In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, digital visibility has become a cornerstone for practitioners seeking to connect with patients in need. As functional medicine doctors, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals embrace the digital landscape, the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is undeniable. Yet, the SEO strategy for the healthcare industry can look a little different than some other businesses. While the technicalities of SEO may seem complex, understanding practical examples tailored to healthcare can shed light on its effectiveness in driving patient engagement.

The Functional Medicine Doctor’s Online Presence

In a world where patients increasingly turn to online resources for health solutions, functional medicine doctors can utilize SEO to their advantage. SEO for functional medicine doctors should include a holistic approach to SEO and include working on a number of ranking tractors. For example, by optimizing their service pages, these doctors can attract patients seeking specific treatments, such as “Gut Health Restoration” or “Hormone Balancing.” Incorporating long-tail keywords like “natural hormone balancing in NYC” empowers patients to find precise solutions for their health concerns.

Psychiatry in the Digital Sphere

With mental health awareness on the rise, psychiatrists can leverage SEO to address patients’ mental health inquiries. Crafting informative blog posts on topics like “Managing Anxiety During Uncertain Times” not only offers valuable insights but also enhances search engine visibility. Utilizing schema markup for services like “Child and Adolescent Counseling” elevates search results, providing concise and informative snippets.

Simplified SEO Consulting has been working on SEO for private practice psychiatrists for years. It was a really natural evolution from working on counselor, therapist, and psychologist websites. So, we’ve fine-tuned a pretty comprehensive strategy to get psychiatrists great results. Don’t get me wrong, as psychiatrists there’s a lot more medical terminology than with the therapists we served when we started. But it’s this nice happy space between the world of psychotherapy and the wider world of healthcare SEO that we’re doing now.

The Speech Language Pathologist and Local SEO

Local SEO plays a pivotal role for speech-language pathologists aiming to connect with nearby patients. Optimizing Google My Business listings with accurate details and patient reviews ensures higher visibility in local searches. Crafting localized blog posts, such as “Effective Speech Therapy for Children in [City Name],” establishes authority within the local community and addresses the needs of potential patients.

Chiropractors and On-Page Optimization

Healthcare professionals can harness the power of on-page optimization to attract patients seeking relief from specific conditions. For example, a chiropractor can target keywords like “Sciatica Relief Through Chiropractic Care,” chiropractors can reach patients actively searching for solutions. Furthermore, strategic internal linking, such as directing readers to “The Benefits of Spinal Alignment,” enhances user experience and supports SEO efforts.

Integrating Keywords for Health Services

Tailoring SEO strategies with relevant keywords is essential. For functional medicine doctors, terms like “holistic wellness,” “natural treatments,” and “preventive healthcare” resonate with their approach. Psychiatrists can expand their reach using keyword variations like “mental health therapy,” “psychiatric counseling,” and “mind-body wellness,” connecting with a wider patient base.

Content Creation and Value

Sharing knowledge through educational blog posts establishes healthcare professionals as reliable sources of information. Topics like “Understanding Neurological Speech Disorders” provide insights into the expertise they offer. Introducing multimedia content, such as videos demonstrating chiropractic techniques or explaining psychiatric approaches, engages patients through diverse mediums.

Mobile-Friendly and User Experience

In an era dominated by smartphones, healthcare websites must be responsive and mobile-friendly. Ensuring websites adapt seamlessly to different devices enhances user experience and contributes to higher search rankings. Implementing alt text for images not only aligns with SEO accessibility guidelines but also accommodates users with visual impairments.

Analytics and Data Insights

Regularly monitoring website analytics offers healthcare professionals valuable insights into their online performance. By analyzing which pages attract the most traffic and engagement, practitioners can refine their strategies accordingly. Furthermore, assessing the effectiveness of targeted keywords helps fine-tune the overall SEO approach.

Medical Search Engine Optimization can Help a Wide Range of Medical Providers

As functional medicine doctors, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, chiropractors, and other healthcare providers navigate the intricate realm of healthcare marketing, the practicality of SEO becomes evident. By tailoring strategies to their respective specialties, these practitioners can elevate their digital presence, connect with patients in need, and ensure their expertise remains accessible in the vast landscape of healthcare information. SEO isn’t just about visibility—it’s about reaching those who require expert care, making it a vital tool for healthcare professionals committed to making a difference.

Search Engine Optimization with Simplified SEO Consulting

Finding the right SEO consulting provider can be daunting, as each company offers a unique approach and varying levels of expertise. Simplified SEO Consulting specializes in healthcare-specific search engine optimization strategies, offering customized solutions based on the individual needs of practitioners. By using keyword research, content creation, on-page optimization, local SEO strategies, and analytics tracking tools to monitor performance, Simplified SEO Consulting takes a holistic, ethical approach to medical search engine optimization services. With Simplified SEO Consulting, healthcare providers can reap the benefits of SEO for their business and patients alike.

To begin, find a time to join one of our SEO specialists for a complimentary Zoom consultation. During the meeting, you’ll discuss your current SEO needs and create a customized plan to help you reach more patients. With our strategic approach and comprehensive services, Simplified SEO Consulting can help your practice succeed in the digital sphere. We’re ready to help you grow your practice by helping more patients find your services & get the care they need.

On page SEO is one of the most important aspects of getting a website to rank well on Google. It involves optimizing your website so that Google understands what your website is about, and ranks it higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). There are many different on page SEO techniques that you can use, but we will discuss some of the most common ones that we recommend private practice owners target in their SEO efforts in this blog post.

What is On-Page SEO?

So…let’s start with the basics. What is on-page SEO?  On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing content on your website (service pages, your home page, your blogs, etc) for search engines. I like to think of it as what you do to make it crystal clear to Google what your page is about. You’re demonstrating to Google the value your page offers to website visitors looking for information ona specific topic.

On-Page SEO as Part of Your Bigger SEO Plan

When I first started optimizing therapist websites 5.5 years ago, we were able to add a few specific service pages to a website, do a little on page SEO (even with very imperfect keyword research) and the site would start ranking well.

SEO is a bit more complicated now as more and more people in the mental health field are taking the time to create a comprehensive SEO plan. Your on page optimization should be part of a larger SEO strategy that includes keyword research, off-page optimization (link building, guest blogging, etc), local SEO (including both on and off page elements) and technical elements as well.

However, I still find that On-Page SEO is a critical piece of the puzzle. And if you do everything else but don’t do On-Page SEO, Google will come to trust your website more but won’t have a solid understanding of what your page is about. Therefore, without solid on-page SEO you’ll never rank as well as you could.

Specific On-Page Techniques Private Practice Owners Should be Using

Some on-page SEO things you may want to work on if you’re optimizing a specific page of your website:

High Quality Contentgreat content writing word cloud in a art sketchbook with a cup of coffee - business writing and content marketing concept

Great content! First and foremost, make sure you have quality content on the page that really provides valuable information to website visitors! Google likes content that is well written, relevant to the topic and comprehensive.

Title Tag & Meta Descriptions

Make sure you have a unique title tag and meta description for the page. This is what will show up in search engine results pages, which can help draw people to click on your link over someone else’s. We’ve written a lot of blog posts about this in the past including a recent one with examples of how you might write these for various pages of your site.

