Business Tips Archives - Page 5 of 7 - Simplified SEO Consulting

Tips on SEO for Trauma Therapists

We are thrilled to offer guidance and insights to our trauma therapists on SEO and service pages. Our team of SEO specialists has firsthand experience working with abuse, trauma, and survivors of DV. This gives us a unique perspective when it comes to marketing for individuals dealing with trauma. We hope that our holistic approach to SEO will provide you with the confidence needed to successfully reach out and speak to this clientele. Let us help you make an impact with your SEO and service pages!

What pages should you build out?

When building out your service pages, we typically recommend having a PTSD Treatment and Trauma Therapy page. This is because these are the most highly searched-for key terms. If you niche down with survivors of abuse, homicide, first responders, or DV survivors, then we would suggest making this the focus keyword, but still including PTSD treatment and trauma therapy on the page to draw in the people looking for this service. Additionally, as trauma therapists, we know that trauma doesn’t usually show up alone, in fact, many people dealing with trauma also deal with anxiety and depression. Therefore, creating service pages based on this focus will not only enhance your SEO because we can link back to these pages but your clients are not entirely sure if trauma is the issue. They can at least get a brief overview of how co-occurring disorders show up.

Use of Language on a PTSD and Trauma Page?

Sometimes when we are building out trauma pages for clients, we find that they struggle with using PTSD treatment on the page of the uncertainty that they will drive in a stream of more clinical diagnoses than they are ready to work with. However, in the SEO world, people are both searching for trauma therapy and PTSD treatment. If you’re worried about driving in the wrong clients, then realize that the keywords are what drive people to your website. The written content is what speaks to them as a person. If you don’t work with intense trauma clients, mention that in your copy. Or if your focus is on co-occurring disorders, say that too. Simply adding a subheading saying “ Who Do I Work Within Trauma Therapy” will help people to know whether or not you’re the right trauma therapist for them.

Additional Tips on Trauma Language and SEO for Trauma Therapists.

When it comes to trauma, it can be difficult to know what language is appropriate. However, it is essential to use natural language in your sessions and copy that resonates with the individual survivor’s experience. It may take many attempts before they are able to accept that the abuse or assault was not their fault – so reiterating this message demonstrates genuine empathy and understanding. Additionally, remember that each individual survivor is just that – an individual. Acknowledge the person first and foremost, not the problem or issue they are facing. Using a person’s preferred language can go a long way in providing comfort and assurance during difficult times. Doing so will help to foster trust and create a safe space for recovery.

Keywords for a Trauma Therapy Page

Here is a compilation of important keywords related to PTSD treatment and trauma therapy that people strive to rank for in SEO efforts:

PTSD treatment
Trauma Therapy
Intergeneration Trauma
EMDR Therapy
TF-CBT
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Brainspotting
Somatic Experiencing
Trauma-Informed Care
Supportive Trauma Counseling
Emotional Trauma Treatment
Complex Trauma
Trauma and Anxiety
Trauma and Depression
Feeling stuck
Trauma Therapist
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
PTSD therapy near me
Trauma therapy near me
Healing Childhood Trauma
Childhood Emotional Neglect
Attachment-Based Therapy
EMDR Therapist

These are just a few examples of keywords you could rank for, but the list goes on. That is why we have specialists who can help with SEO for trauma therapists, who are here to help you break down what makes sense to rank for and what doesn’t.

If you specialize in trauma and you have a certain modality you approach most often, it would be helpful for your rankings to create a modalities page, breaking down in client language what they can expect being in that setting with you. Additionally, creating blog posts where you answer commonly asked questions or give a resource guide will help to better connect with the client.

Resources to link to?

As many of you know, linking is a big piece of the puzzle to rank for SEO for trauma therapists. We add internal links, so for example, if you have a PTSD treatment page, then we may link to your anxiety, depression, or modality page to provide more movement in your site but also to show Google there is a connection between the topics. This also shows your clients that there is a connection. So if you connect to your anxiety page from a trauma page and have a subheading in each discussing the connection, your client and Google will begin to recognize the connection between the topics.

Additionally, we also suggest having at least one external link on your site. This is meant to help build up your trust flow with Google. When you connect to an already well-ranked site, this will build your site’s credibility.

Great SEO External Links for Trauma Therapists:

Make sure if you’re using these as external links, it is essential to bear in mind that while their great resources, copying content from other websites is not advisable. Google identifies duplicate content and will recognize the source, so it’s best to stick to the original ideas and rephrase them in your own language.

Blogging Helps SEO for Trauma Therapists Because You’re Able to Communicate Your Voice!

Blogging. The infamous and necessary next steps in your journey ranking for SEO for trauma therapists. Blogging is a powerful tool to connect to your ideal audience. Even if you’re a group practice that offers everything, blogging can help your particular mission and perspective be seen better.

What should therapists blog about?

We encourage you to write intentional and carefully crafted blog posts to answer common questions you hear in your practice.

For example, you could write an open letter to moms recovering from birth trauma. What do I say to my daughter who was raped?
Or simple things first responders can say to calm a person down in a crisis situation.
Resource guides and tips are useful for your client and it gives them a glimpse into the kind of care they can expect from you as a therapist.

Remember, blogging is your passion piece, so don’t be afraid to be real and talk about the tough issues.

Write blogs for their loved ones too.

Blogs are also a great resource for the family and loved ones of people dealing with trauma. They may struggle to know how to help their child, partner, friend, or family member. By giving them some helpful tips, you can help them to process what is going on in their loved ones’ lives. They may not fully understand, but when people don’t understand a loved one’s pain, they often want answers and guidance, but by providing blogs for the whole unit, they will feel better supported and even feel like they can help their loved ones better.

Get in Touch With Our Talented Team to Learn More About SEO for Trauma Therapists!

As trauma therapists and mental health professionals, we have the power to make a tremendous impact on how people live their lives. By utilizing SEO-driven person-centered service pages and blogs, we can create an online presence that helps those stuck in trauma find freedom and feel heard. Asking for help is a process, so be patient with clients who may visit your website multiple times before seeking help. Together, we can make a difference by providing the resources, support, and guidance they need to heal from their trauma.

If you could use some support, then reach out to us for help. Our skilled and passionate team of SEO specialists who are mental health nerds at Simplified SEO Consulting would be excited to help you on your SEO journey. To get started with our service follow these simple steps:

Apply to Work with us and schedule your consultation
Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists.
Begin putting your unique voice out there and continue making the impact you desire on those around you.

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO consulting offers a wide range of services that can help you begin working with your people. We offer. Done for You SEO Service packages, online courses, and SEO training opportunities. Our most popular course includes our “Top of Google” Online course, and we have 12 weeks (about 3 months) of intensive SEO for those who want to learn with a guide. For those looking for a more specialized package, we also offer an SEO strategy package. To get started, schedule a consultation with our Client Success Specialist today!

About the Author:

Jasmine has a Master’s Degree from Northwestern University and is a trauma therapist who specializes in Cognitive Processing Therapy at Aspire Counseling in Columbia, MO. She is also our consult lead and our SEO Training Coordinator at Simplified. Jasmine has experience hosting SEO webinars, consults, training through strategy sessions, using data to inform strategy, and she regularly works to provide support for alumni. If you are looking to get expert SEO support, Jasmine is one of many individuals on our team with excellent insight. Jasmine specializes in supporting clients who are looking to rank nationally and internationally and works often with our eating disorder therapists and coaches.

July 1, 2021/2 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess

Business Tips, Content

Making Your Website More LGBTQ+ Inclusive this Pride Month

The future of our world looks queerer than ever folks! It is estimated that roughly 1 in 6 individuals in Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+ and roughly 9% of Millennials identify as a part of the community. And we know Gen Z and Millennials are the most tech-savvy generations. So it makes sense that as these generations begin to seek healing through therapy, they will search for clinicians who not only respect their identities but celebrate them.

