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

SEO Tips, Training

4 Common Mistakes with Keyword Research

In the past, we’ve covered researching keywords for therapists is so important. But for our topic today, we are going over some of the most common mistakes people make when doing keyword research. Now we all make mistakes, it’s only human to do so. But, those mistakes can have ripple effects that affect the overall ranking of your site. So, it can be invaluable to know how to avoid them. Let’s talk about it!

Common Mistake #1: Assuming You Know What Your Audience is Searching

You may think you’re familiar with the terms that your ideal clients are searching for. Or, you may have expertly crafted the terminology you use throughout your site. While this is all wonderful to have, this doesn’t necessarily translate to knowing what your ideal clients are searching for. Even though different clients might describe their experiences in similar ways, you still shouldn’t assume that they correlate with Google. It’s certainly important to be familiar with how your clients describe what they are going through. But, it is also important to understand that some of the terms you’re familiar with might be unknown to your ideal client. For example, even though you may have a page titled “adolescent psychotherapy”, most people probably won’t be typing all of that out in the search bar. Instead, people may be searching for the term “teen counseling”, or something similar to it.

Honestly, keyword research can be a bit of an art. We’ve had many therapists come to us wanting to be very inclusive and only optimizing for “couples therapy.” Yes, this is a great term that encompasses all of the work that you do. But in most areas of the country (there are exceptions which is why we must ALWAYS do keyword research for your unique area) “marriage counseling” is actually searched for significantly (think x4) more frequently. Similarly, you might describe your service as “psychotherapy for anxiety,” but more people are searching for “anxiety treatment” or even “anxiety counseling.”

But, There is An Exception

It should be noted that the intake materials that new clients fill out can provide you with valuable info. These can provide you with insight as to their reasons for coming into therapy. And, also give you ideas on future service pages or blog posts to address the issues your clients are bringing up. While this is effective, you’ll have much more luck using one of the many keyword research tools for therapists out there. In order to find what out your ideal client may be searching for. Which, actually leads me to my next point.

Common Mistake #2: Not Focusing On a Specific Location

There are many tools to research keywords for therapists. Some popular options include Google Trends, KWFinder, and Keywords Everywhere. However, knowing where to focus is just as important as the keyword itself. Having at least one specific location for where you’d like your site to rank is becoming increasingly important as the Google algorithm changes. Our team of SEO specialists has found that including location indicators on keywords for therapists helps focus the search to the area you want to rank for. Doing so will help Google understand where your practice is located. And, will help get your site in front of potential clients in your area.

It also helps narrow down terms that may be searched for to only focus on what is being searched for in a specific area. Even for online-only practices, referencing that your practice is based in a certain town or city may help to build your online presence with Google. Additionally, it is important to note that search trends differ based on where you are searching from. For example, “depression counseling” might be the most searched keyword in your state. But, “depression treatment” could be searched for most in the state that borders yours. It’s important to understand what keywords you are wanting to rank for, and where they are being most searched for.

Common Mistake #3: Not Understanding the Difficulty and Search Volume of Keywords

Admittedly, some keywords are harder to rank for than others. Tools such as KWFinder allow you to see the difficulty. But, this can become confusing when taking search volume into account. While it’s normally best to track the keyword that has the highest search volume, this isn’t always the best option when it comes to competing with others.

The difficulty of a keyword is based on how likely it is you’ll be able to climb up the search results. The harder the keyword, the harder the climb will be. If it’s a service many people offer support for, like “depression counseling”, you can expect a lot of competition and a tough climb. On the other hand, you can expect niche services to be easier to rank for since there isn’t as much competition.

Where this understanding becomes important is when dealing with keywords that might have a similar search volume, but different difficulties. Just because a keyword has a higher search volume does not mean you should necessarily focus on it. In fact, sometimes keywords with a smaller search can better because of the fact they’re easier to rank for. Not going for the most searched keyword can sometimes be the best call. Our SEO specialists can also help you weigh these kinds of decisions.

Common Mistake #4: Not Being Thorough with Selecting the Keywords Themselves

When it comes to SEO, even the plural and singular forms of a keyword can produce different results. When conducting keyword research, it’s very important to double-check that you have the correct form of the keyword you want. And, that you think about the search intent behind the keyword you want to rank for. Even the difference between “therapy for depression” and “depression therapy” might result in different search volumes.

So, What is Search Intent?

This is the reason why someone is searching for a term in the first place. When thinking of what keywords to target, think of why they would be searching for it. Are they seeking information from your site? Are they looking for a particular service? Maybe they want to buy something. Or, are simply researching more information on a topic. Understanding what your ideal client is hoping to gain from finding your site can help you tailor your keyword research. This way, when they do find your site, you will have the answers they are looking for.

In Conclusion

There are multiple pitfalls that people might fall into when conducting keyword research. It can certainly take a while to get used to all of the quirks and caveats that come with properly researching keywords for therapists, but the outcome of doing it correctly is worth any hassle.

Begin SEO Services with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our SEO specialists are trained in conducting properly researching keywords for therapists. We would love to help improve your SEO and get you higher up on Google. Follow these steps to start finding your ideal client today:

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with a member of our team
Learn more about our services
Start optimizing your site, and ranking better on Google

SEO Services Offered at Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO Consulting provides SEO services for helping professionals and private practice owners. Our comprehensive SEO services are included in our Done for You SEO Service packages. People typically participate in those for an average of 6 months while we set a really firm foundation and get your website ranking well. Then, we offer continued support through our alumni packages. Our team also provides learning opportunities with our SEO training packages. This includes our “Top of Google” online course, 12 week Intensive Training Program and SEO Strategy package if you’re interested in learning how to optimize your website on your own.

Take the next step and book a free SEO Consultation to determine which option is best for your business. We look forward to talking with you!

About The Author

Sterling Humburg-Cage is a member of the 2020 graduating class from the University of Missouri. He is intent on using his B.A. in Psychology to help provide the best results as an SEO specialist.

February 23, 2021/0 Comments/by Sterling Humburg-Cage

Content, SEO Tips

The Importance of Letting Google Know Where You’re Located To Boost Your SEO

If you’ve read some of our other SEO blogs or followed us on Facebook you’ve probably heard us mention how important it is that you tell Google where you’re located. Google prioritizes ranking websites that provide accurate information. So, if your potential client is looking for a “therapist near me” then Google needs to know which therapists provide services where the client is located. Today, I want to explain some easy ways you can best optimize your website to tell Google exactly where you’re located.

What Google Says About Location Indicators:

According to Google’s terms of service “Providing useful, meaningful experiences is at the core of what Google does, and location information plays an important role in doing just that. From driving directions to making sure your search results include things near you, to showing you when a restaurant is typically busy, location can make your experiences across Google more relevant and helpful. Location information also helps with some core product functionality, like providing a website in the right language or helping to keep Google’s services secure.” You can read Google’s full terms of service here.

How To Tell Google Where You’re Located and Boost Your SEO

Add Your Physical Address To Your Footer

Black man works on his laptop at home optimizing his website and works with an SEO specialist for SEO training at Simplified SEO consulting The first, and easiest way, you can tell Google where you’re located is by adding your address to the footer of your website. That way it’s visible on every page. The goal of doing this is to let Google know exactly where you’re located and what services you provide. Furthermore, it makes it easy for your ideal client to get in touch with you. It’s common for contact information to be at the footer so people are likely to scroll all the way down and see it.