Headers (H1, H2 etc.)

Make strategic use of headings & subheadings. Google uses the H1, H2, etc tags to “figure out” what your page is about. Each page of your website should generally have one “H1” or title of the page. Then, the page will be divided into several H2s and possibly use some H3s.

H2s should be a short description of what’s below that. For example, on this page an H2 is “Specific On-Page SEO Techniques Private Practice Owners.” As Google would assume, the section goes on to describe specific on-page SEO techniques.

Then, you’ll notice that I am using H3s on this post to describe sub-topics. For example, this particular section has an Level 3 heading, or an H3, that reads “Headers (H1, H2 etc.).

Photo of a child on a frozen lake representing how a Canadian therapist might carefully choose a hopeful photo such as this one as part of their on page optimization plan. Carefully choosing & optimizing photos is a great on-page SEO strategy.Use Photos Strategically

Use photos to break up text and illustrate points. However, it’s important to make sure the photo file size isn’t too big as that can slow a page down. Additionally, you can get more “SEO juice” from photos if you make sure to name the photo file something relevant to the topic and include ta keyword phrase in the Alt tag for each photo.

Use Keywords

Naturally include keywords a couple of times on the page. However, make sure it’s natural and doesn’t compromise the quality of the content. I think people can get overly stressed about this. My advice is to write the page without worrying about keywords. Then, go back through the page and see if there’s a natural way to include your keywords.

Consider Readability: Is Your Page Easy to Read?

Make sure your website is easy to read. This is a huge issue we see on private practice websites. People want to fit as much information as possible into a small space. And, you really know what you are talking about. So, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using words that the average person may not understand.

When I talk about readability, some people immediately respond, “But my ideal clients are educated.” That may be true. However, YOU are the expert at mental health at the moment. So, even if they have a Ph.D, if it’s not in psychology, then they may have trouble understanding some of the words you use.

So, make sure to use language that is easy for everyone to understand and break up text with images and other visuals.

Internal Linking

If you have other relevant content on your website, link to it from the page you are working on. This is an important part of creating content that Google loves. By linking to other pages, you’re helping organize your website in a way that Google can understand. Additionally, internal Links help point people who do visit your website to other pages of your site. The more they read on your site, the more likely they are to become a client.

External Linking

This is similar to internal linking, but you will be finding other websites to link to. This will help Google understand the topic of your page and give your website “social proof” that other sites are talking about the same topic.

So, I generally recommend using one or two external links when it’s appropriate. Just make sure they are to other authoritative websites and that they open in a new window

Take On-Page SEO One Step at a Time

On-page SEO can seem overwhelming. But, the best way to tackle it is one page at a time. Just focus on making each page of your website the best it can be in terms of SEO. That way, when visitors arrive at your page, they will find helpful and relevant content that is easy to read and navigate.

This may only be one component of your SEO plan, but it’s a really important one. So, take some time to make sure key pages on your site are fully optimized. It will be worth it in the long run!

On-Page SEO Training on a Cruise This JulyPhoto of a princess cruise outside Vancouver, Canada representing the princess cruise we'll bring private practice owners on from LA to Hawaii in July. We'll focus on teaching private practice owners on-page SEO in training sessions.

Have trouble finding the time to optimize? Or maybe you find yourself feeling stuck or overwhelmed by the process. We are offering a really unique SEO training experience this July. The number one concern we’ve heard from our training clients is that they have trouble finding the time to put into practice what we teach. So…we’re looking to solve that problem. We’re asking that you set aside a little time to focus really intently on learning these techniques, applying them and receiving quick feedback from us.

Join us for a 14-day SEO training cruise leaving out of LA, visiting 4 Hawaiian Islands and a final stop in Mexico. We’ll have ten days at sea where you’ll receive lots of training. Danica and I will go more depth than we’ve ever gone before teaching you on-page SEO techniques with real time feedback and lots of 1:1 support. Then, you’ll have the added benefit of some amazing digital marketing training and support from our friend Ernesto who is a true expert on video marketing, social media and more for therapists and mental health professionals.

Can’t make it on the cruise? We’ll be sad to miss you. We do offer a variety of other SEO training opportunities including affordable DIY courses, small group intensives each semester, various webinars on specific SEO topics & an individualized 12-week training program.

With all the platforms for creating and maintaining websites, it can be overwhelming to decide which will be the best for your private practice website and its SEO. Often we are asked which website builders we prefer, and much like anything else, they all have Pros and Cons. For those of you looking to invest in GoDaddy or already have, this blog is for you! 

How to choose the best hosting option for your Private Practice Website

The importance of search engine optimization (SEO) cannot be overstated. Search engines rely on SEO to find our websites, which means that it’s essential to understand precisely what it is and how it can benefit your private practice in Arkansas, Online, and beyond! Finding ways to utilize SEO for your website and career can be the best decision you make for yourself. 

 

First of all, it’s important to know that with GoDaddy, you have the option of:

Image of a woman looking at a computer while talking on the phone. This represents how SEO services for therapists are a call away when you need them, reach out to us today!

Hosting your URL on GoDaddy with another platform’s website builder.
OR
Hosting & Using GoDaddys’ Website builder for your site. (Free and Paid options)  
 For a lot of people, competitive pricing is an essential factor when selecting a provider. As a domain registrar and web hosting company, GoDaddy is a very well-known brand. Aside from registrars, they also provide their customers with web hosting, website builders, and email services. 

If you are a GoDaddy customer but don’t use their website builder, you need to get your SEO up to speed with the platform your website is built on. 

Does GoDaddys Website Builder boost SEO rankings for an Online Private Practice Website?

As far as website building is concerned, GoDaddy has one of the more user-friendly interfaces available. This hosting service comes with a very simple and intuitive graphical interface. This is designed to cater to beginners since you don’t have to have great coding skills to get started publishing and managing your website.

However, web administrators seeking more control can encounter problems when it comes to email addresses, database files, and memory. When trying to navigate the GoDaddy policies regarding web forms, wikis, and auto-generated content, you will find that you will need to put more effort into it. There are a number of other hosting services that have fewer restrictions on their use.

The Rundown on GoDaddys’ Digital Marketing Suite 

GoDaddy provides a tool that costs $6.99 per month and analyzes your website for keyword and phrase suggestions. You can ‘start for free’  and use it for more than SEO with social media content templates and related content to provide support in getting traffic for your private practice.Image of a typewriter and a notepad with the word "blog'. Blogs are important additions to your SEO and we can help with that! Let our SEO experts help your Private Practice Website today! Even though this tool is helpful and can be used to make a difference, it has some limitations. This is likely why they also offer SEO services as part of one of their packages. It is without saying that at Simplified SEO Consulting, we recommend hiring us if you need Search Engine Optimization services for your private practice. This is because we help mental health professionals focus on the clients they want to attract. In contrast, GoDaddy provides services in a generic manner that primarily targets getting website views rather than booking clients.

After completing the suggested changes, such as changing your homepage title to include a keyword, you can track your website’s search rankings on the Search Engine Optimization dashboard after implementing these changes.