With that being said, this Pride month let’s consider how we can create more inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ folks. And not just physical spaces, but online spaces, too! Here at Simplified SEO Consulting, we work with private practice therapists and other helpers across the nation. More specifically, our SEO Specialists help them strategize their marketing through the use of search engine optimization on websites.

Inclusivity and SEO

One of our focuses in SEO work is getting more organic search traffic to websites. For today’s purposes, we won’t dive into how we do our SEO magic of getting web surfers to a specific website or page. Instead, we’ll talk about how to make websites more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community.

Making this a part of your SEO strategy will better the user experience of your site overall and encourage users to spend more time on your site. This is true for LGBTQ+ website users as well as people who do not identify as LGBTQ+. Prioritizing inclusivity communicates to family and friends of LGBTQ+ people and allies that you accept them as well. Plus, it’s likely that many of your website users are questioning aspects of their identities. This could even be one of their current struggles causing them to be interested in therapy. So, we want to make those folks feel welcome too. And making your website inclusive to LGBTQ+ folks addressed all of these potential website users.

Why is LGBTQ+ inclusive website content important?

Making your website more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community will set you apart from your competition. You will not only be seen as an ally to the community, but also as a quality therapist who considers and celebrates different identities and their intersections. Another thing to consider is potential employees. These folks will look at your site before applying, and if they don’t see themselves or their ideal clients reflected on your site, it’s likely they will rule you out as an employer.

The reasons for making your private practice website more LGBTQ+ inclusive are endless. In this blog, we’ll dive into tangible ways to make this a reality.

Language

A huge way to make your site more inclusive to LGBTQ+ folks is to start with your copy. Avoid using gendered language and pronouns. Wherever possible, use terms like “partner,” “spouse,” and they/them pronouns.

Contact Forms

A commonly overlooked space where we can increase inclusivity is contact forms. On some websites, a website user is asked their gender on a form for an initial appointment or consultation. Is this really important information to know? Perhaps. But if you are committed to providing LGBTQ+ inclusive services, removing a gender or sex question on a contact form can make all the difference for your clients.

If your practice requires knowing a potential client’s gender before speaking with them, do not simply give “male” and “female” as answers. Change the option to be a text box! This allows clients to self-identify. And this can be incredibly empowering for a client exploring their gender identity.

Pain Points

On each service page, we recommend including “pain points.” These are examples of what is bringing your ideal client to therapy. And this is a great place to include inclusive language! Dependent on the topic of a service page, you can almost always tie in the experience of LGBTQ+ folks. Below are some examples.

Anxiety treatment page – “Perhaps you feel your anxiety peak when you think about your sexual orientation or gender identity. These feelings make sense, as exploring parts of yourself can evoke feelings of uncertainty and change.”
Depression treatment page – “Going through times of change can create feelings of loss and sadness. Maybe you’ve recently discovered a new aspect of yourself, such as a change in sexual orientation or gender identity. While these life changes can be exciting and new, they can also be scary and be cause for grief.”
Trauma therapy page – “Trauma includes wide and varied troubling experiences. For some, this may look like being discriminated against due to race or body size. For those in the LGBTQ+ community, experiencing homophobia or being cut off from loved ones can be an immense source of pain and can, in fact, be traumatic.”

Photos

When choosing photos for your site, consider mixing them up! Think about your ideal clients. What would they look like in images?

If you’re choosing an image of a person by themselves, look for photos with diversity. This includes race, body size, age, and ability. Additionally, you can opt for images of folks whose gender is uncertain to be inclusive of non-binary, gender fluid, or agender folks.

If you are selecting images of couples or groups of people, try to make sure that there is some diversity between images on one page. Maybe you have one or two photos of opposite-sex couples and one or two with same-sex couples. And within these images, try to look for models that are diverse. We don’t want to see multiple photos of gay, skinny, white couples, but of more realistic couples. Maybe one partner is a person of color, and one is white. Or maybe one partner has a larger body than the other. Or maybe both partners are not white skinny people. Even better!

Considering different identities when selecting images shows website viewers that you really care. It looks to them like you put in the effort to think of and include them on your website. And that’s because you did! This is an area in which if you put in the effort, it will be clear for website users to pick up on. They’ll see you as a more inclusive therapist and therefore, a more appealing therapist for their needs.

Looking for a Training Opportunity?

One way you can support the LGBTQ+ community this Pride month is to get certified in trans+ letter writing for clients seeking gender-affirming services. This training provided by Van Levy will give you the education and tools to work with trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming folks in a trauma-informed way. Additionally, by receiving this training, you will be able to write letters for clients seeking surgery, hormones, a name change, or gender marker change. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow as a clinician and provide a much-needed service to LGBTQ+ folks, I highly recommend checking this out!

Need Some Website Help?

While our SEO consulting company focuses on helping private practice therapists get to the top of Google, we also want to help make your user experience optimal. If you’d like to get ranking on Google and get some tips about making your website more inclusive, connect with us!

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation call.
Talk with one of our skilled SEO specialists about our programs and services.
Create a website you’re proud of and get ranking on Google!

Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Our SEO specialists have extensive knowledge about how to better your website. While we do not focus on website design, we do focus on helping you get to the top of Google. Many of our private practice therapists opt for our Done For You services in which a specialist takes care of most of the work for you. But if you are interested in learning SEO yourself, you should check out our DIY Online Courses and Done With You training.

About the Author

Olivia Bahr is an SEO specialist and content writer here at Simplified SEO Consulting. Olivia identifies as a part of the LGBTQ+ community herself and prides herself on helping therapists consider website users’ intersectional identities regarding website content.

June 22, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

Business Tips, Content

Should I add a Christian Counseling Page to my Website?

By Guest Author Whitney Owens

While searching for a therapist, Jillian types into Google “Christian counselor”. She is hoping to find multiple clinicians within a short drive from her home. She wants someone who not only has clinical skills but also understands how her faith plays a role in her life. Sadly the only counselors that pop up are those with ads or those who do not even mention Christian on their website. She leaves her computer discouraged.

Christians often struggle to identify a new therapist who will understand their faith

Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurrence for multiple reasons. In some cases, there are just not enough Christian counselors in a specific radius. Other reasons are that counselors simply do not have good websites or have websites at all! Yes, someone told me that this morning. It is vital that clients are able to find counselors that meet their specific treatment needs. A good website and SEO are key to helping more people find the best fit therapist for them.

But can I market myself as a “Christian Counselor?”

That being said, Christian counselors need to do all they can to make their names known. Now, you may be wondering, what does it even mean to be a “Christian counselor” and what credential do I need to call myself that. It is simple. If you call yourself a Christian and also are a counselor, then you can put these words together and call yourself a Christian counselor. This does not mean that you are a theologian and know everything the Bible has to say on every issue. It also doesn’t mean that you only talk about faith in session or that you pray at the beginning and end of every appointment. Being a Christian counselor means you can bring faith into the session when appropriate when a client requests this approach in treatment. If you want to get a degree from a Christian program or get a special certification to help you integrate faith in counseling, that is great. But, from what I know, there is no specific requirement to call yourself a Christian counselor. If you know differently, please let me know.

Marketing helps clients who need your services find you

Therefore, Christian clients need to know where to find their ideal counselor, one who makes faith a part of the work. We know that most clients look for a therapist on Google or by word of mouth. Christian counselors, even if their work is not all Christian, need to give clients an option of finding them. The best way to do that is through a good website and SEO that will drive potential clients your way.