Add Location Indicators Throughout Your Pages

The next easy tip is, add location indicators throughout your pages. For example, say your practice is located in Kansas City, MO. You might say something along the lines of “come see us at our counseling office which is conveniently located near the plaza.” Or perhaps you’re in a college town like Lawrence, KS, you might say something along the lines “perhaps, you’re a student at The University of Kansas and you’re dealing with anxiety. Our counseling clinic sees many KU students and helps them cope with the symptoms of anxiety so they can get back to college life. Our office is conveniently located 10 minutes away from campus.” These are subtle ways to tell Google where you’re located and give them as much information as possible.

Blog and Reference Specific Locations

If you’re really trying to drum up business from a certain area near your practice, or a suburb that’s close by, then consider writing a blog that directly mentions certain areas or places your ideal client would go. So if you’re a couples therapist, you might consider writing a blog that talks about unique date night ideas in your area.

For a great example of blogging and referencing specific places or businesses in your area, check out this blog from Aspire Counseling located in Columbia, MO. It’s written by Jessica Tappana, Simplified SEO Consulting’s founder, so you know it will be chalked full of great SEO. She references several local businesses and locations including internal links to really tell search engines her practice is relevant throughout the Mid Missouri area.

Create a Google My Business Listing and Optimize Your Profile

Next tip, create a Google My Business and optimize your profile. If you have a physical location you really need to take the time and create Google My Business listing. This will help your SEO by telling Google more about your business and where you’re located. Furthermore, creating and optimizing a Google My Business listing will help you get noticed on Google Maps and it will give you the option to later imbed a Google Map onto your website.

Embed A Google Map On Your Website

Google Maps on a cell phone next to a cup of coffee at a cafe. Representing the importance of letting Google know where you're located when working on your SEO. Learn SEO from a seo specialist at Simplified SEO consulting Google Maps is a web mapping service that provides detailed geographical location information to consumers. Take a moment, open a browser on your phone or computer, and search for “ice cream near me.” See the listings. Those are Google Map Listings.

Embed a Google Map onto your site, ideally on your location page. I will talk more about the importance of a location page in a minute. But, embedding a Google Map boosts your SEO because Google prioritizes ranking credible websites that provide the most information to their consumers. So they are likely to rank you higher for adding a map to your site. To get a Google Map, you’ll first need to create a Google My Business listing.

Create A Location Page for Your Private Practice

Another really great way to tell Google where you’re located is to create a location or our office page. On this page, I recommend you do a few things. Provide driving directions including local landmarks and street names in your area. Consider adding photos of your office and include location indicators in your alt text and photo titles. Lastly, embed a Google map.

Here’s a great example of a location page from Jessica Tappana’s private practice; Aspire Counseling. Take note of the location indicators she uses there as well as the Google Map that’s embedded.

Get Local Backlinks

Who are natural referrals sources for you in your local community? Do any of those have a resources type page on their website? Or perhaps a blog that you could write a guest blog post? Getting a backlink from local businesses in related sectors could help indicate to Google that you are relevant in similar ways those businesses are relevant. And backlinks are a great SEO strategy overall. One of Jessica’s personal favorite backlinks is from a local paleo meal prep business. Back to Basic (the meal prep business) clients are often interested in their overall health and can be a great fit for referrals to mental health services. It’s also a pricier service that she’s offering which is a good fit since Jessica’s practice is private pay. Best of all, she’s local. In fact, they were just across the street from one another when she first added me to her list of references. So, think outside the box about how you can partner with local businesses to feature one another. 🙂

How You Can Boost Your SEO and Rank Well Without a Physical Address

For those of you who are reading this and feeling anxious because you don’t have a physical location, I want to reassure you that ranking well on Google is absolutely doable. You just have to aggressively target locations and make it clear to Google where you offer online therapy. Here are a few of our older blogs that discuss this in detail.

Work With Simplified SEO Consulting and Get To The Top of Google

Our goal is to help clients get to the top of google and attract their ideal clients in their area. If you’re interested in optimizing your private practice website, we would love to speak with you and tell you more about your services. To begin SEO services, 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 SEO packages and training opportunities
Start optimizing your webpage and watch your site rank better on Google!

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

The Simplified SEO Consulting team is passionate about providing SEO services for helping professionals and therapists. Our comprehensive SEO services are included in our Done for You SEO Service packages. Also, we offer alumni packages and al la carte SEO services. Our SEO staff provides several SEO training opportunities. including our “Top of Google” online course and 12 weeks of online video training. We also offer an SEO Strategy package to learn more about SEO and what you can do to rank better on search engines.

Contact Simplified SEO to learn more, or book a free SEO Consultation to decide which SEO service is best for your business. Our team looks forward to hearing from you!

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.

February 16, 2021/1 Comment/by Cory Moss

Content, SEO Tips

Common Blogging Mistakes We See Private Practice Owners Make

I want you to think about your favorite artist. Maybe this is an actor, a comedian, or someone you follow on a social media platform. Essentially, think of someone whose media you consume. Today, these artists are often referred to as “influencers.” We naturally gravitate toward media content we personally connect with. This connection can be founded on a shared lifestyle, a common struggle, or simply humor. Further, peoples’ connection to media and the “influencers” who produce it can become a part of their daily lives.

You probably are asking yourself what all this has to do with blogging. So, I want you to take a second to think of yourself, a mental health professional, as an influencer. While you may not naturally identify with this term, the truth is, you are an expert in your field! You have extensive education and training. That means you have a ton of amazing thoughts and ideas to share with the world. And, how do we connect with the world today? The internet.

What’s the point of blogging?

Simple answer: connection.

Blogging allows you connect with your clients outside of counseling sessions. Furthermore, you can connect with people from all over the globe! You have the opportunity to share your education, your experience, and your ideas with people who are searching. All you’ve got to do is put pen to paper! (Well, more like fingers to keypad… but you get it.)

With all this being said, it’s important to know how to effectively use blogging to connect with your website viewers. At Simplified, we see private practice owners make a lot of the same mistakes when it comes to blogging. Today, I’ll walk you through what those mistakes are and how to ensure you don’t make them.

Not Blogging

Now, imagine that your favorite content creator never put out new media. No new movies, no new comedy specials on Netflix, and no more cute dog photos. What?! Most likely, you’d feel disconnected from your favorite influencer and a little disappointed. On the other hand, imagine that they put out new content twice a month. Or, even more frequently than that. Whoa! I assume you’d check their website or social media platforms pretty regularly. And, most importantly, you’d feel pretty connected to that creator.

Similarly, when you do not blog, your clients miss out on additional connection with you. As mental health professionals, we understand the importance of connection. Maybe they’re having a hard day and don’t have a session scheduled for awhile. They could be comforted by reading something from their therapist in the meantime. When you don’t blog, your clients don’t even have the opportunity to learn from you. Yes, clients should not be relying on blogs for mental health support instead of their scheduled sessions. But, wouldn’t it be something if your words connected with them on a day when they really needed it?

Blogging for SEO

On a different note, blogging is an essential part of a quality long-term SEO strategy. Creating and publishing fresh, original content tells Google that you are active on your website. Being active on your site makes Google happy! It wants to show searchers the most relevant information out there. Further, when you publish blogs on a particular topic, Google takes that as a sign that you are an expert on it. (Which we know that you are!) Consistently blogging helps you interact with Google in positive ways, thus improving your SEO. Furthermore, regularly blogging helps you connect with your current clients. And, it shows potential clients that you care about creating connection.