 

You specialize in mental health, and so should the SEO experts you lean on for advice and support. 

 

Using WordPress and GoDaddy for your online Private Practice Website 

WordPress and GoDaddy have partnered to offer users WordPress hosting plans. With their auto-install Quick Start Wizard, you can get started quickly with the creation of your website. 

In the event that you already have a WordPress site that you would like to migrate to GoDaddy, it may take some technical expertise. Even experienced website owners may find it challenging to follow the steps for moving a WordPress website to GoDaddy, even though there are step-by-step instructions. WordPress has its own SEO tools and tips that can be used to optimize your service pages or blog posts. 

 

Person at the computer representing the private practice website owners we help on daily basis. Reach out to us today!   The Summary:

 Many people have criticized the GoDaddy company because of its marketing tactics, aggressive up-selling practices, and poor customer service. Because of its affordability, brand recognition, and comprehensive set of tools, it has become a popular choice for users.

Owners of small private practices with very limited technical expertise can easily register a domain name and build a website with relative ease, but making use of GoDaddy’s hosting services may not be the most appropriate choice for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The majority of our clients use WordPress or Squarespace to build their websites. We have found that these two platforms make it easily possible to implement search engine optimization techniques.  

 

Fun Fact: SEO is a millennial! It was created in the mid-90s. 

 

SEO Marketing for Therapists & Counselors Made Simple!

To begin working with Simplified, follow these three simple steps:

  1. Book a Session with Simplified SEO Consulting
  2. Learn about SEO Consulting for Therapists
  3. Take a breath and relax, knowing your SEO is handled!

Other Services at Simplified SEO Consulting:

We can also help if you need other types of support! We offer a variety of training options to meet your needs, including a 12-week training programsmall group intensives, and courses. If you are ready to start using SEO, or you are planning to move your site or redesign your site, then the strategy session may be an excellent option for you. We can also assist you with our Done for You Program if you want to work with a dedicated and skilled team of professionals.

 

About the Author

Amber has a BA in Psychology at APU and is working towards her MA in Psychology at SNHU while working with the best team in the world, Simplified SEO Consulting. She is a mother, animal & space enthusiast, and public relations volunteer at a fine arts nonprofit who enjoys helping others succeed.

In the world of SEO, there are many terms that describe what effect our website and the users who click on it. But what do they really mean? These terms can be really overwhelming, but understanding them can help you boost your website rankings. Page depth can be crucial if you want certain pages to rank and they aren’t. In this post, you’ll learn about the term page depth, what it is, and why it matters when it comes to SEO.

Photo of nails with coloful string attached to them connecting each nail. Interested in how many pages users look at on your website? Discover how page depth can help you.

What is Page Depth?

Page depth refers to the number of clicks it takes to reach a specific page on a website. If the page is easily accessible, the page depth is low, whereas a high page depth means the page is buried deeper within a website. In SEO, optimizing page depth helps make important information more easily accessible to users.

The homepage always has a page depth of one, while a page directly linked from the home page will have a page depth of two. Anything after that is a depth of three or more with the number of clicks it takes to reach that specific page.

With a page depth of three or more the pages are more than likely going to perform poorly when it comes to showing up on search engines. This is due to search engines, such as Google, having a hard time crawling the pages. With search engines having a harder time crawling these pages, they will also have a lower page rank. Even when they do crawl those pages, the search engine assumes they are less important since they’re less accessible to website visitors. 

Why Does Page Depth Matter?

Page depth matters on a private practice owner’s website because it can affect the user’s experience and ability to find important information quickly. By optimizing page depth, important pages and information can be easily accessible, improving the user experience and increasing the chances of attracting and retaining clients.

Furthermore, page depth matters because if it takes a user more than three clicks to be reached, then search engines will have a harder time crawling the page. This will cause the page to rank less often in search results. Then, it will have less engagement compared to other pages found within two clicks.

These pages will also rank lower as the search engine crawlers won’t check or even find them as often as pages that have a typical depth of two. If Google sees that a certain page is taking three or more clicks to reach, it may see it as less important than other pages on your site that can be reached in fewer clicks.

Photo of a cartoon graph showing an upward trend with two cartoon characters on their phone and laptop. Interested in learning about page depth? Learn what page depth is and how it works here.

Ways to Improve Your Site Structure So Pages Can Be Reached

Improving your site structure makes it easier for the user to navigate. It can be very important, as it keeps a user intrigued with your content without any distractions. With an easier-to-use site, users have a more enjoyable experience and want to continue to use your site if they find the content you have intriguing them. Here are a few ways you can help improve your site structure: 

Use Internal Linking

When you use internal links, you can help lower the number of clicks it takes to reach a specific page. These links help provide additional content and easy access to the new page the user will navigate to. Internal links also help provide a better user experience and can keep a user interested in your content. Using internal links is also valuable to your search rankings as it can help boost your site. This is because it provides page authority for the important pages on your site. Using anchor-rich text when adding internal links also gives search engines easy access to navigate your page.

Utilize Breadcrumbs

By using breadcrumbs, you give the user an easy way for them to know where they are on your website. You can have breadcrumbs on your site that create a navigation bar to help the user see where they’ve navigated and how they can navigate back to their original page. The breadcrumbs can help the user view the categories of the site as well so they have the opportunity to navigate to another page.

Make Sure Photos Are Compressed

When you add photos to your site, make sure you have compressed your pictures. If you don’t compress your photos before adding them they might keep your page from loading. We know from experience when a page or site takes too long to load, we’re more likely to exit and find another site. Compressing photos is an easy way to ensure your page loads quickly. The website tinypng.com is a great (and free!) tool when compressing photos.

Photo of an older woman taking notes from her laptop with paper and a pencil. Learn how to improve your site structure and improve your SEO with page depth.

Learning new SEO terms can be challenging. But the terms you learn are important as they help you figure out what users need when they access your site. Like the term page depth, you begin to learn little things that maintain your website ranking, and help search engines such as Google, notice more of the pages on your site and help with page ranking. Once you understand page depth you can help make your website a more enjoyable experience to keep users interested in viewing other pages on your site.

Learn How To Improve Your Rankings With Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team at Simplified SEO Consulting wants to help you learn all you can when it comes to getting the right clients to view your page. Having guidance in your SEO journey is important for both you and your website to ensure you get the right users to your site. To start your SEO journey follow these three simple steps:

  1. Apply to work with us on your SEO
  2. Meet with one of our Skilled SEO Specialists
  3. Begin SEO Services for Therapists

Other Services Offered With Simplified SEO Consulting

Looking for a different way we might be able to support you? Our team at Simplified wants to support you no matter what your SEO journey is. We offer support in both our Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses. Simplified SEO Consulting also offers a 12-week Done With You Intensive Program. Check out our blog for more helpful tips and guides to SEO!

About the Author: Photo of Brianna Joplin, a mental health SEO specialist who offers SEO for therapists at Simplified SEO Consulting.

Brianna is a Mental Health SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. At Simplified, Brianna enjoys optimizing websites and interacting with her clients to help them achieve their SEO goals. Her goal while working with our clients is to ensure they enjoy their SEO journey and to help them understand how the SEO process works.

