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Revolutionize Your SLP Website with These Blogging Tips

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP), starting a blog can seem daunting. You might be wondering if anyone will even read your posts or if you have enough interesting topics to write about. However, blogging is a fantastic way to connect with your audience, showcase your expertise, and attract new clients to your private practice. In this article, we’ll dive into some tips and tricks for successful blogging as an SLP. Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just getting started, these tips will help you create engaging content that resonates with your readers and grows your online presence.

Why Blogging is Important for SLPs in Private Practice

Why is blogging so important? Simply put, it’s a way for you to communicate with your audience on a deeper level. By providing valuable information and insights, you establish yourself as an authority in your field, which helps build trust with potential clients. It’s also a great way to showcase your expertise, skills, and experience, and share your unique perspective with the world.

In addition, blogging helps improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by providing fresh, relevant content for search engines to crawl and index. This increases the likelihood that your website will appear in search results when people are looking for services like yours. It’s like threading a needle, where each stitch is a piece of valuable content that helps your website stand out from the crowd. By consistently creating high-quality blog posts, you can drive more traffic to your website and attract more potential clients.

How do I come up with Blog Post Topics?

The key to coming up with great blog post topics is to write about the things that will truly help your audience! What are they looking for? What will be truly useful to them? Sometimes, it can be particularly useful to take a more complex topic and write a series of blog posts that break it down into smaller pieces!

For more ideas, here is a blog post I wrote for specifically about coming up with blog post topics for SLPs. Our team has also written blog posts on writing blog posts that relate to what’s going on in the world and writing cornerstone blog posts that might be helpful.

Blogging Tips for Speech Therapists in Private Practice

Know your ideal private practice clients

Understanding your audience is key to writing engaging blog posts. Who are your clients, and what are their interests and needs? Are you targeting parents of children with language delays, or are you focusing on adult clients with communication disorders? By knowing your audience, you can tailor your content to their interests and needs.

And let’s be honest, you DO know your audience. It can just feel overwhelming when you sit down to start typing. My suggestion is to pretend you’re writing directly to one of your favorite clients or their caregivers. Just speak from the heart.

If you’re still struggling with what to say or not sounding natural, we have another solution. Often, we have our clients simply record themselves talking about a topic. How we talk tends to be much more natural than how we write. Then, you can type out what you dictated. Of course, you’ll remove the “ums” and polish it a bit. But overall, try to stick to retyping what you spoke into your phone.

Do a Little Keyword Research

Including relevant keywords in your blog post can help improve your website’s SEO and make it easier for people to find your blog. Be sure to research keywords (both short-tail and long-tail keywords) that are relevant to your content and use them in your blog post title, subheadings, and throughout your article.

That said, a huge trap I see private practice owners fall into is over thinking keyword research. So…I do mean a little bit. No more than 5 minutes per blog post! Truly. Why? Because ultimately if you’re writing content that is super helpful to your clients, you will naturally use keywords.

A word of caution: Don’t be too flowery in what you say. Look at the subheadings in this blog post or others we’ve written. They’re pretty direct. If you scan our blog posts, you’ll easily have a very good idea what they’re about. That is because they’re optimized for both our ideal clients (you!) and also search engines. Our subheadings naturally use keywords, because they describe our content. We don’t force the keywords in there or make every other word a phrase we think you’re searching. We just type from our hearts in a really clear way. And by being clear and direct, the words that we choose are hopefully those private practice owners looking for SEO services are using.

Write attention-grabbing titles

Your blog post title is the first thing people will see, so make it count. Use attention-grabbing titles that clearly and concisely convey what your post is about.

Again though, don’t overthink your titles. Don’t work so hard to make them attention-grabbing that they don’t even say what the page is about. You want the topic of the post to be pretty obvious to anyone reading the title. That’s because Google is ALSO reading the title.

Make blog posts easy to read

People are more likely to read your blog post if it’s easy to read. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings to break up your content and make it more visually appealing. Readability truly does matter for SEO.

I often think of a private practice website we worked on in one of the most competitive areas of the United States. The practice owner explained that not only did they work with highly educated caregivers and family members, but it’s part of what set them apart in this overcrowded metropolitan area. So, we agreed to completely optimize their pages without touching readability on their website. A few months in, we were all frustrated that Google didn’t seem to be responding to our optimizing. So, we went through and worked on readability for all of their blog posts (still leaving service pages mostly the same if I remember correctly). And, the impact was pretty quick. Google started ranking them much better.

Over the years, we’ve emphasized readability less at some points than others. But it still seems to be pretty relevant for SEO. So, I encourage you to make your content very approachable by working on readability. Hemmingway Editor is my personal favorite tool for working on readability.

Use subheadings in your blogs

Effective website subheadings can naturally include keywords and phrases that will help with search engine optimization. Additionally, they help people to scan the page and quickly find the information they are looking for. Therefore, subheadings are an important part of on-page SEO.

To make your subheadings effective, be sure to use relevant, descriptive language that accurately summarizes the content in each section. For example, instead of using a generic subheading like “Introduction,” use something more specific like “The Importance of Communication for Children with Speech and Language Disorders.”

Proper subheading structure also helps to break up your content into manageable sections, making it easier for readers to digest. Consider using different levels of subheadings to create a hierarchy of information. For example, use H2 subheadings for main sections and H3 subheadings for sub-sections.

In addition to improving the readability and organization of your blog post, using proper subheading structure can also help to boost your search engine rankings. Search engines use the text in your subheadings to better understand the content of your post and how it is organized. By using relevant keywords in your subheadings, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Include visuals on your blog postsPhoto from Bigstock of an African American female's hands on a computer representing a private practice owner who wants their speech therapy practice to rank well on Google and improve their SEO without blogging.

Visuals play a crucial role in creating an engaging blog post for readers. In addition to providing context and enhancing the overall appearance of the post, visuals can help break up long blocks of text, which can be daunting for readers. When readers are presented with a wall of text, it can be easy for them to lose interest or become overwhelmed, leading to a higher bounce rate. By incorporating visuals such as images, infographics, or videos, you can help maintain readers’ interest and make the content more digestible.