There are many reasons to blog. Here at Simplified SEO Consulting, we believe it to be an essential part of private practice owners’ SEO strategy. Now that we’ve covered the importance of blogging, let’s dive into blog content and mistakes to avoid.

Overthinking Blog Posts

Keep blog content helpful, relatable, and relevant.

Let’s go back to the “therapist as an influencer” idea. Typically, the media we choose to consume is helpful, relatable, and relevant. So, why shouldn’t blogs be this way, too? Whether someone is specifically searching for your blog, or they stumble upon it, they don’t want to read a graduate school essay. Even though your master’s program instructors programmed high quality, technical writing into your DNA during grad school, your clients don’t want it. And, neither does Google. In fact, Google likes simple writing, around the level of a fifth grader’s.

I commonly hear from private practice owners “what am I supposed to write about?” My answer to that is: anything! Obviously, it is important that your content is relevant to mental health, counseling, etc. Bottom line, your clients want to connect with you.

So, since Google wants simple writing and you want to connect with your clients, make it easy on yourself by writing for fun. Did she just say, “writing for fun”?! Yes, yes, I did. I encourage private practice owners to think of blogging as a time for reflection.

Blogging Content Ideas

What is going on in the world right now that connects to the population you serve? Listen to the common themes your clients are sharing. How are current events impacting their mental health right now? Or, how could something happening in the world impact their mental health in the short-term or long-term?

Did you read a new book that could be helpful to your clients? Here’s an idea: write a review of the book and call it a “blog.”

Our founder, Jessica Tappana, always brings up “if you had a conversation about the same issue with three different clients in the same week, it’s time to blog about it!” Sometimes, as mental health professionals, we notice trends among our clients’ experiences. If you’re picking up on a trend, it’s worth blogging about and connecting with your clients. And, once you’ve written an excellent blog, you can send it to your future clients who are struggling with the same issues you are writing about today.

Your clients want to hear from you. So does Google. Consistently blogging can help you positively impact your long-term SEO by proving to Google’s bots that you care about regularly providing your site visitors with high-quality content.

Prioritize Quality over Quantity

In terms of blogging strategy, it must be emphasized that best practice is quality over quantity. Unfortunately, we see many private practice owners do the opposite, and prioritize quantity over quality.

Think about if you went to another private practice owner’s site. You scroll to the blog tab. Once you get there, you see twenty blogs posted over the past six months. You see one you’re interested in, but when you click on it, there are only two paragraphs of text. Hmm… as a site visitor, you probably lose trust in the website. And, maybe even the practice owner who posted the blog. This content wasn’t helpful, relatable, or relevant. Maybe it was actually frustrating to view. You got excited to read something interesting, and felt let down when there wasn’t much information there. (Gen Z refers to this as “click bait.” Try using that term with your teen clients and see what they think!) It’s pretty clear that the blog was posted for SEO purposes only.

Let’s not give your website visitors the same experience. Give them content that is impactful and applicable to their lives. Likewise, blogging for quantity of blogs versus quality negatively impacts Google’s view of your site, too. Google’s bots are pretty dang smart. They know that blogging is intended for creating robust, informative material, not bits and pieces to feign expertise. It’s important to build that trust and connection not only with your clients, but also with Google.

Content Promotion

The next mistake we often see is practice owners not promoting their blog content. Wouldn’t you want to know if Netflix put out a show with your favorite comedian? Of course! So, your clients should know when there is fresh content on your site. There are a few ways to promote your blogs:

Create an email list so all of your clients are notified when a blog has been published
Post a link on your practice’s Facebook for each new blog
Share your blog on your personal Facebook account so friends and family can read and share

There are so many people out there who want to read your content. You just have to give them the chance! And, promoting your blogs can get more hits to your site. This helps new visitors view your blog, then maybe they’ll move over to your services tab. At this point, blogging, in a sense, is a form of marketing.

Keywords in the Titles

If you’ve been with Simplified for a while now, or even if you just started with us, you know that we are all about the keywords. Tracking keywords for your website is one of the most important pieces of SEO strategy. Especially important is ensuring you implement those keywords throughout your website to increase SEO rankings.

Keep in mind that when blogging, the priority is to create helpful, relatable, and relevant content. However, it is important that you use keywords in the headings and copy of your blogs. Google places more weight on words in the headings and subheadings of copy. So, make sure you strategically place keywords in the headings. Not only will this help you get more SEO juice for the blog post, but it will help your readers.

Remember, we are writing content that is easy to read and informative. A huge piece of easy reading is skimming. Yes, some people will read your blog in its entirety. But, most likely readers will skim using the headings and subheadings. This helps them identify the parts of the copy that are applicable to them and worth reading.

The reward for using keywords in headings is twofold. Your site gets an SEO boost by ranking well on Google, and your readers have a more pleasant experience. In an earlier blog, Jessica discusses more about keywords and their strategic placement.

Videos in Blogs

We have seen many private practice owners use videos as a part of their blogs. This is great SEO strategy! A great thing about using videos as part of blogging is the increased accessibility for site visitors. On the other hand, when using videos as part of blogging, it is imperative that there be a video transcript or closed captioning available. Likewise, if you are including video in your blog, you must include a body of text. Your blog needs to have copy supporting the information in the video. Google loves videos, specifically YouTube videos. But, a video does not have the functionality of indicating keywords or phrases your site should be ranking for. So, you must pair videos on blogs with text.

Are You Ready to Get Your Site Ranking?

If you are looking to increase calls at your private practice, then it’s time to consider working with an SEO Specialist. Yes, we geek out over blogging. But, you haven’t even heard the rest of the geeky stuff we love! Follow the steps below to connect with an SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting and start ranking on Google:

Schedule a 15-minute consultation call with to discuss your practice’s goals.
Meet with an SEO Specialist and discuss package options.
Begin optimizing your website and meeting with the clients you want!

Other Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

At Simplified, we are passionate about meeting your business’s needs in whatever way fits you best. If you’re looking to outsource SEO work while you run your practice, our Done For You services may be a nice fit. If you want to become an SEO master yourself, we suggest you check out our DIY Online SEO Courses. Or, the 12 Week SEO Intensive program, called the Done With You package, may fit you best. However you decide to take on Search Engine Optimization, our team of SEO Specialists is looking forward to geeking out with you.

February 12, 2021/0 Comments/by Olivia Ferguson

SEO Tips

How to optimize for a podcast & build podcast SEO

“Have you listened to this podcast before?”

I think it’s fair to say that most of us have a favorite podcast, whether it be an episode or a series that you listen to every week. Podcasts can be a great source of entertainment, education, and all things murder mystery. What’s more, podcasts are a great way for mental health service providers to get their name out there! Podcasting can be a great way to grow your practice, as it’s another way to share your content. In addition, having podcast episodes give you another opportunity to show up in web searches. What’s more, podcasts can be great for accessibility since they can accommodate other learning styles and preferences. So, with this in mind, creating a podcast for your practice could be a great idea for therapists!

Why Would a Therapist Have a Podcast?

Fun fact: in 2019, Google made it public that podcasts that they had started including podcasts in search results. This means that podcasts have the same potential to show up in searches the way that websites, videos, and blog posts do. Pretty cool, huh?

When thinking about podcasting to help grow your practice, you might not know where to start.