A simple way to help your clients: Add a Christian Counseling page to your website

If you are a counselor who considers Christianity to be a part of your work, I am pleading with you to add a Christian Counseling page on your website. You can make this page like any of your other service pages such as your Substance Abuse page or your Child Counseling page. It does not have to be front and center on your website if you don’t want to market only as a faith-based practice. But, if you want to do that, no problem. Most clinicians I speak to do not want to only work with Christians. I get that. That is why I recommend you make Christian Counseling a page under your drop-down menu for Services. This way, when people are looking for a Christian counselor, there is a chance you will be found. And as any consultant will tell you, make sure you have good internal and external links on your page so people have a greater chance of finding it. And as a bonus tip, you can also blog about Christian counselors to get better hits the next time Jillian gets on Google to find you.

About the Guest Author

Whitney Owens is a therapist, the owner of a private pay group psychotherapy practice in Savannah, and a consultant with Practice of the Practice specializing in helping Christian therapists grow their private practices. You may also be interested in a blog post she wrote about “What is required to call myself a Christian counselor” and a podcast she hosted with another amazing therapist (shout out to William Hemphill!) answering the question, “Can I call myself a Christian counselor?” Whitney will also be starting another round of her popular Faith in Practice Mastermind group for Christian private practice owners starting in July. You can learn more about that mastermind group here. Several of our SEO clients have been through her previous masterminds and have found them really helpful as they build a successful practice that is in line with their Christian values.

May 6, 2021/0 Comments/by Jessica

Business Tips, SEO Tips

SEO Tips for Psychiatrists in Private Practice

There are many, many benefits to being in private practice as a psychiatrist. Certainly, a huge benefit is that you’ll likely make more money. And, in private practice, you have the ability to take the time to get to know your patients. Additionally, there will be fewer patients who really don’t want to be there. In private practice, there is time and space for continuing education, collaboration, and, well, everything.

But you’re also a business owner now. Therefore, you have new responsibilities you haven’t had to worry about before. Among the many new tasks you’ll have as a business owner, you have to think about marketing. Because you can’t help patients if they can’t find you.

A Website is a Powerful Marketing Tool for Private Practice Psychiatrists

It’s important to meet patients where they are. And in today’s day in age, that’s often online. Because most of your patients are probably looking for help online, you need to have a presence there.

But the truth is that as a private pay psychiatrist, your website needs to do more than just show up. It needs to have the right design to attract your clients’ attention. And then, it needs the right content to help them understand the value you offer.

SEO Helps You Reach The Patients Who Need You

In private practice, you have more choice in who you take on as patients and who you refer elsewhere. You know your skillset better than anyone else. And you know the populations you not only work best with but also find joy in serving. You got into this field to help people and to make an impact on the world of mental health. And your ability to practice most effectively is impacted by the fulfillment you find in your work.

So no, it is not unethical to target populations you’d like to work with. In fact, it is most ethical to cater to a population you feel skilled to serve. Search engine optimization (SEO) allows you to target your ideal clients online, which is why SEO should be an essential part of your marketing strategy.

SEO Tips for Psychiatrists

Do Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of good SEO for most websites. But psychiatrists face a unique challenge. Most likely, you have two audiences: referral sources and potential patients. Both may be searching for different keywords. Therefore, it’s important to consider each audience when doing keyword research.

A good first step is to ask referral sources what they would search on Google when looking for a referral for a patient. Another good resource for keyword research is your existing patients. Take a look at your intake paperwork. Why are your clients coming to you for services? What are the trends among your patients’ concerns? This information can give great insight as to how your patients see themselves and their needs. In turn, indicating which keywords they would most likely search for online when looking for a psychiatrist, much like your potential clients you’ll be targeting on your website. The final keyword research opportunity is to use a keyword research tool. These can be extremely helpful, as they can help you find additional keywords you may not have even thought to track, but are frequently searched for in your area.

Popular Keywords for Psychiatrists

As a starting place, I’ll share some general keyword trends in the United States. However, know that it’s important to do your own keyword research for your specific area. As of April 1st, 2021, one of our keyword research tools, KWFinder, says the following keywords are searched for this number of times each month in the United States:

Psychiatrist – 439,000
Psychiatry Services – 2,200
Psychiatric Medication – 2,500
Medication for Depression – 8,5000
Medication for Anxiety – 165,000

Once you’ve done your research, start to use keywords throughout your website.

Build Backlinks

Building backlinks is an essential part of a healthy SEO strategy. Backlinks refer to when someone sends a website user off of their website and onto yours using a link. When you work with other professionals in your community like therapists, primary care doctors, community nonprofits, or schools, you become a known and trusted name. Brainstorm entities and organizations that work with your ideal clients. These would be great relationships to form if they do not already exist.

Many large organizations have resource pages or directories on their websites. Here, you will find lists of businesses or professionals that a credible community organization supports. Typically, you can request to be put on a resource page or directory by emailing the organization or filling out a form. When your business gets listed on one of these pages, it shows both Google and website viewers that you are a quality resource to be trusted. However, there are many ways to build backlinks.

Create Individual Service Pages

Consider writing a service page for the specific types of psychiatry you really enjoy doing. Do you have specialized training in eating disorders? Then make sure you have a page on “Psychiatry for Eating Disorders.” Enjoy treating postpartum depression, anxiety, or OCD? It would make sense to have a service page on “Psychiatry for Moms.” Are many of your patients depressed? If so, create a “Medication for Depression” service page. We recommend that each of these pages have at least 500 words (2,000 is better if you’re up for writing that much!) of original content. Make great use of subheadings, include a direct call to action (Speak to a Psychiatrist About Your Depression in ______) and make sure to link to other pages of your site!

Blogging as a Psychiatrist

Blogging is an important part of a good SEO strategy. And there are many reasons to blog! Yes, search engine optimization is a key reason to blog because Google notices and likes consistently published fresh content. However, blogging also gives potential patients a sense of who you are, how you help people, and what being your patient would be like.

You may be thinking… “what do I write about?” Our SEO specialists recommend writing blog posts that answer typical questions your patients ask. You may also want to write blog posts talking about typical diagnoses you treat, but make it clear that a blog post can’t diagnose. Blogs can provide a wealth of information to patients about if you will be the best fit for their care.

Consider a Specific Page for Local Therapists & Primary Care Doctors

As a psychiatrist, the truth is that you have two audiences: potential referral sources and potential clients. Local therapists and primary care doctors who think their patients could benefit from your specialized knowledge about psychiatric medications will be looking for your services online. However, they are a very different audience than potential patients. These potential referral partners can handle a bit more technical jargon and will be asking specific questions. Therefore, we recommend you have a page on your site dedicated to these referral sources.

On the other hand, most of your content on your website needs to be targeted at your larger audience: potential patients. When these folks are finding your site, it’s probably not while they are at peak brain performance. Rather, it is most likely when they just had a panic attack, a breakdown, or at their wit’s end with their symptoms. They are probably scrambling to find help when they don’t know where else to turn. Likely, they’re looking for a psychiatrist during a quick lunch break or late at night when they can’t deal with insomnia any longer.

With that being said, as a psychiatrist, it’s essential that you have a page speaking directly to your hopeful professional referral sources. This page can be technical and you can speak as a professional. In regards to the rest of your website content, take into account what a “3 AM trauma brain” would be able to digest. Write for that state of mind. Your patients will appreciate it and likely find you very relatable.

Answer Common New Patient Questions

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we’ve found that FAQ pages are great for both your website viewers AND your SEO. Make a list of the questions new patients are likely to ask. If you have someone who answers new patient inquiries for you, check in with them about those questions. Then, add a few more you get during that first session. Now, write a 1-2 paragraph response to each of those questions.

I encourage you not to base the questions you use off what questions someone else answered on their page or some stock FAQ page. Instead, think about what pages your ideal clients are asking. Remember, we care about SEO, but we also want your website to help your clients. We want them to see that you would be a great resource for them. That you get them, relate to them. These are the things that will bring them through your doors.