Images can be used to illustrate key points, add context, or simply provide a visual break from the text. Infographics, on the other hand, can be an effective way to present complex data or information in a visually appealing way. Videos can also be used to complement or replace text, allowing readers to consume information in a different format. Don’t forget to consider inclusivity on your website. Consider adding diverse photos that truly represent your clients, adding alt text to all images on your website and adding subheadings to your videos.

By incorporating visuals strategically throughout your blog post, you can make your content more engaging, easier to understand, and ultimately more shareable.

In addition to helping maintain reader interest and decreasing bounce rate, visuals can also be used to promote social media sharing. Eye-catching visuals are more likely to be shared on social media platforms, increasing your post’s reach and potential audience. By creating shareable visuals that are relevant to your content, you can encourage readers to share your post with their own followers, increasing your visibility and credibility. Overall, the inclusion of visuals is an important aspect of creating an effective and engaging blog post for SLPs in private practice.

Write for your audience

When writing your blog post, keep your audience in mind. Use language and terminology that your clients will understand and avoid technical jargon.

As an SLP in private practice, you want to make sure that the content you create is not only informative but also useful for your target audience. By focusing on creating content that is helpful to your clients or their caregivers, you are not only providing value but also building trust and credibility with your audience…and intern creating trust with Google.

By creating content that is easily shareable and useful, you not only increase the reach of your blog but also establish yourself as a valuable resource in your community. This type of content can also help establish your practice as a thought leader in the field of speech therapy. So when you’re creating content, always keep in mind the value it can provide to your audience, and don’t be afraid to write content that is meant to be shared and recommended to others.

Be consistent: Google likes fresh content

Consistency is key when it comes to blogging. Decide on a schedule for posting new content and stick to it. Whether you post once a week or once a month, consistency will help keep your audience engaged.

And from an SEO perspective, this is really important. I would much rather see someone post once a month than post 5 blog posts today and then none for 6 months. Why? Because not only will your audience come to count on you for the latest information, so will Google. You look like a more reliable source of information when you’re consistent. Like you’re staying on top of the trends and providing information that is really relevant.

Consider Updating Old Posts

Along those lines of staying up to date, it can be helpful to add to old posts. I’ll be honest and say I’m not the best at this. By now we have SO many blog posts that I don’t go back and update old ones nearly as often as I’d like. But I do now and then. Or have my team members do so. Because that shows Google that those older posts aren’t stale. They still have really relevant information.

Engage with your audience

Encourage your audience to comment on your blog post and engage with them by responding to comments. This can help build a community around your blog and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Share your blog post

Please, please, please don’t forget this step! Once you’ve published your blog post, be sure to share it on social media and other platforms to reach a wider audience. Encourage your followers to share your post with their friends and family.

You’ve put so much effort into your blog post! You want to make sure you’re getting “credit” for that work. So, share your blogs far and wide! And encourage others to do so as well!

Graphic demonstrating the positive impact of marketing SEO for SLPS - enhance your reputation and build trust with potential clientsYour Next Steps Toward Ranking on Google

As a speech-language pathologist in private practice, you know how important it is to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing your business. Blogging is an essential part of that effort, but it’s not always enough to simply write content and hit publish. You need to ensure your blog is optimized for search engines, so your target audience can easily find your practice online.

That’s where Simplified SEO Consulting comes in. We offer a range of SEO services and training options specifically designed for healthcare providers in private practice. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your existing SEO efforts, we have a solution that’s right for you.

Here are some next steps you can take to improve your practice’s SEO

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we offer a wide range of SEO services for SLPs in private practice. For your next step you can:

  • Schedule a free SEO consultation with Simplified SEO Consulting to discuss your current SEO efforts and goals.
  • Sign up for our DIY SEO courses. While most examples were originally given for psychotherapist private practice owners, it’s easy to adapt the material to fit an SLP private practice.
  • Join our SEO mastermind group to collaborate with other healthcare professionals (dieticians, psychiatrists, PTs, counselors, testing psychologists, etc) who are in private practice and get accountability as you optimize!
  • Join Jessica and a very small group of practice owners as we optimize on a Carribean cruise in July 2023
  • OR outsource to leave your SEO in the capable hands of our “Done for You” team

Don’t let your practice get left behind in the competitive world of online marketing. Contact Simplified SEO Consulting today to learn more about how we can help you improve your website’s SEO and attract more clients to your practice.

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Creative Ways to Organize Content on a Private Practice Website

As mental health professionals, we often want to simplify everything. We know that people already have enough barriers preventing them from getting support for their mental health and life overall. So, when it comes to writing and organizing content on a website, many of our therapists want clean, straight-to-the-point, content.Image of colorful beads spelling "content." This image represents how you can work with an SEO services consultant for your private practice website to learn more about content.

This completely makes sense. However, in terms of getting ranking on Google, the more content, the better. Some central concepts to our SEO strategy are to add more service pages and blog posts, with at least 500 words each. And we really want service pages to have around 750-1,000 words, with blog posts having 1,000-2,000 words. Yes, this takes a lot of time, energy, and work! But, it’s so worth the return.

Think about it. If you were Google, would you rather show website searchers looking for “anxiety treatment” a website with 500 words about anxiety or 1,200 words about it? You’d go with the site with more content! So, you will hear our team harp on and on about how important it is to have lots of content about the particular keywords and services you’d like to rank for.

As I said, some of our therapists don’t like the way that long copy and multiple service pages and blogs look. And this is completely valid! So, we want to help your private practice website turn into something that you feel is representative of you and your brand. And we want your website to be helpful and accessible to your clients. Most importantly, we want you to be proud of your website.

With all of that being said, we want to collaborate with you to find solutions for getting lots of content on your site in a way that looks and feels right for you. Read on to learn about different ways we can organize content and pages on your site to make it just right for you.

Navigation Menus

Digital image of a computer screen. This image depicts how the you can learn SEO online to boost your private practice website rankings.As we add more service pages to your website, there’s a chance it may start to look clunky or overdone. And if you have a large group practice, there’s a chance you have upwards of ten services listed on your site. At times, this can sometimes be overwhelming for website viewers when looking at a long list of available services.