There are a lot different paths to take. But, for our purposes, we’re going to focus on how to optimize SEO for podcasts. In addition to all of the wonderful knowledge you’ll get from this blog, Practice of the Practice offers great resources to start and grow a podcast. Creating a podcast can help grow your practice if you’re choosing the right topic and targeting the right audience. With the right approach, you can build podcast SEO and reach a bigger audience.

Yep, podcast SEO a thing. Here’s what you need to know.

First things first: what is podcast SEO?

Podcast SEO is, quite literally, “podcast search engine optimization.” When building podcast SEO, we’re focusing on getting your podcast to the first page of Google. Much like your website and blogs, you want your podcasts to show up to your ideal clients.

Second thing’s second: why should I worry about it?

If you’re producing podcasts in the hopes of attracting more clients and becoming more well-known, there’s really only one way to do that: having good SEO. If you don’t have good SEO, you don’t show up. Which, in the days of everything being online, this is imperative to the success of your practice. As a service provider in private practice, your time is limited. So, if you’re going to dedicate some time and energy to creating a podcast to attract a new audience, don’t you want the best ROI?

We know all of the things about the “why” behind podcast SEO, now we’ll switch gears to the “how” piece of the puzzle. Below are a few tips on building your podcast SEO.

Steps to building your podcast SEO

We’ll go into more detail below, but the basic steps for building podcast SEO include:

Claim your podcast on Google Podcast Manager.
Make a website for your podcast.
Use Keywords in Your Podcast Title
Pick the name of your podcast very carefully.
Help Google build trust with your podcast.
Optimize your SEO Title and Meta Description.
Tie in social media.

Step 1 to building podcast SEO: Claim your podcast on Google Podcast Manager

Claiming your podcast on Google Podcast Manager is the same process that you follow when creating an account for Google My Business. This process allows you to “index” your podcast. Google indexing is paramount in SEO Land because it gives us an opportunity to get “credit” for what we do. I’ve provided a few links to other resources that explain what Google Indexing is and why it’s important, so feel free to check them out. The process below details how you set up this account. To remain transparent, these instructions came from Captivate’s blog about optimizing for podcasts.

Steps to Claim Your Podcast on Google Podcast Manager

1. Access Google Podcasts Manager through the Distribution page of your Captivate dashboard.
Log in with your Google Account (or create one).
Enter your podcast RSS feed URL.
Preview your feed to make sure the episodes and artwork are pulling through correctly.
Google will then send you a code to the email address associated with your RSS feed.
Enter the code and verify ownership!

Step 2 to building podcast SEO: Make a website for your podcast

Some of you probably aren’t thrilled about this. Yes, you need to make a new website for your podcast. Ultimately, this is the best for SEO. In Google’s eyes, your practice and your podcast are two separate entities. Which, isn’t wrong. And, these two entities acquire SEO. Think of two siblings that play different sports. One plays soccer and the other plays basketball. While both children play sports, they can’t share equipment (no one wears shin guards in basketball and a soccer player would look silly wearing a basket jersey). It just won’t work. It’s the same for your practice and podcast. They need different equipment (i.e., websites) to both be successful.

Step 3 to building podcast SEO: Incorporating Keywords in Your Podcast Title

Just like service pages or blogs, it’s imperative that we include words and phrases that our ideal clients use. We’ve written many blogs about finding the right keywords for your ideal client. But, as a reminder, we want to use the words and phrases are clients are using. A way to incorporate this into a podcast would be to have a title full of keywords. While podcast SEO is a bit of a new concept for us, there are some transferable SEO skills to use when optimizing these podcasts. The best way to do this is to think about what your ideal client would search for. For example, it could be “podcasts about dealing with anxiety during the pandemic.” Or, “podcasts about setting boundaries.” Really think about what your ideal client would want to listen to.

Step 4 to building podcast SEO: Pick the name of your podcast very carefully.

This is your biggest opportunity to get keywords in. The name of your podcast does not have to be the same as your practice. Unless, of course, your practice name is full of keywords that you want to rank for. Even still, it will be more beneficial to have a different name for your podcast so you can build SEO for different sources: your website and your podcast. So, choose wisely!

Step 5 to building podcast SEO: Help Google build trust with your podcast

So, turns out Google does some pretty cool things with podcasts. When a podcast episode is posted, Google automatically transcribes the content. Google does this so it knows what the podcast episode is about and helps it to categorize the podcast appropriately. In return, this helps to have your podcast reach it’s intended audience.

However. And this is an important however.

Your podcast must have structure. I’ll say it again for the people in the back: Your podcast must have structure. Google needs to be able to follow a clear structure of your podcast. This means the content needs to be about the same topic or category. As we all know, Google’s top concern is giving the user a good experience. In Google land, that means providing the user with information that is relevant and trustworthy. And, that makes sense given the information that exists about the topic. It’s important to remember that Google will make this determination based on the transcription it creates from the episode. So, the content should be easily understood.

So, with this in mind, do what you need to.

Come prepared to class. Create an outline. If you’re featuring a guest on your show, give them questions to prepare ahead of time. Research the topics you’re covering. And, when you can, verbally site the sources (this way, Google will transcribe that source) so Google can determine that you know of other reputable sources.

Step 6 to building podcast SEO: Optimize your SEO Title and Meta Description

This is an example of crossover for SEO concepts. Much like optimizing a service page or blog post, you’ll need to optimize the meta title and meta description. For our friends that are new around here, here’s a brief rundown: a meta title is the title of the page that pops up on Google. If one of our amazing SEO specialists optimized your page, your meta title likely reads “The Service | Your Practice Name (sometimes) | Online Therapy/Counseling in Your Location.” The logic is that the title is full of keywords and location indicators.

A meta description is the blurb that shows up Google under your website title. It’s best to personalize this, otherwise Google will throw two random sentences on the meta description. The problem with that? Those two sentences don’t always make sense together. So, it’s much better if we have control over it and make it very compelling.

Step 7 to building podcast SEO: Tie in social media

We want to pull out all of the big guns when getting a podcast up and running. To make you’re reaching as many listeners as possible, it needs to be “seen” by users. A great way to do this is through social media. For those who aren’t familiar with the role of social media and SEO, social media can be a great way to get more eyeballs on your site. However, keep in mind that social media itself cannot directly “boost” your SEO. But, it can help get more people to your site when used effectively. Which, has the possibility of helping build SEO.

This relationship is a correlation, not causation.

So, with this in mind, a good tip is to share your podcast episodes on your practice’s social media page. Make a post about your podcast and provide a link to your page. This way, users can easily get to your site and start listening. Remember: we want to make this process as easy as possible for the user. The easier it is, the more accessible it is. And, the more likely they’ll return to your site.

Step 8 to building podcast SEO: Build Tons of Backlinks to Your Podcast Websites

You might be wondering why this step wasn’t after step 2 of making a website. This is on purpose. Backlinks are vital to building long-term SEO. Backlinks help to show Google that your website is trustworthy and reputable. For those of you that are new around here, a backlink is when another website links to your site. Essentially, this means that another website sees the content on your site to be valuable and useful. So much so, that they are willing to send their users to your site. There are many ways to build backlinks; some of which will surprise you!

However, building backlinks will take time.

Let me say that again. Building backlinks will take time. Building quality backlinks will require intentionality and dedication. But, it will be worth it. You can do this with your podcast website by linking to your practice’s website. However, do so sparingly. If this seems too “on purpose”, Google will catch on and be very upset. So upset that your website will be put on page farther back.