 

Looking for extra support? Schedule a consult with the consulting team to see who can help you and how.

Meta descriptions are often overlooked on websites, but they are a very important part of your website’s SEO. This is especially true for private practice websites. A good meta description can entice people to click through to your website, and a bad one can cause them to skip over you entirely. In this blog post, we will give specific examples of effective meta descriptions for a therapist’s website.

Tips for Writing Great Meta Descriptions

– Keep it brief. Aim for less than 155 characters, as that is the maximum number of characters Google will display in search results.

– Make sure your description is relevant to the page content. You don’t want readers clicking on a page only to be disappointed with what they find upon entering the website.

– Don’t include too many keywords, as this does not look natural. Instead, focus on making the meta description sound appealing and informative to readers while naturally incorporating a couple of the top keywords you’re targeting on that page.

To illustrate these points further, I’ve provided some examples of what a good meta description could look like for a sample website.  For this illustration, all of these examples will be for a private practice that specializes in treating eating disorders in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Sample Meta Descriptions

I have often heard that  the best way to learn is by example, so with that in mind here are some examples of meta descriptions our SEO clients could use on their website:

Home Page Meta Description Example:

Title Tag: The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center | Treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder | Bismarck, North Dakota

Meta Description: The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center is a counseling center that offers effective eating disorder treatment with experienced Eating Disorder Therapists to treat anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder & other eating disorders.

You can see more examples of meta descriptions for a private practice website homepage here.

A Specific Therapist’s About Page Example:

Title Tag: Meet Dr. Bruno Madrigal, The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center |Bismarck, ND

Meta Description: Dr. Bruno Madrigal is an eating disorder therapist who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders. He has extensive training in DBT, family-based therapy, CBT & interpersonal psychotherapy to help his clients recover.

You can see more examples of meta descriptions for a therapist about page here.

An “Our Office” Example:

Title Tag: Directions to Our Office, The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center in Bismarck, ND

Meta Description: If you’re looking for treatment for an eating disorder, Our Office, The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center in Bismarck, ND can help. Located just 5 minutes from Sanford Medical Center, we offer eating disorder treatments that work.

Two Blog Post Examples

Title Tag: Signs Your Teen Has Binge Eating Disorder

Meta Description: Do you know the signs of binge eating disorder in teenagers? Learn what to look for and how to get help if your teen is struggling. Licensed Professional Counselor Nala Rafiki at The Hope Eating Disorder Recovery Center in Bismarck, ND offers tips and advice.

Title Tag: Introduction to Types of Eating Disorders

Meta Description: This post provides an introduction to the five types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, pica, and rumination disorder.

You can see more examples of meta descriptions for mental health blog posts here.

Begin Writing Your Meta Descriptions

Ok, so hopefully that gives you a bit of a picture of what a good meta description looks like on a private practice or mental health-related business’ website.  In short, think of your meta descriptions as an opportunity to entice readers and provide accurate information about the page content at the same time. Keep it brief, relevant and informative, but also make sure it’s interesting enough to draw people in!

More SEO Help for Therapists, Psychiatrists & Private Practice Owners

If you need more help optimizing your website for search engine results, we offer comprehensive SEO services for mental health-related businesses. We believe your ideal clients are looking for you. They deserve your help. But first, they have to find you.

To get started, simply schedule a time to chat with one of our team about which one of our SEO services would be the best fit for your practice.

Good luck with your meta description writing efforts! I’m sure your website visitors will thank you for it!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana is a private practice owner herself. Additionally, she is an SEO consultant specializing in helping healthcare professionals, private practice owners and therapists rank higher in search engine results. With over 5 years of experience in digital marketing & over 13 in the mental health field, she’s seen firsthand how effective SEO can be for a private practice business. Jessica is passionate about helping her clients succeed online, so they can reach more people and help them get the help they need. She hires team members who are just as passionate about mental health and her team invests substantial amounts in making sure every team member is trained in the current best practices for online marketing in the field of mental health.

When it comes to investment in SEO for therapists, mental health professionals need to consider the return on investment. Investing in SEO can be a great way to boost clientele and reach more potential clients. With that said, there are some basic principles to follow when determining how much investment is necessary.Magnifying glass with colored arrows pointing to SEO strategy. If you are a mental health professional looking for SEO for therapists, SEO for psychologists, or SEO for counselors, you are in the right place. Learn about what factors influence how much to spend in SEO.

SEO for Therapists: Consider Location, Competition, Size

First of all, depending on your industry and the size of your practice, you should consider what budget to set for your SEO investment. You may want to invest more heavily if you have a more extensive practice or specialize in a certain area of mental health. Often we see clinicians in more competitive and populated areas. What we know about SEO is that it is getting more and more competitive. Therefore, we know that it’s taking longer to get results in the field compared to how it was a few years ago. It is possible to get results and we have seen that time and time again. However, doing more content, building backlinks, and blogging regularly is often one of the best ways to ensure the success you are looking for.

Recognize How Much You Know and What You Are Willing to Learn

The second consideration is how well-versed you are in SEO tactics. If you don’t have much knowledge about SEO, you may want to invest in consulting services or hire someone who specializes in SEO. By investing upfront, you will be able to save money in the long run by improving your visibility and rankings on search engines. The truth is that SEO specialists especially highly specialized ones like our team train extensively to understand the lay of the land in every state.

We also know that SEO is constantly changing, which means we are constantly learning and adjusting. With that being said, we want to invest in our employees like you want to invest in yours. Therefore, know that SEO will cost a lot, but not for nothing. We strive to inform, educate, collaborate, and provide the highest quality of care to our clients, just as we know you do too!

Investing in SEO for Therapists Means Investing Time!SEO strategy map. If you are a mental health professional looking for SEO for therapists, SEO for psychologists, or SEO for counselors, you are in the right place. Learn about what factors influence how much to spend in SEO.

Thirdly, you need to consider how much time and effort you are willing to put into SEO investment. If you don’t have the time to research and implement strategies, you may want to outsource the task.

Additionally, if you are a small practice, you might have more success by investing in specific services such as content creation or link building. This is because if you are a postpartum clinician versus a generalist practice, you are more likely to have more clarity ranking on the Google search engine. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be competitive, but you are more focused which will help in the long term.

if you are a generalist or group practice with many niches, to be honest, as SEO changes so have our strategy. That means you may want to think about who you’re trying to get full within six months and that may mean focusing heavily on 3 niches, blogging, and building backlinks, then going back and focusing on additional niches.

What Results Do You Want with Your Investment in SEO for Therapists?

Finally, consider what kind of results you expect from your investment. Are you looking for immediate returns? Or are you more focused on long-term gains? Plan out what investment you are willing to make upfront and then track your results as you go along. The truth is that SEO will never be a quick fix to get in clients, that was never its intended purpose, however, if you are looking to sustain organic traffic, it is the most cost-efficient long-haul investment.

What’s Next?Yellow arrow pointing to SEO increases. If you are a mental health professional looking for SEO for therapists, SEO for psychologists, or SEO for counselors, you are in the right place. Learn about what factors influence how much to spend in SEO.

Now that you have some of the basics of investing in SEO, stay tuned for the last part of this series on investing in SEO. We are going to talk about getting the best return on investment by doing SEO yourself versus having a company optimize for you. Be sure to check out part 1 if you haven’t read it yet.

Start Getting the SEO Support You Need!

Our team would love to consult with you. If you want to learn more, you are in the right place. Contact us today to learn more about our services and start growing your private pay clients today! To start with our SEO Specialists and Trainers, follow these simple steps:

  1. Book a Consult with a Member of Our Consultation Team
  2. Learn About Our Skilled SEO Specialists and Trainers
  3. Begin Reaping the Rewards of Your Marketing Efforts

Other Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Jasmine, a Training and Consulting Specialist. Are you looking support with SEO consulting? We can help. Schedule a consult and learn more about large scale seo.

If you’re looking for other forms of support, we can help! We offer options such as our 12-week trainingsmall group intensives, and courses. Our strategy session can be a great option if you need support getting started with SEO or doing a site move or redesign. Or, if you’re ready to work with a passionate and skilled team, our Done for You Program may be a great following approach.

About the Author

Jasmine is the SEO Training Coordinator and offers free consultations for Simplified’s SEO Consulting on our services. Jasmine is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor and recently earned her degree from Northwestern University. She works to help people with a strategy with national rankings, eating disorder specialties, sports psychology, high achievers, and much more. Schedule a consult soon!

The healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and in recent years, it has seen a significant shift towards digitalization. With the majority of patients now turning to search engines for healthcare-related information, it has become more crucial for healthcare providers to have a strong online presence. A robust SEO strategy is the key to attracting new patients, improving brand awareness, and increasing website traffic. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss the best SEO practices that healthcare providers can implement to improve their online visibility. 

What is SEO in healthcare?

You may be wondering, “What is SEO in healthcare?” As you’ve been trying to grow a healthcare business, you’ve gotten various advice and part of that has been to do “SEO,” but you aren’t yet exactly sure what that means.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a set of strategies that healthcare providers can use to optimize their websites for search engines. With the help of SEO, healthcare providers can improve their website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) so that search engines like Google show your website more often when potential patients are searching for a provider. This improved visibility will ensure that potential patients are more likely to find your website and easily access the information they need about your services.

By leveraging the potential of SEO, healthcare providers can reach a broader audience and establish credibility in the online space.

Developing an SEO Strategy

SEO can be a bit complicated, because you need to develop a strategy that takes into account different factors, such as content optimization, link building, and keyword research. To make the process easier, let’s go over the process that Simplified SEO Consulting generally recommends.

Define Your Audience

Who are you wanting to visit your website the most? Likely, this is your patients. So, get really clear on who you are trying to help. Where do your ideal patients live? What kinds of problems are they struggling with?

Before developing an SEO strategy, you need to identify your target audience. Understanding your ideal patient’s demographics, interests, and needs will help you tailor your SEO efforts more effectively. You can research your target audience through various tools, such as Google Analytics, social media analytics, and surveys.

Perform Keyword Research

Now that you know who your target audience is, it’s time to conduct keyword research. Knowing the keywords that your patients are likely to use when searching for a healthcare provider will help you optimize your website content and improve visibility in search engine results.

Using relevant keywords throughout your website content is essential for SEO. Yet, many healthcare professionals we’ve worked with have made the mistake of assuming they know exactly what their patients are searching for when in fact they really don’t. So, keyword research is an important step in the process.

Create a Website With Your Patient in Mind

When it comes to building any sort of business, having a website that is clear and easy to navigate can make all the difference. By building a website with your ideal patients in mind, you can effectively communicate who you help and what kinds of medical care you provide. But don’t overlook the importance of technical aspects – a website that’s free from errors can improve user satisfaction and boost your SEO. We recommend using a website platform like WordPress or Squarespace and investing in a technically sound website. As a healthcare provider, your website should empower patients to take charge of their own well-being.

Create Quality Content

Quality content is key to attracting and retaining patients on your website. In addition to providing informative content that addresses your patient’s needs, you should also focus on creating content that demonstrates your expertise and authority in your field. You can do this by creating blog posts, videos, case studies, and other content that is relevant to your niche.

Overall, create content that is very useful for your ideal clients. It should speak to the conditions and concerns that your patients have both before they call you and after they start working with you.

On-Page Optimization

Next, it’s time to start optimizing key pages of your website. You should start by optimizing your home page and services pages.

We recommend including meta-descriptions, headings (H1s, H2s, etc.), internal linking, keyword usage, and optimizing your photos. All of these components work together to ensure that search engines can easily index your website’s content and understand the context of each page.

Local SEO

Optimize your website for local searches by adding your location and contact information to your website’s footer, having consistent information about your website on various directories, and an updated Google Business Profile listing.

Build High-quality Backlinks

Backlinks are an important ranking factor for search engines. When other high-quality websites link back to your website, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant. You can build backlinks by creating valuable content, guest posting on relevant websites in your niche, and reaching out to other websites and asking them to link back to your website.

What are the best practices for healthcare SEO?

SEO best practices are honestly constantly changing. At Simplified SEO Consulting, we are often having conversations about how Google’s guidelines, search algorithms, the medical field, and other factors come together and what that means for best practices for healthcare SEO.

Here are a few of the things we’ve identified are important when developing a comprehensive SEO strategy:

  • Comprehensive keyword research is essential in crafting an effective healthcare SEO strategy.
  • Optimizing on-page content creates valuable and informative pages that both patients and search engines appreciate.
  • Building high-quality backlinks establishes authority and trust with potential patients.
  • Analyzing website performance can help track the impact of your SEO strategy and its contribution to the practice’s growth.
  • Avoid common SEO mistakes such as keyword stuffing, which can deter readers and negatively affect rankings.
  • Ensure content accuracy by verifying information from reputable sources before sharing with readers.
  • Regularly review outdated or unwanted pages and properly redirect visitors to relevant information.
  • Ethical approaches should be prioritized over any “black hat” strategies to ensure optimal rankings.
  • Understand Google’s recommendations for optimal SEO, focusing on creating user-centric content with natural language integration for voice search optimization.

What are SEO Examples in Healthcare?

To illustrate how SEO can benefit healthcare providers, let’s consider the following examples:

  1. Website Optimization: A dermatologist in Boston optimizes their website to rank for keywords such as “best dermatologist in Boston” or “skin allergy treatment in Boston”. This makes their website more visible to potential patients searching for these terms.
  2. Local SEO: A small town dental clinic updates their Google Business Profile, including hours of operation, contact details, and services offered. When people in the area search for “dentist near me”, the dental clinic appears in local search results.
  3. Content Creation: A physiotherapy clinic publishes regular blog posts about common injuries, treatment methods, and preventive measures. These high-quality, keyword-optimized posts attract individuals searching for this information online, thus driving more traffic to the clinic’s website.
  4. Backlink Building: A nutritionist contributes a guest post to a popular health and wellness blog, including a link back to their website. This backlink not only brings direct traffic from the blog’s readership, but also improves the nutritionist’s website authority, helping it rank higher in search results.
  5. On-Page Optimization: A psychiatrist includes relevant keywords in their website’s meta descriptions, headings, and image alt texts. This optimization helps search engines understand the context of the website’s content and improves its visibility in search results.