One option we offer for simplifying a navigation menu is to leave pages unlinked or “hidden.” On a Squarespace site, an unlinked, live page will be stored in the “unlinked” section of the backend navigation. Likewise, on a WordPress site, an unlinked, live page would simply be left off of the navigation menu. On both website platforms, you can choose not to have any of your service pages listed in a navigation menu if you’d like. Some of our therapists prefer to have a landing page for all their counseling services with clickable lists or boxes displaying the services available. This takes a bulky services menu out of the question and hosts “hidden” pages’ links on one main landing page.

In the SEO world, we are focused on increasing organic search. And with this strategy, it’s these pages will still get plenty of traffic without being explicitly listed on your website. Organic search allows any pages to be findable, not just those explicitly listed on the front end of a website. Those who are searching for a specific service will still be able to see unlinked pages in Google’s search results. Plus, other service pages, blog posts, and even a home page can link to these hidden pages. So website viewers can still find the page even if it’s not listed in a drop-down navigation menu. This is a great strategy to make sure your menus don’t become overwhelming and clunky.

On-Page Content

For the best return on your investment in SEO work, your service pages need to have at least 500 words. And if this sounds like a lot of words on a page, that’s because it is. Like I said earlier, Google needs lots of information about a specific keyword or phrase in order to rank you in prime spots on the first and second pages. If you don’t like the way a 500+ word service page looks after writing the content, there are options to break it up and make it look different. The point is, we want Google to give you credit for the words you put on a page. But how it looks can be individualized to your unique preferences.

Options for Content Layout

There are endless possibilities for how to layout content on your service pages! Some of our clients have opted to use an accordion feature on their pages. This looks like a list of questions or topics in individual rows with corresponding drop-down buttons. The drop-downs reveal answers or additional content about the original questions or topic. An accordion feature is a great way to have lots of information on a page without overwhelming the reader. They can go directly to the question they have, select the button for the drop-down, and find the information they need.

Another alternative to a traditional service page layout is a table. Tables can be a great place to contain lists of symptoms, benefits of a service, or comparing two services. Using tables or boxes can help get more content in a smaller space with designated space. Additionally, it helps readers jump to the specific information they are looking for while passing the information they already have. Strategically organizing content on service pages will help readers stay on your site. And the longer they stay on your site, the more likely they are to become clients! This is exactly our hope with SEO work.

Want to Learn More About Content and SEO Options?

Image of a person working at a computer with a search screen reading "SEO search engine optimization." This image demonstrates what a private practice therapist may look like while trying to learn SEO online.Wondering about what else we can do to help you get ranking on Google? With the help of one of our highly skilled SEO Specialists, you can learn about our options for SEO work. These include DIY online courses as well as Done With You online trainings. And if SEO is too time-intensive and overwhelming for you, our team of SEO Specialists would be happy to take on your website with our Done For You services. To get started with Simplified SEO Consulting, follow the steps below.

  1. Book a free 30-minute consultation call here.
  2. Speak with an SEO Specialist to learn about the best SEO option for you and your practice.
  3. Start working on your SEO and get ranking on Google!

About the Author

This blog post was written by Olivia Bahr, an SEO Specialist and Content Writer here at our SEO consulting company. Olivia has a passion for the LGBTQIA+ community, advocating for mental health, and is a dog lover. This fall, Olivia will be working toward an MSW degree at the University of Denver.

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Simplifying Copywriting to Improve SEO for Counselors

When I bring up the subject of blogging with my SEO clients, I get a variety of different responses, but the most common responses are: overwhelm, anxiety, and annoyance. As a writer, I struggled to understand why my clients responded negatively to the idea of blogging. After all, blogging is a super important part of a well-rounded SEO strategy. It is a great way to serve your ideal client and get to the top of search engines like Google.

So, to satisfy my curiosity, I polled our clients.

Here was my question: What holds you back from blogging?

  • I want to… I just honestly don’t have the time
  • I’d much rather use my time to do literally anything else (I want it done for me)
  • I don’t know what information to include
  • I’m used to the world of academia… so writing in a less clinical way is challenging
  • I don’t know how to add content to my website

And… the results are in. The overwhelming majority of our clients said they just don’t have the time.

I get it. Blogging takes some time and as a busy clinician, that’s something that’s hard to come by. But, I want to make blogging feel easy and accessible, especially for those of you who have little free time to devote to it. So today, I want to simplify the blogging process. My hope is that this will make it seem less intimidating.

Write about Things You Enjoy

male therapist concentrates as he thinks about what to write about. He learned about copywriting for SEO and blogging for SEO from an SEO specialist.First things first, in order to make blogging pleasurable and easy to do, it’s critical that you choose a topic that you enjoy writing about. Nothing is more draining than pouring your resources into producing a blog that doesn’t interest you. When you’re not writing about something you’re passionate about, you’re far more likely to get distracted or spend hours researching this topic just to get some ideas. Furthermore, your lack of passion for the subject will come across in your writing and your readers may be able to pick up on it.

A therapist in Franklin, TN shared this antidote with me: “I kinda like copywriting. But I like it more than blogging for sure. I have to decide that “this is the time” and be in the mood to write and be creative. And, I was given a sort of structure outline when I updated my SEO with you all, which was super helpful.

I like writing copy where I can just be myself and realizing that’s the best way to get the best-fit clients. Also, I really hate blogging. Titling, meta descriptions, snippets. And then writing blogs so that the SEO words are in there – that makes it feel sterile in so many ways. So website copywriting is preferable.”

Perhaps, you can relate to his sentiments. Maybe, you’re wondering, how do I target specific keywords and channel my clinical passions? Here’s my answer, first write down a list of topics you’re passionate about, or a list of things you’ve frequently found yourself discussing with your clients. Then take this list, and a list of the keywords you want to target and see how you can tie them together.

Here’s an example:

You’ve been talking to your clients about the importance of sleep hygiene a lot. You’ve helped them understand how getting good sleep impacts their mental health and you’ve provided them with tips on how to solve their sleep-related issues. Great. Write this down.

Now, check out your keyword list. What keywords could you boost? Anxiety, anxiety therapist, anxiety treatment, depression, depression treatment, trauma..? The list goes on and on. Choose or two and think of a way to tie them into this subject. You could write a blog on how proper sleep hygiene lessens depression symptoms, or a Missouri therapist explains why sleep hygiene is important.