Hot tip for building backlinks & podcast SEO

When an episode goes live, send your guest a link to the episode with a badge or logo they can put on their website. This can be put on your social media pages, too. The goal is for them to link back. This way, you’ll get the “credit” for the backlink.

Begin SEO Services With Us!

Thanks for checking out this blog! At Simplified, we’re here to help with all of your SEO needs! We offer many different services to help you reach your SEO goals. We offer Done For You Services where do the optimization for your site. If you’re the hands-on type, we can teach you how to do the optimization in our 12-Week Intensive Program. In addition, we offer a variety of helpful courses and ala carte services. When you’re ready to begin services with us, follow these steps:

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us.
Get to know our team of highly skilled SEO specialists.
Build your podcast SEO!

About the Author

Alyssa has been a member of the Simplified family for the past few months. 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 also 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.

February 9, 2021/0 Comments/by Alyssa Kohne

Business Tips, SEO Tips

The Importance of a Holistic SEO Approach

What is Holistic SEO

Holistic SEO is a strategy that looks at all factors of optimization, and not just one aspect of it. The focus is based on user experience, content, and technical SEO. This is such a beneficial and necessary approach to SEO because it looks at the full picture rather than one aspect. Think about it this way, when you start a business, you may begin with an idea, but the idea itself doesn’t make the vision happen. You must address the marketing side, the website, clients, and creating client experience. You must also manage people and money. It takes a full picture to get your business thriving. In the same way, SEO focuses on the whole rather than a particular part.

Important Factors to Consider with Holistic SEO?

As with everything, we will start from the beginning. Focus on the client. The client is the person we are looking for. They are the reason we are in the business. We want to help our clients, but how do we begin? Let’s go through and address various aspects of the holistic SEO approach.

User Experience and SEO (UX SEO)

Here are some other important focus points for user experience. When it comes to keyword research, there are two focus points: what language is your client searching for, and what is the intent. It’s important to know your niche well and understand why people are searching for your therapy, coaching, or consultation services.

Part of writing content is making sure we are addressing the why and the reason someone would come into your practice. Content extends past service pages and blogs. Even in the Google search, we are giving people bit size pieces of what we offer. Therefore, optimizing for meta descriptions with pain points and keywords is important. A well-written meta description and title can bring people to your site. Another part of your meta description that needs to be optimized is your meta title. One way to go about doing this is to add the title, location, and zip codes, and maybe practice name if necessary. You can get great keywords into this and increase your traffic this way. An example would be: EMDR therapy | Location and Zip | Practice Name. This varies based on what is best for your site.

It’s also important to make sure your URL matches the page. Sometimes when creating new pages on your website, you may forget to look at what the URL states. In order to optimize for this, you must optimize the slug of your website. This may not seem important, but if your website says (simplifiedseoconsulting/new-page) this isn’t appealing from a user experience standpoint.

In terms of on-page immediate user experience, we also want people to keep coming back to your site and see how your services can help them. One way is to create a memorable logo and make it evident that this is your brand. Then on the page, create quality content and making sure you have one H1 per page. As well as sections of text broken up into H2’s. Lastly, you will want to have a clear call to action which directs your clients to begin services.

Keyword Research (what are they using)

User experience is all about focusing on the user. It’s kind of like how you are greeted in a restaurant or the experience your clients have in your office. First impressions are matter. This is not simply about appeasing the Google bots, but about acknowledging how your client gets from point A to point B. First, consider keyword research and searcher language. We want to know what your clients are searching for, what is most commonly searched, and the language your clients typically use.

For example, if you’re expecting clients to type in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy, it’s highly unlikely, however, it’s still a good key term to rank for. It is more likely clients are searching for EMDR. Such as what is EMDR? Does it work online?

Likewise, someone is less likely to search for dealing with trauma, and more likely to talk about feeling stuck, or experiencing recurring memories that don’t go away. Just as in therapy, you don’t always say what is really going on directly, the same principle applies as you consider what your clients are searching for to get to you. So as you build out content. If you can answer these questions in blogs, service pages, or FAQ’s, Google is going to see that you have the answer and ranking you up higher when someone is searching for this query. So listen to your current clients and let that lead you toward potentially keyword searches.

Technical SEO (broken links, slow loading, scrolling, or cluttered content)

Technical SEO is a big part of on-page optimization. In order for Google to crawl a site and increase your Google rankings, there are both on and off-page optimization elements that need to be addressed. The Google bots, who are designed to check for any changes on your page are the functions we are trying to optimize for. These bots check out your site either naturally every few weeks or by indexing using Google Search Console.

Our goal with technical SEO is to make it easier for Google to see our changes and give us credit. The better SEO factors are optimized for the more Google rankings you will see on your end. Likewise, there are some factors we need to avoid in order for Google to rank us higher because slow and cluttered websites can be penalized as well. So to all of you with old pages on your backend that are not being used or overly stuffed media galleries. This is hurting your SEO.

Some factors of technical SEO to consider:

The loading speed of your page and scrolling
The structure of your site ( Builder)
Host for your website (Domain)
Avoid any duplicate content on the site
Sitemaps & Indexing
Reduce broken links (errors)
Avoid slow loading by running audits
Load small to medium-sized photos
Remove content or pages no longer used

These are some important factors we consider when optimizing your website. If you’re experiencing slow loading speeds, consider if you have downloaded big files, or if there are some areas you can declutter your website.

Original Quality Content

Writing copy is key to reaching your ideal audience. In order to connect with your clients, content needs to speak to your ideal client. A key factor in creating quality content that will help you rank better is to make sure it is relevant. This may be intuitive, but sometimes writing content to your clients can be hard. We understand this. It can be easier to generalize your content, but be warned and steer clear of this. Listen to your clients and write about what is really going on. Most importantly, tell them what you can do to help. Put your heart into the content and this will help to reach your audience. Good content design leads your clients to understand how your approach will help them best. Which ultimately leads you to more calls and conversions.

Social Media Strategy

Working with social media isn’t something we work with specifically, however, it is a great way to round out your holistic SEO approach. Here are some key takeaways about social media and SEO. If you want to read more about adding social media to your holistic marketing approach, then read our unofficial SEO guide.

If you plan to use social media for SEO, you must engage often. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, these social media outlets have their own algorithm that requires you to be involved in order to consistently come up with search results and hashtags.
Social media on its own does not supplement SEO. These are great ways to provide external links to your website by linking your website in bios and via links. It is simply another stream of traffic to your website.
There is a certain culture that follows social media and SEO. So if you plan to engage, know your people well.

Social media on its own isn’t meant to supplement SEO. However, it is a great way to add an additional stream to your website. Check out our SEO specialist, Alyssa, who wrote two blog posts on social media which plays into holistic SEO.

Mobile Optimization

Have you ever been to a non-mobile-friendly website? These are frustrating! Typically we bounce off those websites because they are more of a hassle than helpful. Here are a few tips for making sure your website is mobile-friendly.

First, when creating your site choose a template that is consistent across platforms. Check to see how users can perform basic tasks. If you check on your site data and you notice there is low traffic to your niche service, or to once high traffic pages, check out how your mobile site is looking. Make sure your site allows for your client to do the basic tasks you intend. Such as look at service pages, access resources, any forms you have are able to be sent properly, and so on.

Here are a few helpful tools from Google that can help you become more mobile-friendly.