Are you a Private Pay Psychiatrist?

We strongly recommend private pay psychiatrists have content on their website directly addressing their status as private pay. Maybe write a series of blog posts on the top advantages of working with a psychiatrist who is private pay. It’s ok to get slightly personal about how much you value face-to-face time with clients. Or about how you want to work for clients instead of insurance companies.

It’s also important to have a fees page on your website. Now, it’s up to you if you publish your specific fees. We’ve seen many private pay psychiatrists who do. However, this page is also a great place to address your reasons for being private pay. And, you can do so in a way that highlights the benefits for clients.

Ready to get Serious About Your Website SEO?

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we specialize in helping private practice therapists get their websites ranking on Google. Not only that, we help them stay at the top of Google too. Our SEO Specialists are passionate about getting your site in front of the clients you enjoy working with because we know that a solid therapeutic relationship makes all the difference in the world of mental health. To learn more about Simplified SEO Consulting and how we can help you get ranking, follow the steps below.

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation call with us.
Meet with one of our SEO Specialists to learn more about our packages and process.
Get your website in front of your ideal patients!

SEO Services at Simplified

We offer a variety of services to help you along on your SEO journey. One of our most popular services is the Done For You SEO package. With this, you get to take a backseat while a skilled SEO Specialist takes point on your website’s SEO. On the other hand, we have DIY Online SEO Courses and a Done With You package if you’d like to become an SEO wizard yourself!

About the Author

Simplified’s founder, Jessica, and one of Simplified’s Mental Health SEO Specialists, Olivia, wrote this blog together. Both team members enjoy educating our clients about search engine optimization and how it can help private practices bring in clients that professionals are excited to work with!

April 30, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

Business Tips

3 Reasons To Track Data Related to SEO

You probably think about tracking the number of calls, intakes, client appointments, and your gross revenue. But have you thought about what data you should be paying attention to related to your website?

I’ve found myself having more and more conversations about tracking data with clinicians and private practice owners. So, I wanted to write about why you should track data related to your website. You’ve probably heard about KPI’s (key performance indicators) before and that you need to be tracking all of them for your business as a whole. Well, I track data related to my website as well. And I encourage you to do the same. It doesn’t have to be a difficult task!

Reason #1 to Track Data: To Track ROI (Return on Investment)

The first reason to track your website data is to be able to assess your return on investment. If you are working on SEO, whether on your own or by spending money to have someone (like me) do it for you, you need to know if it’s worth it. A lot of people pay for marketing, whether it’s Facebook Ads, Google Ads, or SEO, and never really track their return on investment. Don’t you want to spend your hard-earned marketing dollars where it’s going to make the biggest impact? So, when it comes to assessing your return on investment and figuring out if SEO is really working, there are a few things we look at tracking.

What Data to Track to Determine ROI on Search Engine Optimization Efforts

Where did you hear about us? Every time there’s a potential client that reaches out, whether that’s by phone or email, we mark it in our system. I use a Google spreadsheet, where my VA and I keep track of all calls that come into our practice. Without using identifying information, (I think we just use initials) we record lots of information about the calls and emails we get. We mark how they heard about us, whether the request came in via phone or email, who first spoke to them, and whether they converted to a paying client. Additionally, we typically add any other relevant notes (looking for private pay or insurance, etc.). If you are invested in anything, and by anything I mean time, energy, or money into marketing/SEO marketing, then you want to be tracking where your calls are coming from. This will help you know if your efforts are actually turning into calls. And calls mean converted clients.
Website States When you’re actively working with Simplified SEO Consulting on your SEO, and hopefully afterward, you will have access to our data dashboard. This tool tracks things like how you rank for specific keywords we’re targeting, our Google Analytics data and your Google Search Console data. So, at the beginning of most of our monthly planning phone calls, we briefly go over your website’s progress. Again, this is to see if you are getting a return on investment. In other words, is SEO working? Are your rankings going up? How about your Google clicks? Are more people actually clicking on your website? You want to know that what you’re doing is worth it.

Reason #2 for Tracking: To Assess Website Conversions

The second thing I look at is how your website is converting. It’s one thing getting lots of clients to your website, but are they converting? I can see, on the backend, tons of people are going to your site now, but the question is are they actually calling you?

Another thing we look at here is what pages your clients are staying on. What pages are they navigating to, and what pages are they staying on the longest? You can find that information through Google Analytics. Again, if you’re working with us and have the Brighter Insights Tool, you can just look on the Google Analytics part of that. We want to look at which pages are working and where people are staying on your site. Are they staying on the site long enough to actually view and read a page? Or, are they clicking on the contact page? Often, I will look at a page’s specific Google Analytics data as well.

Assessing Website Conversions Based on Source

Sometimes, people who find your website through SEO, Google Adwords, Social Media, etc. act differently. We want to identify those differences. And if we’re working on your SEO, we can use that data to optimize your page even more so it not only gets more clients but converts more of the right clients.

Therefore, when people are working on SEO and still doing Google AdWords, we can both add your Adwords data to your data dashboard AND can differentiate in Google Analytics how people behave when they arrive on your website through SEO vs. Adwords. This tool allows us to sort out your paid searches versus your organic searches, which would be the SEO portion. We’ll look at how long people are staying on the website from each of those sources (organic search, Adwords, Social Media, etc.). Sometimes, we find people stay on a page for a long time, you have a low bounce rate, and there is a high page session duration for both paid and organic searches. But, if we find that one is yielding higher quality results, then that might give you some clue as to where to invest your time and money.

Lastly, the other thing to look at with assessing how your website is converting is your bounce rate. The bounce rate is how many people only look at one page on your website and then bounce off to another site. So, obviously, we would prefer fewer people bouncing off and more people staying on your website.

Reason #3 to Track Data: To Catch Any Changes in Your Search Engine Rankings Quickly

The third reason we want to track data on our website is that we want to catch any significant changes in the data. So, if you have great SEO, and then all of a sudden it drops off, we want to catch that and know what’s going on. From an SEO standpoint, it could be that Google just changed its algorithm. If this happens in a major way, sometimes there are big things that you have to go back and fix.

Sudden Changes Can Happen When Google Changes Things Up

Google changes how it ranks websites frequently. Just last year, Google changed their algorithm in a way that helped many of our clients but also hurt various websites in the health and wellness space. Previously, there was a change to give websites with “intrusive pop ups” that cover most of the text a bit of a disadvantage. A lot of health and wellness business owners we work with had been told that they needed to have a big pop-up to join their mailing list or newsletter on their website. So they have these giant pop ups encouraging people to use a free download, learn more about their online counseling services, etc even though they themselves find these pop ups annoying. They’re then surprised to learn it might negatively impact their SEO.

(Quick Tip: We recommend having a smaller pop up either at the top of the page or in the bottom right corner that can provide a similar call to action without impacting user experience and therefore possibly your SEO.)

If we’re tracking the data, we can clearly see when that sort of thing happens. This lets us know when and where we need to make an adjustment. Right after a major algorithm change, our team usually keeps a close eye on all of our clients data for a couple of weeks to identify anyone who may have been negatively impacted.

Sometimes, a drop happens for other reasons…

Similarly, there are lots of other reasons data might drop. I have found some coding errors on certain websites that we’ve been working on. These come up when we go to index a certain page. When we find these coding errors, we let you know and give you screenshots that you can send to your website designer. We are looking at the data and therefore find these errors, which we can then fix. If you aren’t tracking the data, you won’t know that an error is having such a significant impact on your data and you won’t know to fix it.

Track Your SEO Data or Begin SEO Work Altogether

Whether you’ve been working on search engine optimization for years or you’re considering starting now, you’re in the right place! Our SEO Specialists have the knowledge to get your site ranking on Google and interpret the data. Now, the piece about interpreting data is pretty important! We know how to use the data to inform future SEO work, which is pretty cool if you ask me. If you’re interested in beginning your SEO journey, follow the steps below.