When you write about what you enjoy, the words will come and it will take less time.

My hope is that when you sit down to write a blog using this approach, you will find it easy to write about the things you’ve talked about with your clients time and time again. You will know how to explain the subject in a less clinical way and have tips to offer your reader because you’ve shared them with your clients already. When you know what you’re writing about, it’s easier and quicker to produce a high-quality blog.

Write About Timely Topics That Interest You

Another thing you can consider is writing about current events or timely topics. Recently, we discussed Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from certain Olympic events. My colleague was able to quickly write this blog because she was interested in the topic and had a lot to say because it was fresh on her mind. I encourage you to look for opportunities to do the same.

Perhaps, you read a recent article or news brief that you think your clients would be interested in. Talk about it in a blog post. The key here is to do it when you feel inspired, and that’s usually soon after you hear about a current event. If you don’t have time to sit down and write 500 words on the subject, make a list of talking points on a piece of post-it or on your phone. Then, come back to it later.

Finding the time to do some copywriting is doable, but knowing what to write is another story…

If time isn’t your issue and thinking about what to include and the structure of a blog post overwhelms you, I can help you with that too.

Female blogger writes in a notebook at a coffee shop. She learned about copywriting for SEO from a simplified SEO specialistMy suggestion is, write as you would talk to a client.

  1. Address their pain points
  2. Emphasize
  3. Provide education on the subject
  4. Give them actionable tips
  5. Offer them hope (and tie it into your services)

If this isn’t your counseling style, that’s okay. You can still write like you would talk to a client. Then, follow the advice I gave earlier in this blog and look for keywords to target after you’ve written something that interests you. Don’t get too in your head about the structure or what to include, remember you talk to people for a living and you have the skills to communicate your message to your ideal clients.

Finding High-Quality Copywriting Services

Lastly, I have to acknowledge that some people truly do not have any extra time to write a blog. And, that is absolutely okay. If this is the case, I encourage you to consider outsourcing the work if possible. There are lots of copywriting options available at our company and elsewhere to help you blog and get in front of your ideal client. Consider the following:

  • Ask your clinicians if you have a group practice
  • Ask others to guest blog
  • Reach out to grad students or interns
  • Talk to a copywriter

A mental health consultant in Denver, CO said: “Copywriting for me feels like a luxury in my life these days. I generally enjoy it but only when I’ve had good sleep and exercise, my other work is caught up, and add that I have childcare…these stars don’t align often. I wish all my blogs could be in my voice or at least highlight more unique perspectives our practice works from. It seems I have to choose between not having it done or it being more generic.”

If you choose to hire a copywriter, it is best to find someone who is willing to work with you to learn about your practice, your ideal client, your brand, and most importantly your specific voice. Our team of SEO specialists would be happy to help you blog with the goal of attracting your ideal clients. We also have a resource list that includes other copywriters we know and trust.

Final Thoughts on SEO and Copywriting

woman sits at her laptop next to her cat and smiles. She learned about blogging for SEO from a simplified seo specialist

I realize that as a private practice owner, you’re pulled in lots of different directions. So, the time commitment and mental energy that is needed to write copy and blog for your website may be one of the last things you want to do. I hope that approaching blogging in this way will help lessen your stress. It takes some time to get used to blogging and writing copy, but once you do, it will be easier and less time-consuming.

A therapist in North Carolina and Maryland says it best: “Copywriting is so different and it took me a bit to get the swing of things. Using your own voice, connecting with your client, and market yourself is not always easy but totally doable and worth it once you can find your flow!”

Want to know more about blogging, SEO, or copywriting, please reach out to us!

If you’re looking for SEO support, we would love to help you and be a part of your journey to get to the top of Google and reach your ideal client. We offer a variety of SEO options designed to meet the needs of private practice therapists. When you’re ready to begin optimizing your therapy website, please follow these steps:

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

About the Author:

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

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SEO Tips for Writing a Website About Page

Writing a Website About Page

Many of you are expanding, growing, and thriving. You are adding new clinicians, specialties, and services. As you grow your practice, your identity shifts, and changes. We have gotten many questions about team me pages and team pages. “How do you create one?” “Do you optimize website about pages for therapists?” “How much content do I write?” and so on. Here is a guide to creating a website about me page and the best meet the team pages, that should help you create personalized pages about your business and your team.  

Tips for Constructing the Best Meet the Team Pages

Person writing in journal with "who am I" on page. Helping others understand you as a therapist matters. Learn how to write website about me pages and the best meet the team pages from our SEO specialists today!

As a group practice, you may end up adding and subtracting clinicians as you grow and change. When you offer certain specialties, it is important to explain who the experts in what areas are.   

How do you create the best meet the team page?  

Photos  

As a group practice, you will want to have branded photos of your therapists. Create photos of either headshot or showing your full body. It is important to show photos that have neutral or brighter color backgrounds. This makes your therapists more approachable and friendly-looking. Consider photos outside in nature, in a brightly light office room, or against a neutral or bright wall. With a team page it is important to have a photo of all your therapists, not only does this help us optimize for more alt text, but also it gives your potential view of who they will be working with.   

Who are your therapists, counselors, psychologists, or social workers?  

Next around your photos, you will want to add in a summary of who they are. The team page is different from an individual about me page. The goal is to give a glimpse of who the clinician is. So, mention specialties, modalities, locations, and a fun fact or two. We want to assert expertise, focus, and a bit of personality. This is not a place to explain why you are qualified. Most people are not looking for all your certifications, they just want to see your humanity and that you can help them. It is important to also understand the SEO benefit of this. Our specialists can link to external pages on modalities or link to the service pages about your specialties. Additionally, we can add keywords such as therapist, counselor, online therapy, and so on. If a website about me page is optimized, our goal is to rank you for more difficult keywords, that are more general.  

What else do I need on a team page?  