Run a mobile-friendly test to see where you can improve your site health
You can also refer to the mobile usability report for a more detailed picture on your site

HTTPS (security)

Website security matters. Especially now with cyber crimes and confidentiality for online therapy. As therapists who may have client portals and deal with mental health, it’s important that on contact with your services, security is clear on your site. At the top of your website, there should be a lock that indicates that you have an HTTPS domain that is secure. Often if your website SSL certificate is not on a site when clients come onto your website, then you’re likely to get a security error and this will increase the bounce rate on your site. Likewise, this helps to prevent hackers from gaining personal information from you or individuals visiting your site. Therefore it’s important to purchase an SSL certificate.

Accessibility ( easy to access)

Making a website inclusive is not always a topic technology focuses on. SEO and accessibility go hand in hand. However, as mental health professionals, it’s crucial we set examples. Here are some ways to do this:

Provide multiple ways to contact your services. By not offering multiple avenues, you may cause someone to have to disclose information they may not be ready to disclose. Such as a disability.
Look at source code, screen readers can only do certain things on a website such as H1, H2, and alt text.
Make sure widgets and plugins make sense for screen readers
Break up and organize text for people with learning disabilities and ADHD
Include summaries of texts on newsletters for neurodiverse individuals

What not to do

There are some things that don’t help holistic SEO just as traditional technical SEO. First, do not keyword stuff in the meta description, alt text, or within the copy. Some ways this is seen is by adding alt text or keywords to copy and then adding in white text that hides it. Likewise, make sure you are adding relevant keywords to your pages. Next, don’t buy backlinks. Google will penalize you and you will see negative effects in your SEO, making it more difficult to rebuild. Lastly do not page swap. This is when you get a page ranking very well, then switch out content for a page not ranking as well. This is considered unethical on Google.

Benefits and Close Thoughts

To sum up Holistic SEO, by looking at the whole picture and figuring out what to do to make sure your website is accessible, mobile-friendly, has great content, and has all the components for Google’s bots, you should have a reduced bounce rate, and receive more views. Traditional technical SEO is still necessary for the process because it helps Google find your website, helps other search engines find you and allows Google to index your content. Plus it is how online apps, web crawlers, and search bots find you.

Both holistic and traditional SEO has their benefits, but these are great places to start for a whole picture on your website that calls on both methods for a better user experience. Likewise, as SEO specialists we strive to address the whole picture rather than parts in order to make sure your SEO is sustainable and up to par.

Begin SEO Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Holistic SEO has many components, but once well optimized, your website and clients will appreciate the effort. This is meant to help you sustain rankings and make sure your clients are taken care of from the moment they land on your page. Simplified SEO Consulting in Columbia, MO offers DFY packages, courses, and training options. Our skilled team of SEO experts is excited to work with you and answer any questions you have. To get started follow these three steps to begin ranking better on Google.

Schedule an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation with a member of the Simplified SEO Consulting
staff
Learn more about our SEO packages and training opportunities
Start optimizing your website holistically for a better user experience and SEO!

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO Consulting is passionate about providing SEO services for mental health professionals and therapists. Our comprehensive SEO services are included in our Done for You SEO Service packages, and our online DIY courses. If you have questions about any of our other services please feel free to reach out or if you want to get in touch with Simplified SEO to learn more, book a free SEO Consultation with our Client Success Specialist or one of our SEO specialists to decide which option is best for your business. We look forward to working with you to build your technical SEO and Holistic SEO together!

About the Author:

Jasmine Jaquess is currently working towards her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She has been doing SEO with Simplified for the last few months. Currently, she serves as the Client Success Specialist in new client consultation with Simplified SEO Consulting and is an SEO specialist. She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and Wix but has learned to love WordPress sites as well. She really enjoys hearing the clients’ goals for their businesses and helping them achieve them.

February 2, 2021/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess

SEO Tips, Training

A Very Special “Techy” SEO Workshop: Website Speed & SEO

Believe it or not, speed plays a bigger part in SEO than you think. You can have optimized content on your page that wows anyone who sees it. But, if the page takes too long to load, they won’t see it at all! I think everyone has been guilty of impatiently clicking away from a site at one point. So today I’ll be going over how you can improve your site speed. Warning, it might get a little technical.

What if I Don’t Know Much About the “Tech” Stuff?

Have no fear! One of the perks of living in these modern times is having no shortage of resources and tools for private practice owners to improve their site. Working with a website designer is a great option. They will be able to make the changes necessary to fix some of the slower moving parts of your site. The only catch, they still need data!

Great, How Do I Get my Data?

Thankfully, Google has made it even easier with tools like PageSpeed Insights (PSI) to find this data. It’s one of the most used page speed measurement tools. PSI will quickly show you a score of how fast your site is based on different points of data it collects. All you have to do is click here, and enter your website to PSI. In return, it will give you different important pieces of data, opportunities to help load your page faster, and diagnostics about the performance of your site.

What Other Things Can I Do To Help Speed up My Site?

While I could get in the weeds on some of the more technical things within PSI, here are some of the biggest things you can do NOW to improve your site’s speed.

Site Speed Tip #1: Optimize Those Photos!

You might think I’m talking about alt text and photo titles, but there is actually a lot more that can go into optimizing these! First up is the type of file you use. When it comes to what type of file to use, we suggest you go for a .png for your logo and .jpeg files for the other photos on your site.

When it comes to the file size, smaller equals better. Try to keep your photos under 1MB as a good rule of thumb. When it comes to our photo optimization process, our team likes to download “medium” sized photos from Bigstock. This way the image is just the right size. Not too big, but still large enough so that you can make out everything in the image.

Site Speed Tip #2: Word Press Users: Pick Purposeful Plugins

Having plenty of plugins can help you to accomplish a lot of different things on your site. But, having too many can weigh down your site. When choosing your plugins, make sure that you know what they are doing for your site, and how they are helping you! It might also be a good idea to occasionally look at the back-end of your site, and turn off any that you aren’t currently using.

While we’re on the topic of plugins, one great suggestion is Autoptimize. It’s a WordPress plugin that will help with caching, which is another important (but technical) part of SEO.

Site Speed Tip #3: Squarespace Users: Check Settings and Fonts

For Squarespace users, there is actually a quick fix you can make right now! From the back-end of your site, you can go to Settings -> Advanced ->SSL. Turning this SSL option on will make sure your site is delivered more quickly to Google, and turning on the “HSTS Secure” option can also help as well!

Another quick win is making sure your fonts will play nicely with Google. Squarespace has I lovely library of web fonts, but some can make your site run slower than others. Check to make sure you are using a web safe typeface. Furthermore, it also helps to only use one or two fonts on your site at a time. The more fonts the page has to load, the longer it will take to pop up for a potential client.

Site Speed Tip #4: External Scripts Can Slow Down Your Website

External scripts like a Facebook share button or a “schedule here” icon that goes to your personal calendar can be super helpful for things from a client-facing perspective. But, these scripts can also negatively impact the speed of your site. It’s important to think about the function of these scripts, and if they’re really worth the potential decrease in speed.

Begin Optimizing Your Website With Simplified SEO Consulting

Our trained SEO specialists would love to help you improve all aspects of your site. We feel strongly about providing the best service possible. If you are rank higher on Google, follow the simple steps below to get started:

Book a free consultation,
Speak to one of our SEO specialists to find what service is the best fit for your private practice,
Start ranking better on Google and get more clients!