These examples demonstrate how implementing effective SEO strategies can help healthcare providers enhance their online presence, attract more potential patients, and ultimately grow their businesses.

What Are the Top 5 SEO Strategies Every Healthcare Professional Should Use?

Honestly, this is a difficult question to answer but one that gets asked of us from time to time. So, we’ve done our best to put together a list of some of the really important ones:

  • Great Content: By crafting engaging and informative content, healthcare providers can address patient concerns, demonstrate their expertise, and attract more potential patients to their websites.
  • Local SEO: Optimizing for local SEO can help healthcare providers become more visible in local search results, connecting them with potential patients in their geographical area.
  • Backlinks: Building high-quality backlinks boosts website authority, signaling to search engines that the content is valuable and enhancing the website’s ranking in search results.
  • User-Friendly Design: A website that is easy to navigate and visually appealing enhances user experience, encouraging more visitors to stay on the site and interact with the content.
  • Using Keywords (Especially Long Tail Keywords): Keyword optimization helps search engines understand the context of the website’s content, with long tail keywords providing opportunities for reaching more specific search queries that potential patients might use.

The Importance of Holistic SEO Strategy for Healthcare Practices

In this blog post, we’ve shared a lot of really specific strategies to optimize a healthcare practice’s website for search engines. However, it’s important to remember that SEO is not just about technical details or keyword optimization. A holistic SEO strategy takes into account all aspects of a website – from content optimization and backlink building to user experience design and local search engine optimization.

And, it’s been our experience that those who get the best results from their SEO efforts are those who take a really comprehensive approach. It’s those who take their time and invest in the process. Often, it’s those who seek outside expertise and advice, maybe even outsourcing their SEO work.

By taking a comprehensive approach to healthcare SEO, healthcare providers can create an effective online presence that engages potential patients, increases website traffic, and ultimately helps them grow their businesses.

A Strong SEO Strategy Can Help You Grow

A strong SEO strategy is essential for healthcare providers who want to improve their online visibility, attract new patients, and improve their brand awareness. Follow the above guide and implement the best practices for defining your target audience, conducting keyword research, optimizing your website, creating quality content, and building high-quality backlinks. With patience and persistence, you can improve your search engine ranking, attract more patients to your website, and grow your healthcare practice.

Why Simplified SEO Consulting for Your Healthcare SEO?

A group of three people sitting at a table working on their laptops. Interested in learning how SEO in the healthcare industry is important? Our services can help you better understand SEO in healthcare. Visit us today!

Simplified SEO Consulting began when our founder, Jessica, began her own group psychotherapy practice. She had done some initial marketing as a solo practice owner and when she expanded to a group practice, she found most people were calling to see her and it was difficult to book those clients with the very capable clinicians she had added to her practice.

When Jessica turned to SEO, she found that it was a great way to get her practice more visible online. As she started ranking on Google, people started calling the practice, not her. And it was easy to help match new clients with the right therapist.

Jessica’s passion for helping other healthcare professionals grow their practices led her to create Simplified SEO Consulting. And at first, we just focused on helping other therapists and psychologists. But over time, we’ve worked with clinics and providers in a variety of healthcare settings. We’ve done great work with effective SEO for functional medicine doctors, psychiatrists, and other healthcare providers. We’ve found ways to tweak our original SEO services to really work in other parts of the healthcare industry.

Today, Simplified SEO Consulting specializes in helping healthcare providers achieve their goals by leveraging the power of SEO. We understand the unique challenges that the healthcare industry faces and have developed strategies to help our clients succeed online. Our team has deep knowledge of local search engine optimization, content optimization, keyword

Begin SEO Services with Simplified SEO Consulting

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we specialize in healthcare SEO and understand the unique challenges that healthcare providers face. We’re here to help you get the most out of your SEO strategy and ensure that it is tailored to your specific needs.

To start the process, schedule a consultation with one of our SEO Specialists. Come to this free consultation over Zoom prepared to discuss your website, your practice, your typical patients, and your goals for growth. Then, it’s our job to help craft an SEO strategy that will fuel that growth. 

Establishing a robust online presence is crucial for law firms, particularly personal injury attorneys. With prospective clients turning to the Internet to seek legal assistance, ensuring your firm’s visibility is paramount. This is where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools come into play, acting as indispensable allies in the journey towards online prominence. Now, let’s explore the world of SEO for personal injury lawyers tools, particularly focusing on why lawyers should embrace them as part of their comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

A magnifying showing data on a graph. SEO techniques for personal injury lawyers can help your law firm find clients. Contact us today for more SEO tips!

What Are SEO Tools? Start With Understanding

First, let’s clarify what the best SEO tools for personal injury lawyers are. These are specialized software and resources designed to assist in optimizing a website’s performance in search engine results. They provide valuable insights, analytics, and suggestions to enhance a website’s visibility, user experience, and overall search engine ranking.

Why SEO Tools Matter for Law Firms

Boosting Online Visibility: Just like a meticulously designed billboard in a bustling city, your website needs to stand out among the digital crowd. SEO tools help identify keywords and strategies to improve your website’s ranking, making it more likely for potential clients to discover your law firm.

Competitive Advantage: Imagine a courtroom where you have access to a comprehensive legal library, while your opponent relies solely on a few outdated books. SEO tools provide you with a wealth of data, allowing you to outperform competitors who may not be leveraging these resources.

Efficiency and Precision: Lawyers often deal with complex legal matters that require precision. SEO tools streamline the process of keyword research, content optimization, and performance tracking. This efficiency frees up valuable time for attorneys to focus on their core legal work.

Which 3rd Party Tools Are Best for Law Firm SEO?

While there’s an array of SEO tools available, let’s narrow it down to three particularly beneficial for law firms:

Google Search Console: Think of this as your digital courtroom monitor. Google Search Console provides vital insights into how your website performs in Google search results. It highlights issues affecting your site’s visibility and suggests improvements.

KW Finder by Mangools: Much like a detective searching for clues, KW Finder helps you uncover best keywords for personal injury lawyers. It provides data on keyword competitiveness, search volume, and long-tail keyword suggestions. This tool is especially helpful for lawyers looking to target specific legal terms and phrases.

SEMrush: Consider SEMrush your digital legal research team. It offers a comprehensive suite of SEO tools, including competitor analysis, backlink tracking, and on-page optimization recommendations. SEMrush provides a 360-degree view of your website’s SEO health.

Why Lawyers Should Embrace SEO Tools

Now, let’s delve into why lawyers should not only embrace these tools but also consider expert assistance like Simplified SEO Consulting:

Legal Expertise vs. SEO Expertise: Just as clients seek legal counsel from experienced attorneys, optimizing your online presence requires SEO expertise. SEO tools provide data, but interpreting and implementing these insights effectively necessitates specialized knowledge.

Staying Informed: Laws are constantly evolving, and so are search engine algorithms. SEO tools help you stay updated with the latest trends and algorithms, ensuring your online strategy remains effective and compliant.

Targeted Approach: SEO tools allow you to identify precisely what potential clients are searching for. By tailoring your content to match their queries, you can attract a highly relevant audience genuinely interested in your legal services.

Maximizing ROI: Legal marketing can be costly. SEO tools help you allocate your marketing budget more efficiently by focusing on strategies and keywords that yield the best return on investment.

The Top 10 Benefits of Leveraging SEO Tools

  1. Enhanced Visibility. SEO tools aid in climbing search engine rankings, ensuring your law firm appears at the top when potential clients search for relevant legal services.
  2. Cost-Effective Marketing. Compared to traditional advertising methods, digital marketing through SEO tools offers a more cost-effective way to reach your target audience.
  3. Data-Driven Decisions. Make informed choices backed by data rather than relying on gut feelings or assumptions. SEO tools provide concrete insights.
  4. Competitive Edge. Outperform competitors who are not utilizing SEO tools, capturing a larger share of the online legal market.
  5. Adaptability. Easily adjust your online strategy based on changing market trends, ensuring your law firm remains relevant.
  6. Improved User Experience. SEO tools help enhance your website’s speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall user experience, making it more appealing to potential clients.
  7. Long-Term Growth. Invest in SEO tools for sustainable, long-term growth. Unlike some short-lived marketing strategies, SEO builds a strong foundation for your online presence.
  8. Local Visibility. If your law firm caters to a specific region, SEO tools assist in local optimization, making sure you’re visible to potential clients in your area. Local SEO is crucial for reaching ideal clients.
  9. Content Optimization. Craft compelling, informative content that resonates with your audience. SEO tools provide valuable keyword suggestions to guide your content creation.
  10. Ethical SEO Practices. Partnering with experts ensures your SEO strategy adheres to ethical guidelines, preventing any negative repercussions in the long run.

What SEO Tools Do You Use for Beginners?

For beginners looking to venture into the realm of SEO, the path can appear daunting. It’s akin to entering a complex legal case without prior legal knowledge. That’s where the guidance of an SEO expert, like Simplified SEO Consulting, becomes invaluable. We offer two paths tailored to beginners: “Done-For-You SEO Services” and “Done-With-You SEO Training.”

With “Done-For-You SEO Services,” our seasoned professionals take the lead, handling all aspects of your law firm’s SEO strategy. This hands-off approach allows you to focus on what you do best – practicing law – while we navigate the intricate world of SEO to bolster your online presence.

Alternatively, if you prefer a more hands-on approach and desire to learn the art of SEO yourself, our “Done-With-You SEO Training” program is your ideal choice. We provide comprehensive training, teaching you the intricacies of SEO, and equipping you with the skills needed to actively participate in optimizing your online presence.

Whichever path you choose, our goal is to ensure that even beginners can harness the power of SEO to enhance their law firm’s digital marketing strategy. Don’t embark on this journey alone; let Simplified SEO Consulting be your guide to SEO success.

Still Unsure About 3rd Party SEO Tools? Consider Hiring an SEO Expert

SEO tools are indispensable assets for law firms, particularly personal injury attorneys aiming to establish a strong online presence. However, remember that while these tools are powerful, they are most effective in the hands of experts who can interpret the data and implement strategies strategically. Simplified SEO Consulting specializes in helping law firms navigate the complex world of SEO, ensuring your digital marketing strategy aligns seamlessly with your legal expertise. Harness the power of SEO tools with expert guidance and witness your law firm’s digital success soar to new heights.

What SEO Tools Do You Use for Beginners?

For beginners looking to venture into the realm of SEO, the path can appear daunting. It’s akin to entering a complex legal case without prior legal knowledge. That’s where the guidance of an SEO expert, like Simplified SEO Consulting, becomes invaluable. We offer two paths tailored to beginners: “Done-For-You SEO Services” and “Done-With-You SEO Training.”

Are You Ready to Watch your Law Firm Grow?

Drive more client traffic and cases to your firm by using Simplified SEO Consulting! We’re ready to help your personal injury law firm grow by discovering the key to online success with SEO. Don’t miss out on potential clients, follow these simple steps:

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

Other Services Simplified SEO Consulting Offers:

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

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses across all industries, including healthcare. This article explores the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in medicine, shedding light on why it is so important, especially in the healthcare sector, and providing insights into best practices and the mechanics behind SEO. 

What is SEO in Medicine?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing your online content to improve its visibility on search engines like Google. In the context of medicine, it involves making your healthcare practice more discoverable to potential patients who are actively seeking your services online.

Why is SEO so important?

SEO plays a pivotal role in modern healthcare marketing. It helps you connect with potential patients where they are already searching for healthcare services—on the internet. While marketing may not be everyone’s favorite endeavor, it’s an essential aspect of growing a healthcare business. SEO offers a unique advantage because it aligns with the intent of individuals actively seeking healthcare solutions. When someone types “doctor near me” or “dentist near me” or “chiropractor near me” into a search engine, they are on a quest to find healthcare providers like you. Your task is to ensure that your website appears prominently in their search results.

Why is SEO important in healthcare specifically?

SEO holds a special place in the healthcare industry due to the critical nature of the services provided. Patients often turn to the internet to seek medical information, locate nearby healthcare providers, or understand their health conditions better. In healthcare SEO, ethical considerations are paramount. You must prioritize your patients’ needs and provide them with valuable and accurate information. By doing so, you not only improve your online visibility but also contribute positively to public health literacy.

What are the best practices for healthcare SEO?

Graphic of the words content with people around them. Looking to learn why content is so important for SEO in Healthcare? Our team can show you how SEO strategy for the healthcare industry can be done successfully.

The foundation of successful healthcare SEO is ethical practice. Always keep your patients’ needs at the forefront. Offer valuable information, answer common health-related questions, and address their concerns. Strive to be a trusted resource in your field. Consistency is key, whether it’s in producing quality content or maintaining your online presence.

How exactly does SEO work?

SEO is not an overnight success; it’s a gradual process of building trust with search engines. You provide search engines with the information they need to understand the content and purpose of your website. Over time, search engines learn to trust your website as a reliable source for relevant healthcare information. This trust results in improved search engine rankings, meaning your website will be shown to more users actively seeking healthcare services.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is one aspect of a comprehensive healthcare SEO plan. It focuses on optimizing your online presence to attract patients in your local area. This is particularly crucial for healthcare practices, as patients typically seek nearby providers for their medical needs. Local SEO involves strategies like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information across the web, and creating location-specific content.

How do I find a good company for SEO?

Selecting the right SEO partner is essential for healthcare practices. Look for a company that communicates effectively with you, understands the healthcare industry, and has experience working with similar businesses. A reputable SEO provider will have a well-defined plan tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that your healthcare practice thrives in the digital landscape.

In conclusion, SEO is not just another marketing buzzword; it’s a powerful tool that can help healthcare practices connect with patients actively seeking their services. By adhering to ethical practices, consistently providing valuable content, and understanding the mechanics of SEO, healthcare professionals can enhance their online visibility, build trust with patients, and ultimately improve public health literacy. When seeking SEO assistance, choose a partner who aligns with your goals and understands the unique needs of your healthcare practice.

SEO For Healthcare Related Private Practices with Simplified SEO Consulting

Are you ready to take your healthcare private practice to the next level in the digital realm? At Simplified SEO Consulting, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the healthcare industry. Our expertise extends to helping healthcare professionals like you harness the power of SEO to connect with your ideal patients.

Why choose us as your SEO partner? We’re not just any medical SEO agency; we have a deep-rooted passion for healthcare SEO and SEO for medical practices. Our journey began with a therapist in private practice, and we’ve expanded to use our expertise to offer SEO for functional medicine doctors, psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, and several other healthcare providers. We value the important work you do, and we’re dedicated to helping the right patients find you.

Our approach is built on trust, ethics, and delivering tangible results. We’ll work closely with you to create a customized SEO strategy that aligns with your practice’s goals and values. Whether you need intensive SEO training, guidance, or our popular done-for-you SEO services, we’re here to empower your healthcare practice for success in the digital age.

Schedule a free Zoom consultation with Simplified SEO Consulting today, and let’s embark on a journey to boost your visibility, attract the right patients, and achieve your professional goals. Together, we’ll make a difference in the world of healthcare, one search query at a time.

Of the many things that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) brings, confusion is definitely one of them while how backlinks work… is not. 

Photo of Laptop and Glasses. Representing a mental health professional looking to research about backlinks and learn seo online If you are looking for help, click here!

What are Backlinks? Understanding How Backlinks Work. 

Whether you’re linking to another website or your own site is being linked to, linking is a critical part of search engine optimization (SEO). Backlinks result from a website linking to your website. In most cases, if you’re mentioned in a blog post or a web article, your website will link back to it. This is usually because the two websites are somehow connected. For example, they may be related based on the content they provide.

More Information About How Backlinks Work. 

An authoritative, trustworthy source provides information regarding a topic through a backlink. Consequently, the website becomes more reliable and a ‘backlink’ is created. It’s important to know how backlinks work to determine a website’s credibility and trustworthiness. 

As a mental health professional, it is important to portray the quality of care provided to clients through your website. That may be their first impression of your business, and the deciding factor as to whether they would like to backlink to your site. Consequently, your site will receive a lot more traffic as well as improved ranking for various keywords in search engine results because Google knows it is trustworthy.

Photo of a laptop with SEO requirements. Are you overwhelmed by trying to understand how backlinks work? Learn SEO for online therapist websites here!

What type of backlinks does a site need?  

Getting effective backlinks becomes more challenging as backlinks come in different quality levels. While it is true, you want more backlinks. However, Google is more likely to trust a quality backlink from a news site or a university website than a link from a new site. 

It is easy to get confused when it comes to the difference between follow and Nofollow links. How a website treats those links is also crucial since it can determine how search engines will treat those links. The focus here is on the relationship between Follow and Nofollow links and your site.

What are Follow links? How are they impacting your SEO?

The use of follow links is one of the best ways to improve a website’s domain authority or domain rating which in turn, enhances keyword ranking. This is accomplished by passing the authority of the origin site to the destination site.

Fun Fact: In the web world, this passing of authority is known as “link juice.”

What are NoFollow links? Do they do anything to your SEO?

Nofollow links do not help rankings and don’t pass authority on to the website they are linking to. These links do not benefit SEO. Examples of these links are ones that are posted on Facebook posts. 

However! It’s normal for a site to have a healthy mix of both types of backlinks and that’s what Search Engines look for, the useful, normal sites that people are more likely to search for. Having NoFollow links is still a great way to connect with potential clients. 

What is the purpose of a NoFollow link in How Backlinks Work?

Getting NoFollow links isn’t a bad thing! Despite not giving you SEO benefits like Follow links, you can get traffic to your website and diversify your backlink portfolio with NoFollow links. 

Hyperlinks with the rel=”NoFollow” attribute are not indexed in Google results if they have this attribute. But, this isn’t a negative vote for the site. Instead, it is a way to prevent other people from attempting to raise their own search engine rankings by commenting on related blogs.

Fun Fact: Google implemented this as a response to website owners’ complaints about comment spam and unfair SEO tactics in September 2005.  

 

How can you tell if a link is either Follow or NoFollow?  

Short Answer? You can’t unless you’re looking at the HTML coding itself. 

The easiest way to determine if a link is follow or nofollow is to inspect the link in the browser and check the HTML code within the link.

Infographic of Follow and NoFollow Links. Confused about how backlinks work? Read more here to get your SEO training for your mental health private practice!

A Follow link looks like this:

<a href=”https://simplifiedSEOconsulting.com”>Simplified SEO Consulting</a>

A NoFollow link looks like this:

<a href=”https://simplifiedSEOconsulting.com” rel=”nofollow”>Simplified SEO Consulting</a>

How do I find the HTML coding?

You can perform this task by right-clicking on the link anchor text of that link and selecting “Inspect element” or “Inspect” (depending on your browser). 

If you’re using Chrome, you can press Ctrl+Shift+I when you are at the URL you are investigating. 

Lastly, there are options for applications that you can add to your web browser to reveal what links are Follow or NoFollow. 

What types of content are generally NoFollow?

Any type of content can be NoFollow if the HTML coding is adjusted to make it do so.
However, these inbound links below tend to be NoFollow: 

  • Social Media Posts and Comments
  • Forum Post Links (User Generated Content etc) 
  • Press Releases 
  • Widget links 

And, these outbound links usually are NoFollow too: 

  • Wikipedia
  • Youtube
  • Reddit

Fun Fact: Any paid backlinks should be NoFollow according to Google’s Search Central Guidelines.

The Summary of How Backlinks Work

As far as SEO is concerned and how backlinks work, Follow links provide authority to a website, whereas NoFollow links do not. Having both types of links within the content is expected for a site to be considered genuine. Search engines will look at sites that lack that healthy balance and perhaps take them offline if they find their backlink tactics suspicious. Finding other mental health sites that relate to your content is an important tactic for Search Engine Optimization.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed reading this, we can help! We will lead you through navigating the world of the internet as you build a private practice therapy office. Our team of highly skilled mental health SEO specialists can take care of all the things you need to do for SEO.

SEO Marketing for Therapists & Counselors Made Simple!

To begin working with Simplified, follow these three simple steps:

  1. Book a Session with Simplified SEO Consulting
  2. Learn about SEO Consulting for Therapists
  3. Take a breath and relax, knowing your SEO is handled!

Other Services at Simplified SEO Consulting:

We can also help if you need other types of support! We offer a variety of training options to meet your needs, including a 12-week training programsmall group intensives, and courses. If you are ready to start using SEO, or you are planning to move your site or redesign your site, then the strategy session may be a great option for you. We can also assist you with our Done for You Program if you are looking to work with a dedicated and skilled team of professionals.

 

About the Author

Amber has a BA in Psychology and is currently working towards her MA in Psychology while working with the best team in the world, Simplified SEO Consulting. She is a mother, animal enthusiast, public relations volunteer at a fine arts nonprofit who enjoys helping others succeed.