The criteria for a team page are the same as any other service page, however, you may have closer to 500 words. You will need at least 3 photos, a well-optimized meta description, subheadings, including 1 heading one. This could be about our therapists, which helps with SEO, about our team, counselors, psychologists, and so on. Heading two and heading three are great for SEO rankings. Additionally, adding in a button especially on square space is a wonderful way to add internal links to an individual website about me page and to getting started forms. Lastly, you will want to add a simple call to action and other services. On every page, we want to ensure that you are adding a perfect way to begin your services and have access to other specialty pages.   

The goal of a team page  

With a team page, the goal is to still add components that allow us to go in and optimize your site, so linking to valuable information that your clients may need is necessary. Such as your individual therapists’ pages, online therapy page, FAQ/rates, and so on. Additionally, you could add in some links to some blog posts written by your therapists or that explain more about specialties and modalities. The choice is up to you. However, know there is no right way to do a team page. There are many ways you can expand your team page. If you want to go more in-depth with summaries please do, if you want summaries and more build our individual therapist’s pages that is great too. Here is an example of a team page from Jessica Tappana, Simplifier’s owner, and founder. Check out Aspire Counseling here.   

One last note on team pages  

One last piece of advice, while having pages about your therapists is great from a content standpoint, it is not worth the SEO benefit to having Simplified optimized individual therapists’ pages. Here is why. Therapists grow and chance. You may be at your private practice for a while, but therapists move, create their businesses, and so on. What matters Is that if you want to get traffic to your therapists because you are full or you do not want to be the face of the practice for referrals, then optimize a therapist’s page, AFTER, optimizing services pages, and some blogs. If you want to enhance traffic, have your therapists write blogs and link the author back to their website about me page, or place photos of the therapist’s specialties on the service pages. Then it is much easier to remove them from and from an SEO standpoint, you do not affect your rankings as much.  

Website About Page for Solo Clinicians 

Woman standing against a blue background smiling and pointing. Learn about website SEO about pages today, and get some tips for creating the best meet the team pages that are authentic. Writing a genuine about page helps SEO for therapists.

Now many of our clinicians are solo practices, either because they do not want to expand, or they are newer. Regardless, letting people know who you are matters. Likewise, some group practice owners want to create individual pages to show off their clinician’s personalities a bit more. This is wonderful. With an individual website about me page, the opportunity to expand is on content matters.   

Introduce yourself  on your website about me page

Who are you? Introduce yourself to your potential clients. You can mention your specialties, title, goals, and even schooling. Know that your certifications are one part of who you are. We all have expertise in the mental health world. Distinguish your focus and who you are. You are more than a title and a certification. So let your clients know that.   

Can I create a video about who I am?  

Absolutely! This is a wonderful way to showcase who you are as a clinician. People can put a face to a name, a voice, and an approach. What matters from an SEO perspective is that you upload it through YouTube, so you can index the page through Google and that you still add content with the video. Give the basic highlights of the video below for accessibility purposes, but also because Google loves content more than video. If you want more information on SEO and Youtube, check out this blog.

Potential topics you can add to the website about page

  • How did you come to be a therapist?  
  • What are your specialties?  
  • Tell us your approach? Why do you love working with people?  
  • What does a typical session with you look like?  
  • Expand on your professional background   
  • Add in professional certifications  
  • Boards, you are a part of  
  • Rates  
  • What are your goals, philosophies, and beliefs?  
  • If you accept insurance  
  • Blog posts you have written  
  • And so, on  

Photos are important on a website about me page

Even though your website about me page is specific to you. Adding in three photos still matters. Even if it is three photos specific to you. Know there are some expectations. On an individual team page that will not be optimized, this may be found. However, if you are a solo practitioner add in the three photos, especially if you want this to be optimized in the future. This could be pictures of you, your office, the city you operate in. It is also important to have headings and subheadings. So, 1 heading 1, then break it down into heading 2 and heading 3.   

Create a call to action  

If people are specifically looking to get to work with you, it is necessary to have a contact form that leads the client to the clinician they want to work with. Here, if you are busy and need a waitlist, on the about me page, it would be appropriate to say, currently full, sign up for the waitlist. Additionally, you can link specific to your therapists’ specialties, so people know how you operate. With a solo practitioner, you would add in all your specialties to the other services section.   

If you are looking for a reference to an individual therapist’s page, check out Jessica Tappana’s approach on Aspire Counseling.   

About me Page Resources 

Last Note  

Know that with a website about me page and team pages, what matters is that you are showing the human side of yourself. Add in fun facts, your Starbucks order, favorite books, and music, and so on. This will help with the therapeutic relationship and humanize you before your clients walk in the door. With a website about me page, it can be done in many ways. There is no specific template. What matters is that you are displaying your photos, specialties, goals, and approaches. You can standardize your approach or let people create what feels authentic to them. Regardless, this is an important piece of SEO, as we link to this page on every service page and blog post. So, make sure it is real and well-built out for your ideal clients to see who you are. If you have any further questions or want some more ideas. Reach out to your SEO experts. We are always here to support you through your SEO journey.   

Ready to show your authentic self? Work with our Mental Health SEO Specialists for Support!  

Woman cleaning living room while singing and dancing. Begin your authentic self matters. Create genuine website about pages and the best meet the team pages with us. Learn how our strategies have helped SEO for therapists and SEO for mental health professionals.

Being authentic to who you are matters. There is not a formula to about me and team pages. Show your philosophy, goals, specialties, and a bit of your personality to help connect with your ideal clients. If you are unsure where to get started with this journey, then reach out to us for support. Our skilled and passionate team of SEO specialists is here to make sure your SEO journey is tailored to your brand and identity. Simplified SEO Consulting would be excited to help you on your SEO journey. To get started with our service follow these simple steps:   

  1. Schedule a consult with our Client Success Specialist and Team  
  2. Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists.   
  3. Begin showing who you and your amazing team are!  

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:   

As an SEO specialist at Simplified, Jasmine is a Seo services consultant and helps new clients become oriented to our services. If you are ready to begin Seo service for therapists or Seo for trauma therapists, then get in touch and schedule your free consultation today!  

Jasmine, an SEO Specialist, and Client Success Specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting. You may be wondering where to start with your SEO for private practice or group practices. You have come to the right place.   