Other SEO Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a variety of SEO services designed to meet your needs. For practice owners, we offer Done for You SEO Services. We also offer alumni packages and al la carte SEO services. Our team provides several learning opportunities with our SEO training packages including our “Top of Google” online course and 12 weeks of online video training and SEO Strategy package if you’re interested in learning how to optimize your website on your own.

About The Author

Sterling Humburg-Cage is a member of the 2020 graduating class from the University of Missouri. He is intent on using his B.A. in Psychology to help provide the best results as an SEO specialist.

January 26, 2021/0 Comments/by Sterling Humburg-Cage

SEO Tips

How headings and subheadings can help your SEO

If our SEO specialists have optimized your pages, there’s a good chance that the formatting looks a little different than it did previously. Is this because we think our “eye for design” is superior? Of course not! But, we do know that having certain things on a website’s page can help boost SEO. One of these ‘things’ is headings and subheadings. We commonly refer to a heading as an “H1.” In addition to the types of headings and subheadings, they both serve different purposes. What’s more, headings and subheadings can significantly help boost your SEO. And, make the user experience better.

There’s a decent chance that what you read sounds like a made-up language. And, understandably so. Below are all of the big takeaways for headings and subheadings.

What is an H1?

An H1, or the top level heading, is essentially the title of the page. A H1 heading is typically towards the top of the page. This heading is typically a few words, or a phrase, for what the page is about. For example, an H1 heading for a page about helping people with depression could be “Depression Counseling.”

Google interprets the heading to be the “title” of the page. With this in mind, it’s best practice to have one H1 per page. Why does this matter? Think back to when you had to write essays in high school. What was the purpose of the title? To tell the reader what the essay was about. How many did you have? Just one. Why did you have just one? Because having multiple titles would be confusing to the reader, and they probably wouldn’t know what your essay is about.

Google would have the same experience. We want to make it clear to Google what our page is about so we show up for the right terms. The easier we make it for Google to tell, the more likely Google will rank us accordingly. In addition, we can use subheadings to show Google the other terms we want to be found for.

What is a subheading?

Subheadings are smaller headings. They are used throughout your page and clue the reader into what the section is about. Smaller headings are used much more. A helpful way to conceptualize the different headings is to continue using the example of writing an essay in high school. You have the title (H1). Next, you have your main points in the essay (H2). Then, you have your supporting paragraphs that add more specific information for your main ideas (H3). Sometimes, you have even more specific and smaller paragraphs that add certain details to your supporting paragraphs (H4). Still, you can have smaller subsections that offer supporting details for previous “even more specific and smaller paragraphs” (H5).

Headings and subheadings follow the same format. Of course, our application looks a bit different since we’re not writing an essay for our high school teacher. With this in mind, here’s an example of the headings we would use for a depression counseling page.

H1: Depression Counseling in Boulder, CO
- H2: Common Symptoms of Depression
  - (Section with common symptoms of depression)
  - H3: Common Symptoms of Depression in Teens
    - (Section listing depression symptoms seen in teens)
    - H4: How to ask your teen if they’re ready to start depression counseling
      - (Section offering suggestions for parents to have this conversation with their teen)
  - H3: Common Symptoms of Depression in Adults
    - (Section with depression symptoms commonly seen in adults)
- H2: Depression Counseling Can Help
  - (Section giving them hope that they don’t have to continue suffering from depression!)
- H2: (Insert Name of Practice)’s Approach to Depression Counseling
  - (Section describing your overall approach to depression counseling)
  - H3: Using CBT in Depression Counseling
    - (Section about how you incorporate CBT)
  - H3: Using Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Depression Counseling
    - (Section about using MBCT)
- H2: Begin Depression Counseling in Boulder, CO
  - (Section explaining how they can start depression counseling at your practice)
- H2: Other Mental Health Services Offered at (Insert Name of Practice)
  - (Section listing the other services your practice offers)

Why are headings and subheadings important for SEO?

One of the biggest reasons why headings and subheadings are important is because Google pays more attention to them. Google interrupts the words in your headings and subheadings as “more important” than the rest of the words in the paragraphs on your page. So, with this in mind, we use this as an opportunity to include as many keywords with location indicators as possible. . . while ensuring that it makes sense. With the example above, we want to rank for “depression counseling.” So, it’s included in as many headings as possible. In addition, we want to rank for depression counseling in Boulder, CO. With that in mind, including that location indicator where it makes sense is helpful for building SEO.

Readability

Headings help with improving the readability of your page. Headings and subheadings break up the content on your page, so it’s not one long paragraph of information. Additionally, subheadings help the user to find the information they’re looking for. Commonly searched inquiries and frequently asked questions are both helpful to include in subheadings. A few examples of this include, “what is anxiety?”, “what if my partner doesn’t want to marriage counseling?”, and “common symptoms of postpartum depression.” Since these are commonly searched questions, your ideal clients are likely searching this, too.

Accessibility

Headings and subheadings also promote accessibility. Specifically, subheadings are beneficial for screen readers. For those who aren’t familiar, a screen reader is an extension on electronic devices that reads aloud the content on the page. So, someone who needs this accommodation can get all of the information from the page. Screen readers follow the outline of headings and subheadings. So, going in “order” is the most helpful. That means following a similar outline to the example above. This will give the reader using a screen reader the best experience. And, will ensure that the information is portrayed.

Start SEO Services with us!

We’re here to help with all of your SEO needs! We offer many different services to help you reach your SEO goals. We offer Done For You Services where do the optimization for your site. If you’re the hands-on type, we can teach you how to do the optimization in our 12-Week Intensive Program. In addition, we offer a variety of helpful courses and ala carte services. When you’re ready to begin services with us, follow these steps:

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us.
Get to know our team of highly skilled SEO specialists.
Build SEO and continue to do what you love.

About the Author

Alyssa has been a member of the Simplified family for the past few months. 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 also 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 recently co-hosted a blogging masterclass that will soon be available for purchase.

January 19, 2021/0 Comments/by Alyssa Kohne

Business Tips, Local SEO, SEO Tips

Google My Business for Online-Only Private Practices

Whether or not online practices can have a Google My Business listing is quite a controversial subject right now. Many of our clients have attempted it, only to have their listing removed when Google realizes they don’t actually have a physical location. We know Google’s guidelines on the matter are ambiguous, and we realize online-only […]

January 12, 2021/0 Comments/by Cory Moss

Local SEO, SEO Tips

Google Business Profile: Optimizing Your Profile for Therapists and Counselors in Private Practice

We all like to get the hands-on tools that are going to better help us in life. A hidden gem that some business owners do not take advantage of is a Google Business Profile. It is more than just a simple verification tool for your business to have a spot on Google. It actually has many cool features that are just waiting to be discovered. Of course, in order to get started, we must start with the basics.

Claim your Google Business Profile listing

First things first, claim your business it’s free. Let Google know you’re here and you’re proud. In order to get started, go onto GBP and set up your account, and give them your information. Google will then send you a postcard via mail. The next step is to enter your verification code from the card. And there you go, it’s quick and easy.

Once you’re set up with a Google Business Profile…

When you’re creating information for you google my business in counseling, its key to make sure your information is comprehensive and up to date. For example, when you’re inputting your website on google my business, it needs to be the same on your website and on GBP, even if there is a slight variation, google may penalize you or not recognize your business.

