challenges are your ideal clients dealing with? How do these challenges make them feel? Check your intake notes too. Write these down.

We recommend addressing their pain points first and foremost in most of the copy for your website (especially on service pages and blogs). Then empathize with these challenges and let them know that they’re not alone.

You may find that when you address these first, it makes writing the rest of the text easier because you can talk through those pain points, you do it all the time! So you can totally tell them how you would help them through these challenges.

Tip 3: Create Service or Speciality Pages for Each Service You Want to Rank For.

Creating one individual therapy or counseling services page is another mistake we frequently see therapists make on their websites. But here’s the thing: having them mentioned here and there in passing on your site will not necessarily help you rank for those services.

When you mention it, Google may take notice or they may not. When you create a section on a page like an individual therapy page, for example, Google may say ok they know a little about that subject and take note. But when you have a whole page on it, that really gets their attention and makes them realize that you’re an expert in this area. This is what helps you rank better.

Another question I’m often asked is: do I really need a specific page for online therapy if it’s just something I offer but don’t specialize in? My answer is, typically yes. There are always things you can say about online therapy that will help you potential clients and get you ranking through the state where you offer services, thus potentially attracting clients from outside your physical location and expanding your client base.

Want to Learn More about SEO for Therapists?

If you’re intrigued and want to know more, then please stay tuned for part two of my copywriting guide next month and learn 3 more tips for writing copy for your private practice website.

If you’re looking for SEO help then you should check out this page on our Done-For-You SEO services. Or, if you prefer SEO instruction or training, we can help you too! We offer a variety of online SEO courses and SEO training opportunities to meet your needs.

Contact us and schedule a free 30-minute consultation with a member of our SEO team to learn the many ways we can support you and help you ethically reach your ideal client.

Get SEO services for your private practice website:

If you’re ready to optimize your website and improve your private practice website’s SEO, Then our SEO specialists can help! We would be honored to support you in your efforts to get in front of your ideal client on Google. To get started, follow these steps:

1. Schedule your free 30-minute consultation with a member of the Simplified SEO Consulting team
2. Learn more about our SEO services and training opportunities
3. Start optimizing your webpage and watch your site rank better on Google!

About the Author:

Cory Moss is a Simplified SEO specialist & our Content Specialist based in the Kansas City metro area. She specializes in working on readability for therapist websites. She really enjoys helping her clients get to the top of Google and attract their ideal clients. Cory is great at speaking to clients about their dream practice and figuring out exactly what content on their website will help them reach those goals. She enjoys helping people learn about SEO and watching how people can improve their optimizing over time!