Jasmine Jaquess is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and is currently beginning per practicum work soon. Currently, she serves as the Client Success Specialist in new client consults with Simplified SEO Consulting and is a Mental Health SEO Specialist. She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and Wix but has learned to love WordPress sites as well. Her favorite part of the job is writing copy for clients and helping them find their voice to communicate with clients how they can best serve them. 

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Current Events Like Simone Biles’s Mental Health Can Improve SEO 

a gymnast on a balance beam with feet in the air. Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been far from normal. Through Simone Biles' choice to put her mental health first, private practice therapists can work on their SEO and reach their ideal clients. Reach out to an SEO Specialist today! 65202 | 65203 | 65201

We’ve all seen it by now. She is headlining current events everywhere. Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time, dropped out of the Olympics to focus on her mental health. After feeling the weight from others with the expectation to be the best, being scored unfairly, and being scrutinized under every platform possible for not scoring “well” in prelims and the first part of competitions… Simone dropped out. 

She recognized that performing at such a high level, complicated stunts in a less than stable mental state was dangerous. She shared with the world that she was feeling the pressure and that it was simply too much. Not to mention that the whole point of competing this year was to show her teammates and other gymnasts that even after being victims of sexual assault, you can still be something great. She set an example for athletes, women, and people of color that it is okay to put your mental health first. Incredible.

If you haven’t yet started talking about this to your clients in sessions, I highly encourage you to do so. Truly, what an opportunity to connect to your clients, show them that even the most decorated and successful athletes in the world experience mental battles and need breaks. What a way to reinforce that they are not alone! 

Of course, you are therapists and mental health professionals, so you already know how huge this is. That’s not why you’re here. You’re here because you want to know how this news headline could possibly tie in to your SEO and improve your business. Let me enlighten you!

Speak to current events  

All throughout the thick of the COVID pandemic, many private practice therapists saw the opportunity to speak to current news and events and share how mental health was affected by the pandemic. Therapists explained how isolation lead to depression for many, and now many are writing about how re-entry in a post-COVID world is heavily anxiety inducing. Keep going! Blog about timely topics whenever you have the chance!

Yeah, a pandemic is a pretty heavy thing to deal with, and chances are (hopefully) that you won’t be covering anything that big again anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean you should stop speaking to current events. You brought in so many clients by speaking to a major pain point and by gaining their trust through relatable content. Do it again! Talk about Simone Biles and how athletes are held to extremely high standards. Or, talk  about women of color and how they have to work harder to prove themselves. You could also talk about survivors of sexual assault and how trauma creeps back in at the worst times. Honestly, you could even talk about perfectionism and how it is important to know when to just take a break. See…. look at all of that content based off of one current event! You can do it. 

Take a stance

A laptop, plant, coffee, and notebook saying New Blog Post. Blogging is important for SEO. Reach out to an SEO specialist today to help with SEO for therapists.

I’m going to let you in on a secret. If you haven’t met me yet, I am kind of the social media queen of the SEO Specialist Team. I have a ton of tips related to interaction online and how to reach your ideal audience through social media. Kinda neat. Anyway, my tip for you today is to take a stance on these current events. Use the blog post as a chance to share your thoughts, and allow it to serve as a platform for your business.

By taking a stance, you are sharing your thoughts and humanizing yourself. This makes clients find you more relatable. Further, it provides content worth sharing. Let’s be honest… mental health blogs are kind of tough because speaking about mental health on a platform meant for showing your “best life” is just not common. Therefore, by talking more on current events and tying that into mental health, you can get on in there with all of the other articles being circulated all over Facebook and other social media. (Yes, share your blogs on social media… it can’t hurt.) 

Speak to your ideal clients 

Feather pen with a few scribbles. SEO for therapists can help reach your ideal clients by ranking higher on google. An SEO Specialist can help.

I know you already know this because you speak to your ideal clients in all of your blog posts. You’re a rock star at this. Therefore, I put this here as more of a reminder. Speak to your ideal audience and cater your message based on the pain points of your clients. Like I mentioned earlier, there are a ton of avenues to take just on the Simone Biles event, so imagine what else is out there that you can use for your clients to relate to! 

To wrap things up, I want to encourage you to speak to current events but also hit the major pain points of ideal clients in the same post. Get those keywords in there of course, but stay relatable and current!

Moral of the story here… talk about it! Use current events on your private practice blogs to stay relevant, become relatable, and to humanize yourself. Seize these opportunities to write about things your clients care about and teach them that mental health is a part of everyday life, not a separate part that has to stay silent and hidden.

Start Working With Simplified SEO Consulting For All of Your SEO Needs

If you are looking to see how blogging can help your website, let’s start talking! Whether you need some guidance with optimizing your blogs or would rather someone else write for you, we are here to help.

Our services can help with optimization on your website in order to help highlight your expertise. Here, our goal is to help you reach your ideal clients and boost your private practice. Our amazing SEO specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting would be honored to help you on your SEO journey. To get started with our service follow these simple steps: 

  1. Schedule a consult with our Client Success Specialist 
  2. Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists. 
  3. Begin working with your ideal clients and making an impact in the mental health world! 

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting   

In case blogging doesn’t cover all of your SEO needs, Simplified SEO consulting offers a wide range of services that can help you reach higher rankings in Google. 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 free consultation today!  

About the Author: 

SEO Specialist for mental health therapist websites, Reagan.

Reagan Sullivan will be starting her Master’s Program this fall in Clinical Counseling. She also has her own mental health blog. Currently, Reagan is an SEO Specialist also doing consults for anyone interested in starting our services.  She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and WordPress. Reagan loves writing copy, but she really appreciates the ability to help private practice owners to expand their site and reach their ideal clients.

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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?

Person typing on laptop in office on desk. Learning what content to build out helps seo for therapists. Learn how to find keywords to rank on a trauma page and what SEO for trauma therapists is all about here!

 

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?

Web of connecting multicolored string showing internal links connection. Internal and external linking matters. If you're wondering what is the difference between an internal link versus an external link? And how this helps SEO for trauma therapists read more!

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. 

Picture of animated content. The connection between SEO and quality content is huge for conversion. So the more honest you're with your audience the better SEO for trauma therapists you will get. Learning what the best keywords for a trauma therapy page and writing good cornerstone content matter to rank and convert.