Google Business Profile Basics

Here is what GBP absolutely needs:

Name
Address
Phone Number
Website
Description
Category
Attributes

Not only is it important to add this information, but it’s crucial to the success of your business, especially if you’re looking to find better ways on how to rank on google for therapists. The information needs to be detailed and most importantly accurate. For example, in your description use as many of the 750 words as possible adding in keywords and information about your niche. As we’ve said previously when we discuss content for service pages and blogs, remember that Google loves content. The more the better. Essentially, the same principle applies to your GBP.

*Pro-tip: The more information you have on GBP the cheaper google my ads will be. So if you’re going the SEO/ Google ads route, Google my business is key for you.

The relationship between Google Business Profile and SEO for Mental Health Professionals

The strategy of SEO is great for websites. You do the work and clients stream your way after a few months of intensive work. However, while SEO is great for websites, there are more ways to incorporate SEO from your website into Google to come up better. Think of it this way. If I type in therapy near me and your website pops up, I am going to click on this and see what you have to offer me. However, if your website pops up, but someone else does as well with a GBP box, I am more likely to choose their therapy website over yours. So the bottom line is to make a Google my business and make sure you’re ranking for therapy/counseling near me. This will help your local SEO and allow you to begin better engaging with your audience and potential clients.

How to build a solid profile for Google Business Profile

Build Credibility Through Google Reviews?

This is kind of a controversial topic for the mental health professionals out there reading this. A great way to build credibility with Google is to get some reviews. The more reviews you have the better. However, as mental health professionals, how does one do this? Ethically, most mental health professionals cannot ask our clients for reviews due to their own codes of ethics. So if you can’t get reviews from your clients, then who? Well, the controversial answer and solution are to ask people who know you. Find people who are familiar with your body of work, and who are also trusted mental health professionals, such as colleagues or a mentor who will give you honest reviews. The key is to find someone you trust and knows you well. Likewise, if someone is always referring clients to you, they are a good choice, because they trust you.

The reason we see this as ethical is that when someone knows you and your professional image and can speak highly of you so clients know you’re credible, that is the best review you can receive ethically.

What to do when you receive reviews?

Once you are able to get some reviews. Reply within 24 hours. More responses equal to more potential customers. Google will also see you as trustworthy and rank your business higher. If you have good reviews, respond and thank them. If you have neutral reviews, you may create a happier raving fan by responding.

Unfortunately, there is the possibility of receiving bad reviews as well. If you have bad reviews, it is crucial that you respond. This is an opportunity, not a punishment. You can try to offer an opportunity for feedback or a follow up for this individual. Sometimes, though you may receive bad reviews from clients who cannot be changed. It happens. While you may not be able to change their mind, you can respond, extend a hand to resolve the issue, and then move on. Focus on your raving fans knowing you’ve done all you can.

And, of course, when responding to reviews from a client be careful not to confirm or deny they were seen at your practice. For example saying something like, “Thank you so much for the feedback” acknowledges their response without confirming they were a client.

Additionally, know there will be times when clients feel inclined to leave a review on your GBP and that’s also ok, as long as it was done ethically. No one made them and it only builds your professional image.

Add Key Blog Posts

Here it is again. Blog, blog, blog. It is so good for your SEO. Not only does it lift your website, but it can also lift it through the use of Google my business. Did you know that you could add your blog posts to your GBP page? It is just another way to funnel more SEO traffic into your website. It also presents a good opportunity for potential clients to see your expertise. All you need to do is every time you publish your blog posts, go to GBP, and add new posts. Insert a picture and a description of the blog post, along with the URL of your blog. That’s it!

Build a Beautiful Photo Gallery

Adding photos is another great way to add value to your GBP. Not only are you providing a visual representation of your services, the people, and your business, but you’re also improving your SEO. Two things to consider, to begin with, is to first add photos to your business regularly. This could be one a week or once every few weeks, but keep it consistent. Second, make sure the quality of the photos is on point. Most people don’t want to see blurry unfocused photos, so if this is not your specialty, like a coworker or hire someone.

Best practices for photos on GBP

However, it is not as simple as adding any photo you feel like adding. First, make sure it is relevant to your business. If you’re a physical therapist and you’re showing information about a fast food restaurant google will see your content as non-relevant. It is also important to make sure you’re reviewing the pictures that customers post as well. Ultimately, the pro in this is that Google will see you engaging with your customers. Which is huge for SEO and relevance. However, note that there are times customers may upload unflattering pictures to your Google Business Profile page. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about this because Google does not allow you to take them down. The only way to get around this would be to reach out to the individual to take it down. Otherwise, checking in regularly will be the best way to safeguard this from repeatedly happening.

Lastly, the best way to use photos to help your SEO is to geotag them. This just means adding in your location so Google can find you. Likewise, before you add in any photos, rename them with keywords to help google coordinate the correct clients to you. For example, if you have a photo about EMDR and you’re demonstrating the technique, make sure you’re optimizing the title for EMDR therapy, EMDR therapy near me, EMDR therapist, EMDR therapy in (insert location), and so on.

Talk about who you are and what you do

Adding in quality and a detailed description of your business can also help you rank. Add information such as your niche and your services. Likewise, add in keywords. Yes, you can add keywords into GBP that helps you rank even higher on Google and will boost your SEO. See what keywords are best searched for in your area by using keywords associated with your niche. If you’re unsure where to start, there are a few free resources such as Uber suggest and Google trends.

Keep Google my business up to date

Especially now in midst of a pandemic, it is very important to add information on how people can access your services. If you have a physical location but are providing online services. Make sure this is evident on your website and on your GPB page. Likewise, this is a great time to add such keywords as online therapy, counseling, therapist, counselor, psychologist, and so on to the list of information on your website.

Additionally, if you add or remove services, make sure you’re updating your profile accordingly.

GBP has data updates

Kind of like google analytics, you can see insights on your customers via a section on your Google Business Profile. If you want to see how often people are visiting your website or page each month, and what they are viewing. You can also view a performance report that allows you to see insights about your information.

Publish your Google Business Profile page!

You’ve finally made it! It’s time to get in front of your potential clients and begin doing what you do best. Helping those overcome the barriers that prevent them from living life to the fullest. If you have any additional questions about your Google Business Profile, let us know. If you’re an online counseling practice, no worries. We’ve got a great blog specifically about using Google Business Profile for Online only practices.

Begin SEO Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Are you looking to see how our services blend well with Google My Business? Simplified SEO Consulting in Columbia, MO offers DFY packages, courses, training options, and alumni services. If you have any questions or your question was not answered, please reach out. Our passionate team of SEO experts would be happy to answer your questions, just reach out today! We can also discuss potential services that may work for you including List Management support to improve your Local SEO presence, especially if you’re a busy practice owner. To get started follow these three steps to begin ranking better on Google.

Schedule an appointment for a free 30-minute consultation with a member of the Simplified SEO Consulting staff
Learn more about our SEO packages and training opportunities
Start doing better keyword research and get your ideal clients

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO Consulting is passionate about providing SEO services for mental health professionals and therapists. Our comprehensive SEO services are included in our Done for You SEO Service packages. Also, we offer alumni packages and al la carte SEO services. Our SEO staff provides several SEO training opportunities. including our “Top of Google” online course and 12 weeks of online video training. We also offer an SEO Strategy package to learn more about SEO and what you can do to rank better on search engines.

Get in touch with Simplified SEO to learn more, or book a free SEO Consultation with our Client Success Specialist or one of our SEO specialists to decide which option is best for your business. We look forward to working with you and your business!

About the Author:

January 5, 2021/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess