Blogging Tips for Speech Language Pathologists

Blogging is a great way to grow a professional brand and join in on the online conversation. And it’s an important part of a solid SEO strategy. In fact, no matter which one of our SEO services for private practices you go with, if you’re working with us, we’re probably recommending you blog. However, if you’ve never blogged before, or if you’re just getting started with your own blog, it can be hard to know where to begin.

Blogging can feel overwhelming at first and we’ve seen many private practice owners feel so overwhelmed they just avoid blogging altogether. But we know you have great information to share with the world. And we want to help improve your knowledge about blogging and motivation to get started. That’s why we’ve put together some general blogging tips for speech language pathologists that will help you get started so that you can get the most out of your blog.

Why Blogging for SLPs is Important

Blogging is a great way to share your knowledge with others, stay up to date on the latest trends in speech-language pathology and build your reputation as an expert in your field. It can also help you network with other professionals and improve your SEO because Google starts seeing you as an “expert” and see your website as an authority on that topic.

Blogging gives you a great way to communicate with existing clients-you can even assign blog posts to a client or parent as homework between times that they see you!

Blogging gives credibility as an expert on speech. In fact, it may even result in media sources reaching out to you when they’re doing stories on related topics and finding your post during their research. That has happened to me before and it’s an amazing feeling!

How to Choose a Blog Post Topic that helps your SEO

Choosing a topic is one of the most important parts of writing a blog. Here are some things to consider:

Choose a topic that you are passionate about and an expert in. Your passion will come through in your writing, and it will be easier for readers to trust what you have to say if they know that this is something that matters deeply to you.
Consider using tools like Answer The Public, AI tools or even the “related searches” at the bottom of Google SERP results (SERP = Search Engine Results Page). These tools can help you determine which topics would work best for both online search engine optimization purposes as well as helping potential clients find answers before their first appointment with you.
What do you wish clients knew before their first appointment with you? Write a blog about that!
What topics or tips do you find yourself hurriedly giving caregivers between sessions? Write a more detailed answer you can point them to in a blog post!
What questions do your patients or their families usually ask? These make excellent topics, particularly in a world where voice searches are more and more common.

Still need help coming up with ideas? Check out this blog post I wrote to help SLPs in private practice generate ideas for blog posts.

What Type of Content Should You Include In a blog post?

In order to ensure that your blog post is engaging and effective, you should include a variety of content types. This will help keep readers interested and give them an easier way to digest the information that you are providing. Here are some examples of what type of content can be included in a blog post:

Images: Including visuals in your blog post can help break up the text and draw attention to key points.
Videos: If you have a video that is relevant to your content, embedding videos can be a great way to give readers an even more detailed overview of the topic you are discussing.
Quotes: Quoting experts or other professionals who have knowledge on the subject you are writing about can help add more credibility to your content and provide readers with a different perspective.
Lists: Listing tips or resources that you have found helpful in your practice is an effective way to break up the text and provide valuable information for readers.

Write catchy, informative, and keyword-filled headlines and subheadings within the content body of each blog post.

An important part of your blog post is the title or headline. A catchy and informative headline will encourage readers to click on it. Balance that with the understanding that a keyword-filled heading will help search engines find your content more easily. So…writing a title for a blog post can be a bit tricky. You’re balancing SEO and trying to entice people to read what you wrote.

You should support this title/heading with subheadings that are relevant. These essentially act as an outline for the rest of your blog post. This gives readers a clear idea of what information they can expect from each section within your article. Importantly, it is easier for them to skim through if they don’t have time to read everything all at once (which we know happens often!). Don’t forget though–you still need some keywords in there too!

It’s also important not to overdo it with keywords. IWhy? Honestly, people can see right through a blog post that’s totally keyword stuffed. People want content that’s easy to read and understand. Content that flows nicely and provides truly helpful information. So, it’s best practice to avoid TOO many keywords in subheadings. Instead of overdoing it too much on the keyword, focus on creating valuable content that speaks directly towards topics related specifically to helping your clients and their caregivers. The bottom line is that Google rewards good content. So, if you focus on helping your clients and their caregivers, Google should reward you in time.

Tips for Optimizing Your Blog Posts for SEO

Use keywords strategically

When you’re writing a blog post, think about the keywords or phrases that potential clients might use to search for speech therapy services in your area. These keywords should be used throughout your post, but make sure to use them naturally and not overdo it. For example, if you specialize in working with children who have apraxia, include this keyword in your blog post title and within the content of your post.

Blog posts are particularly helpful to target long-tail keywords. Simply think of a question about speech therapy people often ask you (the question is the long-tail keyword here) and write an entire blog post about it!

Optimize your headings & subheadings

Headings not only make your blog post easier to read, but they can also help with your SEO. Make sure to include at least one H1 heading in your post, which should contain your primary keyword. Additionally, use H2 and H3 headings throughout your post to break up the content and include secondary keywords. For example, if you’re writing a post about speech therapy for children with autism, you might include an H2 heading titled “How Speech Therapy Can Help Children with Autism.”

Include internal and external links

Linking to other pages on your website can help search engines understand the structure of your site and the relationships between your pages. Additionally, including external links to reputable sources can improve your credibility with search engines. For example, if you’re writing a post about speech therapy for children with stuttering, you might create an internal link to a page on your site that talks about your experience working with children who stutter, as well as to an external resource from a reputable organization like the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

SEO Services for Speech Therapists in Private Practice

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a range of SEO services for speech therapists in private practice. We have several small group SEO training options, an individual training program, and our popular “done for you” service that can take your SEO efforts to the next level. We also offer affordable DIY courses and even an upcoming SEO training cruise that you don’t want to miss! Contact us today & apply to get started. Together, we can increase your reach to potential clients and help them find the services they’re looking for.

We look forward to connecting with you! Happy optimizing!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana, MSW, LCSW, is the driving force behind Simplified SEO Consulting. Though not an SLP (she’s a LCSW and owns a private practice offering psychotherapy), she has a deep respect and admiration for the work they do. With a team of SEO experts, she is dedicated to helping SLPs improve their online visibility. Through using effective SEO techniques and a whole lot of teamwork, they help speech therapists attract the clients who need them most.