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: 

  1. Apply to Work with us and schedule your consultation
  2. Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists. 
  3. 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: As SEO specialist at Simplified, Jasmine is a seo services consultant and helps new clients become oriented to our services. If you ready to begin seo service for therapists or seo for trauma therapists, then get in touch and schedule your free consultation today!

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.

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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

Image of the LGBTQ+ pride flag. This flag represents how an SEO specialist for therapists can help get a website to be more inclusive.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

An image of a couple with one person kissing another on the cheek. This image represents how an SEO services consultant can help a private practice therapist make their website more inclusive.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?

Image of a person holding up a sign reading "protect trans lives." This image illustrates how trans letter writing can help therapists provide inclusive services to trans people. An SEO services consultant can share more!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!

  1. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation call.
  2. Talk with one of our skilled SEO specialists about our programs and services.
  3. 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.

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Google Business Profile Deep Dive

As many of you know, Google Business Profile is an essential aspect of local SEO components. Often when we can be found locally, we are more likely to show off for keywords such as therapy near me, online therapist near me, or couples therapy Northlake. Here is a quick recap of my previous blog post on Google Business Profile optimization. For more in-depth information Check out Google Business Profile for Online Practices or Optimizing Your Google Business Profile.  

Recap of Optimizing Your Google Business Profile Profile

Google my business download app screen. When you're doing SEO and Google my business, its important to help well optimized information that draws in clients. Get your questions answered such as "does google my business increase ranking" and more. Read now!

Set up your GBP. 

First set up your profile and claim it on Google. This is essential to be found and will give you access to the backend which will allow us to address more in-depth SEO factors. 

Basic information 

The basic setup of the profile will be to put normal information that indicates who you are. This includes your name, address, phone number, website, description, category, attributes (services).  

Google Business Profile Profile Tips

  • Build ethical reviews and respond with 24 hours to all comments. 
  • Add relevant blog posts that have been keyword optimized. 
  • Upload high-quality photos that reflect your brand. 
  • Make sure your business description appropriately reflects who you are. 
  • Keep key information up to date. 
  • Check-in on your monthly data to see how well your profile is performing. 

Now that we have done a brief recap, let us talk more in-depth about what needs to show up on your Google Business Profile.  

Creating the Business Description: 

The description of your business is important for people to know what they can expect. However, the business description can also be very intimidating. You only have 750 characters to explain your services in a concise yet descriptive manner.  

Some things to keep in mind. Are to make the description clear, highlight key factors that make you unique, address any relevant history, add in target keywords. Make sure you do not make the description ‘salesy’, add in misleading info, or add links or URLs. 

Here is an example of a format you can follow with GBP: 

[Business Name] provides [service, search term]. We have been serving the [city, state] for more than [time in business]. [Statement about your values or purpose] 

Example: [ Business Name] provides EMDR therapy. Our Christian Based Counseling Center in Rockford, Illinois has been helping clients move past trauma, anxiety, and depression in their lives for over 10 years. We strive to help people move forward from their past and find a way to become the best version of themselves. 

Tips on Optimizing Each Component of Google Business Profile Attributes:

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Business Name: 

Make sure your business name reflects what your website says,  

Region/Country: 

Select what area you are in. Make sure it is where you plan to offer services. If you offer multiple states, you may need to put the location of most of your referrals and indicate in the description that you offer therapy in additional states. 

Address: 

If you do not have an address, that is ok, place an address on the listing, and then later down in the options, you can request not to display your address.  

Phone:  

Add a phone number that is going to be easy to access and is consistent across all media that you have. 

Categories: 

Make sure you add the category that is most relevant to your services. When you are adding in categories, you cannot really overdo this, just make sure as you add this to your profile that it is relevant to your services. 

Website: 

Link to your website. A well-optimized website that has been added to your GBP profile can draw in more visitors to your website. This helps with trust flow. If people see the care you have put into your profile and your website, people are more likely to investigate your services.  

Photos  

Photos help to add a more individualized touch to your profile. The more that people see your team, products, logo, and services, the more likely they are to investigate your services and your site. 

On the GBP photo tab, you should include photos that include your: 

  • Office area (if applicable)
  • Building or location indicators for people to understand your location. 
  • Pictures of your team at work 
  • Professional photos of team members 
  • Any branding photos that familiarize people with your identity 

Hours 

Add your office hours and that you offer hours by appointment. Make sure to keep these updated, especially if you are going on vacation or out for a holiday. The more consistent and up-to-date you keep these hours the better. 

Posts 

Posts can be helpful to share any new blogs or cornerstones that display your view as a practice or clinician. Additionally, you can add posts for: 

  • Events 
  • Announcements 
  • Special Offers 

Make sure you add a high-quality photo, a description of the post between 100-300 words. Additionally, you can add dates, times, and sign-ups, and reservations.  

Manage Google Business Profile Reviews and Respond to Questions: 

The better engagement on your profile, the more likely you are to attract people to your site and services. If you do not have any reviews or ratings for your profile, people are not likely to be interested in your services. Therefore, having credible people who can vouch for you as a clinician in an ethical manner can help you come up higher in the search results. 

Takeaways for Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

Google my business set up screen on phone. Learning seo and google my business can be complicated. Get specialized help with our SEO specialists who provide insight and tips. Read our blog on google my business in counseling today!

Overall, a well-optimized Google profile is helpful for clients to get a quick glimpse into who you are as a private practice. When clients see the care, you have taken to keep your information updated that is more likely to bring in potential clients. Therefore, making sure you set up your free account and have it well optimized is key. Wherever you can add in relevant keywords. Such as in descriptions, titles, and so on.  

Begin Working with Our Talented Team! 

If you are looking to see how your google business profile can help your website, then talk with one of our specialists. We do not do direct SEO optimization on GBP, but we are happy to help you as you set up your own profile. We can track your information on our data dashboard and give you some insights as you navigate through the SEO process. Or if you are looking to set up your own website to link to GBP, talk with our client success specialist.

We can get you set up with our services and begin optimizing your website in a way that highlights your skills to potential clients soon. Our wonderful team of SEO specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting would be excited to help you on your SEO journey. Contact us today to learn more about GBP, and the support we can offer for List Management and Local SEO prominence.  To get started with our service follow these simple steps: 

  1. Schedule a consult with our Client Success Specialist 
  2. Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists. 
  3. Begin working with your ideal clients and making an impact on the mental health world! 

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:  An SEO Specialist at Simplified. SEO can be complex. If you're looking for SEO help for therapists, we can help. Get in touch with our client success specialist and begin to understand how SEO and google my business work or how to optimize your website.

Jasmine, an SEO Specialist, and Client Success Specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting. You may be wondering where to start with your SEO for private practice or group practices. You have come to the right place. 

Jasmine Jaquess is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and is currently beginning per practicum work soon. Currently, she serves as the Client Success Specialist in new client consults with Simplified SEO Consulting and is a Mental Health SEO Specialist. She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and Wix but has learned to love WordPress sites as well. Her favorite part of the job is writing copy for clients and helping them find their voice to communicate with clients how they can best serve them. 

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What I Learned My First Month of SEO That Graduate School Never Taught Me

 

The Beauty of Graduate School

A cartoon brain is shown. This reflects concepts of boosting SEO for therapists. Simplified offers consultant SEO services.

When pursuing a graduate degree to provide mental health services, you learn a crazy amount of information. Often, so much information that retaining it initially seems like an impossible task.  We learn how to diagnose mental disorders to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. We cover and practice appropriate clinical interventions to provide clients, given their experiences and goals.

We’re taught what research design to implement depending on the purpose of the study and when to reject the null hypothesis. We’re encouraged to advocate for vulnerable populations at the local, state, and national levels. We push ourselves to critically assess the consequences of policy implementation on the people who are pushed to the margins of society. We internalize that our client, whoever they might be, is the expert of their story.

What we didn’t learn, however, is how to write for Google.

Perhaps I’m speaking from my own experience, but I have a strong feeling that I’m not alone. Actually, I know I’m not alone. My academic writing skills are not complimentary for SEO. In my academic writing, I feel the pressure to use big SAT words. Of course, that come along with an obnoxious number of syllables.  When explaining a concept related to my profession or coursework, I use a definition that requires subsequent internet searches to decipher what I’m saying. The worst part? I beam at the content I have created feeling as proud as a parent feels after their kiddo wins their first t-ball game.

And guess what? Google does not share my level of satisfaction. Rather, Google feels as disappointed as that same parent after they find out that their child slipped the umpire $10 to make calls in their favor.

What does Google like?

 

An animated brain with question marks is shown. This demonstrates concepts of boosting counselor SEO. Simplified offers consultant SEO services.

Instead, Google likes when you create content that your clients will actually understand. In SEO land, we call this readability. At first, this concept was really difficult for me and was completely foreign. I’m paying for higher education; it should be clear in everything I create. Right?

Yes, AND….

I need to consider my role. I need to relate to the people for who I am trying to get help. SO, I have to put content on a page of a website for anxiety treatment in a way that someone who just had the worst anxiety attack to date can read and understand. The content I put on a depression counseling page should reassure someone that despite feeling isolated and unhappy, they’re not alone. My goal should be to make it clear that healing is not linear. Sometimes, life is really tough and we don’t always have the tools we need to get through it.  After my reading what I put on a trauma page, someone should know there is no timeline of when they “shouldn’t” be affected by their previous trauma.

Optimizing a website for SEO, working on readability.…these things are in line with our values.

This is why we do what we do: to provide our services to someone who really needs it. Our clients want to feel understood by the person they’re sharing the most intimate details of their life with. At this time, they’re probably not worried about understanding the intricate ins and outs of your approach when treating eating disorders. They aren’t preoccupied with your uncanny ability to include every academic term you can pull out of your memory.

Because, in reality, do your clients care about how academic and convoluted your website sounds? Not really. Instead, they want to know that you know what you’re doing, you care, and that you’re here to help.

Bringing It All Together

To be clear, I think higher education is a wonderful investment and an absolute necessity to provide quality services to your clients. Without it, you likely wouldn’t be half the practitioner you are today.  There is tremendous value in being an educated, well-informed service provider. AND, we don’t have to flex our intellectual bicep when the opportunity presents itself.

Moving Forward

A brain with a lightbulb is shown. This relates to concepts of boosting counselor SEO. Simplified offers consultant SEO services to help therapists boost SEO.

This important lesson has shaped the way that I perceive my role in getting my SEO client’s website to the first page of Google. Additionally, this has uncovered a deeper level of empathy and validation I didn’t know that I could reach. I challenge you to consider this the next time you put something on your website with the hopes of getting new clients. Consider what could be going on in their life in that moment. Think about where they are, not where you would like them to be. Talk to them, not at them.

Our SEO Specialists would love to work with you!

At Simplified, our goal is to help you find your ideal clients and rank for everything you want to be found for. Our SEO Specialists have a variety of different experiences and can bring this to the table! We offer a variety of different services, including Done For You and Done With You services. If you’d like to get the SEO party started, follow these steps:

  1. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us. 
  2. Get to know our team of highly skilled and experienced SEO specialists.
  3. Brag to your other therapist friends that you can optimize your website optimization

Other Helpful SEO Blogs

Who should optimize their own websites?

3 reasons to track data related to SEO

Why SEO is a great long-term business investment 

How long does SEO take?

6 ways to maintain SEO for therapists when you already rank well

SEO for therapists: a comprehensive guide

Guide to blogging to improve SEO for therapists

Ethical SEO for mental health professionals

About the Author

Alyssa has been a member of the Simplified family for the past year. And, is now stepping into a role providing training and additional support for folks learning SEO. As a current graduate student in the Advanced Placement MSW Program at Mizzou, Alyssa loves the world of mental health and technology. In addition, Alyssa has a growing interest in using social media to grow a practice, the importance of live feed, and building backlinks. She wrote a two-part blog post series about the importance of blogging for SEO. This series addressed the importance of blogging and original content. In addition, she is co-hosting a blogging masterclass that will soon be available for purchase. Stick around for some more hands-on opportunities!

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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.

Whitney Owens discusses the advantages of creating a "Christian Counseling" page on your website instead of a "Faith Based Counseling" pageAbout 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.

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