Book a free 30-minute consultation call with us.
Chat with one of our experienced SEO Specialists.
Understand the data and make SEO moves that matter!

SEO Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Our SEO Specialists are well-versed in a variety of subjects related to search engine optimization. In fact, we can do SEO for you with our Done For You SEO package! If you’d prefer to be more hands-on and learn all about SEO, our DIY Online SEO Courses or Done With You program may be a good fit. We hope that you reach out to an SEO Specialist with any questions you have about SEO or package options!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana and Olivia Bahr collaborated on this blog post. Jessica, Simplified’s founder, taught herself search engine optimization and is passionate about making SEO simpler for other private practice owners. Olivia is a Mental Health SEO Specialist and Content Writer who enjoys helping clients understand SEO data and its real-life implications.

April 23, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

Business Tips, SEO Basics

Why SEO is a Great Long-Term Business Investment

When you’re building or scaling your private practice, making a financial investment in anything can feel overwhelming. Especially, when it comes to marketing and there are so many options out there. At Simplified SEO Consulting, we understand that making an investment in outsourcing or learning SEO can be anxiety-producing for some clinicians. So, I wanted to take a moment and share with you some reasons why our current clients feel this investment was worthwhile.

SEO Is a Long-Term Investment

When you invest in SEO you’re making a long-term investment in attracting your ideal client. Unlike other forms of marketing, you don’t get to the top of Google overnight when you pay for SEO. But, when you make an investment in SEO, the work that is being done does not go away when you stop paying for it like it would with AdWords or other types of search engine marketing (SEM).

Although we believe that there is a time and place for Google AdWords, we believe that SEO is the best choice to make long-term. The founder of Simplified SEO Consulting, Jessica Tappana shared with me that she learned SEO because she didn’t want to pay for AdWords indefinitely. Especially, when she would stop showing up when her AdWords account ran out of money and clients stopped being able to find them on Google. Ultimately, it was just too expensive as a long-term solution to attract new clients.

Again, we’re not saying that you shouldn’t choose to invest in AdWords. It is a good way to get in front of your ideal clients quickly. For example, it may be a good strategy to use if you’re trying to fill a new group that’s starting soon. But, it may not be the best use of your money long-term.

How Long Does SEO Take?

SEO is a long-term investment. It varies depending on several factors, but we generally tell people to think of it as taking around six months (or possibly more if you live in a very competitive area like New York or Los Angeles) to get ranking on the first page on Google for at least a handful of keywords if you haven’t worked on SEO before. However, SEO is the most cost-effective way to rank well on Google for a long time. Once we get you ranking well, you’re not likely to stay on the top of Google with just a little maintenance work.

Jessica Tappana Simplified SEO founder, therapist, and owner of Aspire Counseling in Mid-Missouri says: “It was the cheapest form of marketing that has been effective for my private practice long term.”

Your Time is Valuable. Outsource Your SEO

As a therapist and private practice owner, you’re likely very busy. And, your time is worth a lot. So, ask yourself, how much time do you want to spend on marketing? There are lots of ways to market your private practice, however, they all involve time and money on your part. This is time that you could put towards seeing paying clients.

But, when you work with us to get your private practice website ranking well, you’re paying for our SEO expertise. Even if you’re doing a DIY package, you will still learn a lot by watching our SEO training videos from Jessica who is an SEO guru.

Tanner Enderle of Ataraxis Counseling had this to say about paying for SEO:
“Because time is your most valuable resource & this company will do it better than your DIY efforts. It is a better use of your time and money to focus on your niche.”

Jessica Tappana said “I don’t have time to do it myself anymore. So I outsource SEO work to the Simplified team because I trust them to do it well.”

SEO Doesn’t Require Excessive Networking

As a therapist, referrals are great. But, that requires networking, and often that can become very pricy. For example, say you go out to meet other professionals for coffee or lunch. That costs money. Not to mention, it costs you time, and as we said before your time is worth money. Especially if you could have been seeing clients during that time. Of course, networking is important, but this allows you to bring in clients without having to rely solely on referrals.

One of our Baltimore-based clinicians and founder of New Connections Counseling Center had this to say about the benefits of using SEO instead of face-to-face marketing: “If you are an introvert, investing in SEO is a great way to get your business noticed without having to do lots of networking!”

Megan Negendank LMFT founder of Love Heal Grow in Sacramento said “When starting my private practice, business coach after business coach recommended networking with other therapists. My highly introverted self found the idea of cold calling other professionals very overwhelming. Instead, I invested in SEO and filled my practice in a few weeks once I started ranking. I now have a group practice with 5 other therapists and we keep very busy—all because great SEO built our name in our community.”

Laura Ripperon owner of Calm Waters Counseling in North Carolina said “I moved to a new state when I started my private practice. I didn’t know any other professionals and was trying networking. A year later COVID hit and networking became more challenging. Investing in SEO has helped my website rank higher on Google and get seen by potential clients. It has also helped me cast a wider net through the whole state because I offer telehealth.”

SEO helps you attract your ideal client

The goal of SEO is not just to get you to the top of Google, but it is also to help you attract your ideal client. If you’re new and haven’t read our other blogs, you may be wondering “what is an ideal client anyway?” Well, an ideal client may be clients looking for the counseling service you’re most interested in offering. It could be a client to fill a new therapist’s caseload. Or, it could be populations that you enjoy working with like women with anxiety, new parents, etc.

In my opinion, this is what sets SEO and our company apart from other marketing firms. We truly believe in the power of attracting your ideal client and getting you known in your community as an authority on the services you provide. We use our knowledge of mental health and our research tools to help us think about what your ideal clients are looking for. Then, we use our expertise to target market to them.

April Brown, a Miami-based therapist, and owner of The Heard Counseling said “You become known for your niche- essentially increasing your ideal client referrals. Clients aren’t the only ones googling you, professionals and colleagues are too. I have found that many colleagues and referral sources have found me through google thanks to my SEO investment. They have reached out to me and wanted to start up a referral network because of my niche.”

SEO Helps You Scale Your Practice As You Continue to Grow

Many of our clinicians begin working with us when they are single practitioners. Then, after their caseloads become full, they hire more clinicians. When this happens, we use SEO to target the niches of their new employees to help them attract their ideal clients.

The beauty of SEO is that it is flexible in times like these. Our staff will take the time to listen to your needs as a private practice owner and help you address them effectively.

Jason Drake of Katy Teen and Family Counseling shares his experience: “So I had a 3-5 year plan to open a group practice. After the 12-week intensive with Simplified SEO I was able to open a group practice in 10 months. It’s been 6 months since opening a group practice and just hired my 4th therapist. Ranking on Google is the main variable that allowed this growth. Is SEO important? Nope, it’s critical!”

Final Thoughts

So, what I want you to understand about SEO is that it is an investment, but it is an important one to make as you work towards growing your business. When you invest in working on your SEO with Simplified SEO consulting, we hope you will feel the support of our entire team as we help you get to the top of Google and attract your ideal client. We will be with you every step of the way to help you market your amazing services and reach more clients.

Begin SEO Services with Simplified SEO Consulting:

If you’re ready to learn more about SEO services or the skills to do your own SEO work, then contact our staff. We will discuss all the options during a free consultation call. To get started and get to the top of Google, follow these steps:

Make an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation with a member of the Simplified SEO Consulting team
Learn more about our packages and training opportunities
Start optimizing your webpage and watch your site rank better on Google!

About the Author:

Cory Moss is a Simplified SEO specialist based in Kansas City. 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.

April 20, 2021/0 Comments/by Cory Moss

Business Tips, SEO Basics, SEO Tools

How Do I Promote My Small Law Firm Using SEO?

In the ever-evolving legal landscape, marketing has become a fundamental component of success for personal injury law firms, regardless of their size. For small law firms, in particular, strategic marketing can make a substantial difference in their ability to thrive and grow. In this comprehensive blog, we will explore the essential aspects of marketing for small law firms, addressing their purpose, the best advertising approaches, how to effectively promote your practice, and determining the right marketing budget. Enhance your law practice with our SEO for personal injury lawyers!

What is the Purpose of Marketing a Law Firm?

The purpose of marketing a law firm goes beyond just attracting clients. It’s about creating a strong brand presence, building credibility, and fostering long-term growth. Here’s a breakdown of what marketing can do in a law firm:

Attracting Clients: The primary objective of legal marketing is to attract potential clients. By showcasing your expertise, highlighting your practice areas, and addressing common legal questions, your marketing efforts draw in individuals seeking legal assistance.

Building Credibility: Marketing can help establish your personal injury law firm as a credible and trustworthy source in the legal field. It conveys expertise, experience, and professionalism. These are crucial factors in gaining client trust.

Creating Brand Awareness: Effective marketing cultivates brand recognition. When individuals think of legal services, your firm should be top of mind. Brand awareness ensures that your firm is easily recalled when potential clients require legal assistance.

Differentiation: In a crowded marketplace, marketing allows your small law firm to differentiate itself from your competitors. Highlighting your unique strengths and the specific legal services you offer sets you apart in the minds of potential clients.

Client Retention and Referrals: Marketing efforts aren’t limited to attracting new clients. By maintaining strong client relationships and providing valuable content, you can encourage repeat business and referrals, which are critical for long-term success.

What is the Best Form of Advertising for a Lawyer?

Selecting the right form of advertising or best marketing strategy for lawyers involves a thorough understanding of your target audience and the competitive landscape. While different strategies work for different practices, some approaches have proven effective for many personal injury lawyers:

Content Marketing: Creating informative and valuable content is a powerful way to demonstrate expertise and engage potential clients. Blog posts, articles, and whitepapers can showcase your legal knowledge and build trust.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Organic search visibility is vital. SEO helps your website rank higher in search results, increasing the likelihood that potential clients will find you. It’s an investment that yields long-term benefits.

Social Media Engagement: Engaging with your audience on social media platforms can increase brand recognition and foster relationships with potential clients. Sharing valuable content and showcasing your expertise can be highly effective.

How Do I Promote My Small Law Firm?

Promoting a small personal injury law firm requires a well-thought-out strategy. Promoting a small law firm with SEO services is a strategic approach to enhance online visibility, attract potential clients, and establish credibility in the digital realm. Here’s a more in-depth look at how to effectively leverage SEO for your small law firm:

Define Your Niche: Identify your specific legal niche and target audience. Understanding your unique strengths and specialization is the first step in effective promotion.

Create a Strong Online Presence: Invest in a professional website that is user-friendly and responsive. Ensure that it showcases your expertise and practice areas effectively.

Content Creation: Develop high-quality content that addresses common legal questions, provides insights into legal changes, and showcases your expertise. This content should be informative and valuable to your target audience.

Engage on Social Media: Establish an active presence on social media platforms where your potential clients are active. Regularly share content, engage with your audience, and participate in discussions related to your field.

Optimize for Local SEO: If you serve a specific geographic area, optimize your online presence for local SEO. This includes creating a Google My Business listing, managing online reviews, and ensuring your business information is consistent across online directories.

Local Citations: Ensure your business information, including NAP, is consistent across online local directories and citation sites. Inconsistent information can harm your local SEO efforts.

How Much Should a Small Law Firm Spend on Marketing?

Determining how much law firms should spend on marketing law firm involves a thoughtful assessment of your practice areas, goals, and your competitors. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, a general guideline is to allocate between 2% to 5% of your gross revenue to marketing. However, for newly established firms or those in highly competitive markets or areas, this percentage may need to be higher. It’s essential to regularly review and adjust your marketing budget based on results and changing market conditions to ensure the best return on investment (ROI).

Navigating the Legal Marketing Maze for Small Law Firms with SEO

As you can see, marketing is an indispensable tool for small law firms seeking to succeed in today’s competitive legal landscape. By understanding its purpose, selecting the best advertising strategies, promoting your practice effectively, and determining the right marketing budget, you can create a strong brand presence, attract clients, and foster long-term growth for your small law firm.

Begin SEO Services with Simplified Consulting Today!

Ready to elevate your personal injury law firm’s online presence and attract more clients? Our expert SEO services are tailored to empower your practice. Let’s connect to discuss how we can boost your visibility and drive results. Follow the simple steps below:

Schedule a consultation here!
Meet with one of our dedicated SEO Specialists.
Watch your personal injury law firm flourish!

Other Services Simplified SEO Consulting Offers:

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a range of services to help you improve your website’s online presence. We offer Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses, which are customized to enhance your search engine rankings and attract your ideal clients. We also have a 12-week Done With You Intensive Program for comprehensive training. Our Content Networking service can help you boost your online presence and attract more of your ideal clients. Check out our blog for more tips and guides on SEO.

April 12, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

Business Tips, Content

How to Improve SEO for My Birth Work Website: SEO Experts Tell You How!

As a birth professional, you know that the internet is a powerful tool for connecting with potential clients. But if your website isn’t optimized for search engines (SEO), you’re missing out on a lot of potential traffic.

SEO is the process of improving the ranking of your website in search engine results pages (SERPs). When your website ranks higher in SERPs, it’s more likely to be seen by potential clients, which means more leads and more business.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the most important SEO tips for birth professionals. By following these tips, you can improve the ranking of your website and attract more clients.

1. Choose the right keywords for SEO and birth work

The first step to improving your SEO is to choose the right keywords. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use to search for information online. When you choose the right keywords, you’re more likely to rank for those searches and attract more traffic to your website.

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing keywords:

Choose keywords that are relevant to your business.
Choose keywords that have a high search volume.
Choose keywords that are not too competitive.

You can use a keyword research tool like KW Finder to help you choose the right keywords.

2. Write high-quality content that your ideal birthing or postpartum clients are looking for.

Once you’ve chosen your keywords, it’s time to start writing high-quality content. Content is king when it comes to SEO. The more high-quality content you have on your website, the better your chances of ranking high in SERPs.

When writing content, keep your target audience in mind. What are they looking for? What information do they need? Write content that is informative, engaging, and helpful.

You should also make sure your content is well-written and free of errors. Typos and grammatical errors can make your website look unprofessional and can hurt your SEO.

3. Optimize your birth business website structure

The structure of your website is also important for SEO. Your website should be easy to navigate and easy for search engines to crawl.

Here are a few tips for optimizing your website structure:

Use clear and concise titles and headings.
Use internal links to connect different pages on your website.
Use a sitemap to help search engines index your website.

4. Promote your birth business website

Once you’ve optimized your website, it’s time to start promoting it. There are a number of ways to promote your birth or postpartum website, including:

Social media (do you follow us on Facebook? Instagram? YouTube?)
Email marketing (are you on our newsletter?)
Guest blogging (would you like to write for us? We’d LOVE that!)
Online directories (what are your favorite birth worker directories? Comment below!)
Sharing your expertise in local, national, and international publications (sign up for HARO!)

By promoting your birth work website, you can increase its visibility and attract more traffic from your ideal clients.

5. Monitor your SEO progress to track your birth business website rankings

It’s important to monitor your progress and make sure your SEO efforts are paying off. You can use a variety of tools to track your website’s performance, including Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

By monitoring your progress, you can identify areas where you can improve your SEO and make sure your website is ranking high in SERPs.

Additional tips to help boost your birth business throughout the United States and beyond:

Here are a few additional tips for improving the SEO of your birth work website:

Use images and videos. Images and videos can break up your text and make your website more visually appealing. They can also help you rank for image and video searches.
Keep your website up-to-date. Make sure your website is regularly updated with new content. This will help you keep your website fresh and relevant in the eyes of search engines.
Get involved in your community. Attend local events and network with other birth professionals. This will help you build relationships and attract new clients.

By following these tips, you can improve the SEO of your birth work website and attract more clients. SEO is an ongoing process, but by following these tips, you can set your website up for success.

SEO is an ongoing process, but by following the tips in this blog post, you can set your website up for success. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t have the time to do it yourself, Simplified SEO Consulting can help. We’re a team of experienced SEO experts who can help you improve your website’s ranking and attract more clients. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

Simplified SEO Consulting Knows How to Support Birth Professionals!

Did you know? Danica Wolf, COO for Simplified SEO Consulting, is a full-spectrum birth and postpartum doula and educator! She’s also in charge of our Done-With-You SEO Training Program and leads the Small Group SEO Intensive, which would be perfect for the “Do-It-Yourself” type of SEO beginner. No matter how involved you’d like to be with your SEO journey, we’d love to work with you! Fill out an application to work with us and your free SEO consultation will be scheduled ASAP!

April 11, 2021/0 Comments/by Danica Wolf

Business Tips

What Does Marketing Do in a Law Firm? A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to law firms, marketing is not just a choice; it’s a necessity. In today’s digital age, having a well-crafted marketing strategy can make all the difference for a law firm. In this comprehensive blog, we will delve into the intricacies of law firm marketing, including the tools that make it effective, the best advertising methods, the importance of digital marketing, and leveraging social media for growth. Simplified SEO Consulting offers SEO for personal injury lawyers. We can help your personal injury law firm reach ideal clients who need your help!

What Does Marketing Do in a Law Firm?

Marketing serves a multitude of purposes in a law firm. The best law firm marketing strategy improves a law firm’s search engine rankings, making it more likely to appear in the top positions of search engine results pages (SERPs). This increased visibility ensures that potential clients can find the law firm’s website when searching for relevant legal services. More examples of what marketing can do in a law firm include:

Client Acquisition: Attracting new clients is a pivotal part of law firm marketing. An effective strategy should target your ideal clients and persuade them to choose your firm for their legal needs.

Brand Awareness: Building a recognizable brand is fundamental. Your brand should convey trust, professionalism, and expertise. It’s about creating a positive image and reputation that clients can trust.

Client Retention: Marketing doesn’t stop once you’ve acquired a client. It’s equally important to maintain strong relationships and encourage repeat business and referrals.

Online Presence: In the digital era, having a robust online presence is key. Your website and social media profiles should be informative, engaging, and user-friendly.

Law Firm Marketing Tools

Utilizing the right law firm marketing tools can streamline your efforts and enhance your marketing strategy. SEO tools can be highly beneficial for law firms by helping them optimize their online presence, improve their search engine rankings, and track their performance.

Here’s how SEO tools can assist law firms:

Keyword Research: SEO tools can help law firms identify the best keywords for lawyers and phrases related to their practice areas. By researching which terms potential clients are searching for, law firms can tailor their content to match these keywords and increase their visibility in search results.

Competitor Analysis: Effective SEO tools can provide insights into the online strategies of competing law firms. Law firms can identify the keywords, backlinks, and content strategies that are working for their competitors and adapt their own strategies accordingly.

On-Page Optimization: SEO tools can analyze a law firm’s website and provide recommendations for on-page optimization. This includes improving meta tags, headers, image alt tags, and overall content quality, all of which contribute to higher search engine rankings.

Backlink Analysis: Backlinks are a crucial factor in SEO. SEO tools can help law firms monitor their backlink profile, identify quality backlink opportunities, and ensure that they are not linked to low-quality or spammy websites, which can negatively impact their rankings.

Local SEO: For law firms serving specific geographic areas, local SEO tools can be invaluable. These tools help law firms optimize their Google My Business listings, manage online reviews, and monitor their performance in local search results and Google Maps.

Content Analysis: SEO tools can evaluate the quality of a law firm’s content, identifying issues such as duplicate content, thin content, or content that may be flagged as low quality by search engines. This helps law firms maintain a strong and authoritative online presence.

Rank Tracking: SEO tools enable law firms to track their search engine rankings for specific keywords over time. This data helps law firms understand how their SEO efforts are performing and make necessary adjustments.

Analytics Tools: Use platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and Twitter Analytics to track the performance of your social media campaigns and website. These tools provide valuable data that can guide your strategy.

Why is Marketing Important for Law Firms?

You might wonder do law firms need digital marketing? It’s simple! Marketing is the gateway to success. Marketing raises your visibility and credibility in the competitive field of law firms. It’s to establish a strong online presence and attract potential clients. In today’s legal landscape, marketing sets you apart from your competitors. It highlights your unique strengths and services, helping you stand out from the competition. It’s not just about gaining new clients; it’s about keeping them and encouraging them to recommend your legal services to others.

However, by implementing effective SEO marketing strategies, law firms can secure higher positions in search engine rankings, ensuring that their website is among the first results potential clients see. This increased visibility not only helps in attracting more traffic but also conveys trust and credibility.

How Do I Promote My Small Law Firm?

Promoting a small personal injury law firm using SEO involves a strategic approach to enhance online visibility. As well as attracting potential clients. The first step is to conduct thorough keyword research. Identify relevant keywords and phrases related to your practice areas, considering the specific legal services you offer. This can be personal injury, truck accidents, car accidents, etc. These keywords should reflect what potential clients are likely to search for when seeking legal assistance.

Once you’ve compiled a list of target keywords, incorporate them strategically into your website’s content. This includes your homepage, practice area pages, and blog posts. This ensures that your website is optimized for search engines and is more likely to appear in relevant search results.

In addition to on-page optimization, off-page SEO is crucial for small law firms. Building high-quality backlinks to your website is a significant factor in improving search rankings. For example, connect with other professionals in your industry, participate in local directories, and engage in guest posting opportunities. These backlinks not only enhance your website’s authority but also help drive more traffic and potential clients. Moreover, consistently producing valuable and informative content can attract your ideal clients. Maintain an active blog that addresses common legal questions. What are your clients asking when you meet? Provide insights on legal changes and showcase your expertise. This content not only serves as a resource for potential clients but also helps improve your SEO!

To effectively promote your small law firm, focus on niche specialization. Do you specialize in car accidents, product liability, or personal injury? Local SEO is also a great way to promote your small law firm. In addition, working with online directories and referral networks within your community.

How to Market a Law Firm on Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for marketing a law firm. Crafting a successful social media marketing strategy can help you reach a broader audience and build strong connections with potential clients. Here’s how to effectively market your law firm on social media:

Choose the Right Platforms: Different social media platforms cater to various audiences. For professional networking and building relationships within the legal community, LinkedIn is an ideal choice. On the other hand, Facebook and Instagram may be more suitable for practices dealing with personal injury law.

Share Valuable Content: Regularly post content that educates and informs your audience about legal issues, changes in the law, and your firm’s successes. Share insights, articles, and resources that offer value to your followers. If your clients ask the same questions while meeting, consider sharing a post that answers those common questions.

Engage with Followers: Interact with your social media audience by responding promptly to comments, messages, and actively participating in discussions. Engagement fosters trust and credibility.

Consistency and Quality: Consistency and quality are two key factors when marketing a law firm on social media. Regularly posting valuable content, engaging with your audience, and leveraging the right law firm marketing tools like SEO will help you build a strong presence and attract potential clients.

The Importance of Consistency & Quality for Marketing a Law Firm

Furthermore, leveraging the right law firm marketing tools can streamline your efforts and enhance your marketing strategy. Social media is a powerful tool for marketing a law firm, and a well-planned social media marketing strategy can help you reach a broader audience and establish strong connections with potential clients. Remember, consistency and quality are key factors in the success of your marketing efforts. Embrace the power of effective marketing, and watch your law firm thrive.

Begin SEO Services with Simplified Consulting Today!

Schedule a free consultation here.
Meet with one of our great SEO Specialists.
Begin marketing your law firm and watch it grow!

Other Services Simplified SEO Consulting Offers:

March 12, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

Business Tips, SEO Tips

Ethical SEO for Mental Health Professionals

As mental health professionals, one of the first things we most likely learned as graduate students was our code of ethics. You may have been taught all the ways you can be sued and how to avoid offending clients. At least that is how I felt in my professional ethics class. Everything we do as professionals require us to aspire to certain standards as well as follow state laws and regulations. Once we have our codes ingrained in us, we may move on with our lives putting them into our practice, daily life, and so on.

Have you ever considered how your code of ethics impacts your practice, marketing, writing, and treatment methods? Whether you realize it or not our morals and values impact every aspect of our lives. Including our professional book of codes. So how do we promote optimizing for ethical SEO?

How does your ethics code impact your SEO?

As you may have found out as business owners, marketing is a key part of your growth. In order to reach out to your ideal people, you must understand the different ways you can increase your stream of clientele. Something you may not have been taught as a student. At times, when you’re looking into ads, SEO, copywriting, and so on, you may notice some shady practices. In fact, some of these just downright go against our practices as mental health professionals. So how do you begin to keep in mind our codes and reach out to your people?

Reviews Reviews Reviews?

One big NO, as professionals is asking for reviews. I’m sure we are all aware of this whether you’re a coach, social worker, MFT, or counselor, we do not ask for reviews. In all of our codes, we know that confidentiality is important. Even though we see mental health as a positive some people are not ok with the negative stigma that follows it. We cannot ask someone to disclose that you’re their therapist because it violates so many boundaries. Not only that, no matter what theoretical orientation you use as a professional, the therapeutic relationship does have some sort of authority in it. You’re seen as the expert, even if we believe the client is the expert. Therefore, there is an unfair power dynamic present when asking for reviews.

On the other hand, one thing that cannot easily be avoided is when a client willingly leaves a review on your site, Google my business, yelp, or whatever stream you may be on. This isn’t unethical. It wasn’t coerced and it happens from time to time. Take it with a grain of salt and move forward because it does help your SEO.

How do you get reviews to help your SEO in an ethical way?

In order to build ethical reviews, it’s important to network and maintain connections. Receiving reviews from colleagues and mentors is a great way to build credibility. These people know you and your work. They are wonderful for references and help you seem credible from a Google standpoint. So reach out to a few people that can get a good review from and return the favor. We talk a bit more about this in another post I wrote recently about SEO & Google My Business.

Accurately Portray Your Service and Expertise

This may be an obvious one, but it’s necessary for us as professionals to accurately portray ourselves in our field. We are not healers, we do not have a cure for your mental health, and we need to make sure we are providing services we have the skills, training, and expertise in. In the social worker’s code, this is under 4.06 C in the section of Misrepresentation. For Marriage and family therapists, this is under standards of advertising with 9.1 to 9.8. For counselors, this is listed under section C of the ACA code. This means that we need to practice within our competence and we have obligations for advertising such as not selling products to clients, recruiting them, or asking for statements(reviews).

Where do we draw the line?

We need to draw the line as professionals and know when we are about to cross a line. We have authority in our field and we need to exercise it appropriately. Therefore advertising ourselves as experts in certain modalities, or topics, when we do not have the training, is unethical. From an SEO standpoint, when you market yourself as an EMDR therapist but you don’t have the expertise, you’re leading people into a false sense of security. The keywords you rank for drive in the people looking for specific treatments and approaches. People trust us therefore on our websites we need to make sure that we are promoting what we can do and receiving training in areas we want to work on, in the future. We are advocates for those who are struggling, so we must not create websites that inaccurately portray our skills.

Meta Descriptions for Ethical SEO

One way we can avoid making false claims as professionals is by making sure you’re honest from the first point of contact. This may be your meta descriptions. Make sure your meta descriptions accurately reflect what’s on the page. You want people to see you as being transparent and honest. While you want to write a meta description that will encourage people to “click” on your website, it’s important that it’s accurate enough that they aren’t surprised by what they find when they get there. Make sure you’re not setting people up for failure by enticing them with false information only to have them disappointed. Not only does this affect your reputation, but it can leave a bad impression on the mental health field as a whole. We want people to have a healthy idea of what professionals do, not bad taste.

Why do we not pay for SEO backlinking?

As mental health professionals, we want to be as ethical as possible. Even if we do not understand the behind the veil of Google’s rules, we need to make sure we are adhering to them. Our codes are not laws, but we aspire to uphold them because we believe that they keep us safe and most importantly protect our clients. With Google, buying backlinks is against their rules. It’s just part of their system. If you buy backlinks you’re essentially cheating Google’s system, and being dishonest to the algorithm. This is what is called “black hat SEO” It’s like you’re trying to get one over on Google’s. This is dishonest to Google and you will get penalized if and when you’re caught. Why does this matter?

We want to be honest as professionals in all aspects of our business. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but it’s Google’s rules and we need to honor that. If you do buy backlinks, note that when you’re caught Google will drop your rankings and potentially remove you from search results entirely. That means clients are not finding you cannot help them.

Language matters for ethical search engine optimization

Lastly, I do want to address this because it’s in all of our codes to portray ourselves accurately. We are not to state that we can have cures and can solve other people’s problems. While we want to write copy that is relatable and real, we do not just tell people what they want to hear just to get them in the door. We need to be careful what claims we make on our website. People can be easily susceptible to false claims. Let’s not be a part of the problem. Honor your codes and consider is this a direct violation of my ethics or am I about to cross the line?

Closing message for Ethical SEO

SEO is very important to professionals, especially those of us who don’t want to be salesy and are unfamiliar with where to begin. However, with all marketing efforts, we have to consider if what we are doing is ethical and right. SEO can help you build your practice, but it needs to be built on truth and what you’re skilled in. Make sure as you create a copy that you’re putting your solid expertise on the page and leaving out the works in progress until you truly feel ready to add more niches, or treatment modalities. If you receive advice that makes you wonder if something is right, ask colleagues, SEO specialists, or mentors who can give you unbiased advice. Follow your better judgment and keep your ideal client in mind.

Remember the general principle we all follow which is to do no harm. Even if inserting a bit of falsehood into sites may seem to hurt no one. This could one day come back to bite us. Compare your marketing strategy to your code and see if you’re nearing any gray lines. Happy optimizing and I look forward to seeing you help your ideal clients with ethical SEO strategies soon!

Begin SEO Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

We strive as professionals to make sure we are acting ethically and that we are giving you ethical advice. Our specialists want you to thrive and reach your people. We are advocates for the profession and know the positive impacts you make on those around you. That is why we are here to help you make ethical decisions and we advise you to consult multiple people. If you’re looking to begin SEO work, Simplified SEO Consulting offers DFY packages, courses, and training options. Our skilled team of SEO experts are here to walk you through this process and help you make ethical decisions. If you have questions we are here to help. To get started follow these three steps to begin ranking better on Google.

Schedule an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation with our Client Success Specialist.
Learn more about our skilled specialists today!
Start optimizing your website with ethical SEO in mind!

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO consulting offers a wide range of services that can help you begin working with your people. We offer Done for You SEO Service packages, online courses, and SEO training opportunities. Our most popular course includes our “Top of Google” online course and we have 12 week of intensive SEO for those who want to learn with a guide. For those looking for a more specialized package, we also offer an SEO strategy package. To get started, schedule a consultation with our Client Success Specialist today!

March 1, 2021/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess