Maintaining your rankings in Google can take time to achieve lasting success and involve a number of different strategies.

A graphic of a local map with the pin “you are here”. Learn how to rank on Google for therapists and the support a heatmap can offer for private practice SEO today. SEO for private practices can offer support. The same can also be said for supporting your rankings on a more localized level. It’s important to ensure you show up for folks outside of the normal service area that may not find you without the help of Google. But, it is equally important to ensure that the people in your surrounding community can also find your private practice. When you see that your heatmap rankings are dropping, this means your target keywords are dropping in those areas on Google Maps. While this is discouraging, there are a number of things you can do to counteract your target keywords dropping in on your heatmap. So, today we are going to discuss some of the best ways you can bounce back when you experience a dip in your Google Map rankings.

With these tips, I should preface this is assuming that you’ve already optimized your Google Business Profile with all necessary information including NAP info, photos of your practice and team, images representing your practice, etc. Ensuring your GBP is up to date is always a good first step when you experience a change in your data. 

Also, we won’t reference reviews in this blog

This is due to the unique nature of therapy and the relationship between counselor and client. While getting reviews and engaging with them is always great for the health of your Google Business Profile, receiving ethically sourced reviews is most important. Without further ado, let’s get into tips to counteract dropping heatmap rankings.

Create Localized Media

While it can take some time to respond to dropping keywords, one of the best ways to sustain your heatmap rankings is by creating new media that are hyper-focused on specific areas around your practice. When you see that keywords are dropping for a particular location, creating content that is centered around the areas in which data is dropping is a great way to incorporate your target keywords while telling Google where you want to focus on ranking on Google Maps. 

Creating blog posts and other types of content can help you highlight local events, landmarks, and neighboring businesses. These may include videos, social media posts, or Google Business Profile posts, and can allow you to naturally work specific locations into your blogs. For example, a clinician focusing on couples therapy may see their rankings dropping on Google Maps for couples therapy-related keywords on the south side of the town. If so, they may decide to create a post that highlights parks in the area for date ideas. By doing so, the clinician provides information for google describing the keywords they want to rank for (couples therapy), and the location they want to sustain their rankings (south part of town).

You can also make existing blogs more personal!

In addition to creating new localized blogs, you can also optimize existing content on the site as well! Doing so can help you include more location indicators in blog/page titles, headings, subheadings, and content throughout your site. However, it is important to keep in mind how often you are including location info and keywords. Sprinkling indicators where it feels natural are important to remember so you avoid content from sounding artificial or out of place.

A graphic showing interconnected points on a board. This could represent building links to improve heatmap rankings. Learn SEO for private practices by searching for “google business profile in counseling” to learn more. Building Local Links

Another way you can help to counteract heatmap is by working on creating more links to the websites of local businesses or publications in your area. Getting featured in a blog post from another site can also be a great way to support local SEO for private practices. One way you can accomplish this is by reaching out to another local business to see if they would be open to putting links to each other’s sites. This can provide both businesses with a new backlink and can be a win-win in many cases.

Check Out the Competition

An additional tactic you may use is looking at your competitors for ideas on what you may need to change to support your private practice SEO on a local level. This may come in the form of checking out what blog topics are on their site. You can gain new ideas for posts, get a sense of other topics you may not have previously thought of, and learn of adjustments you may need to make for your own local SEO strategy. 

Consider Your Social Media Presence and Keywords

It won’t make sense for every clinician to have a social media presence for their practice. But, for practices that have a more external presence, easier it is to connect and provide regular updates to those around you. This can also help you become more recognizable to those around you as well. 

In addition, it is also worth taking the time to take an inventory of the keywords you are focusing on locally. Some may be hot ticket keywords that everyone wants to rank for like “counseling near me”, and will take a considerable amount of time and effort to rank for. But, others you are focusing on may not be as relevant to the services you want to rank for on a local level. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to show up for something like “online therapy near me” if you only offer in-person services. You likely wouldn’t want to rank for such a keyword due to the nature of online therapy occurring from remote areas, or locations outside your local scope. 

Begin Improving Local SEO for Private Practices with Simplified SEO Consulting


A graphic depicting local SEO including Google Maps. Learn how to rank on Google for therapists and the support heatmaps can offer for private practice SEO today. SEO for private practices can offer support. Our team of caring therapists would be happy to support you in maintaining and sustaining both your Google Search results and Google Maps rankings. We offer a variety of services to support you and help grow your practice on a local level. You can start working with us by following these steps:

  1. Apply to work with Simplified SEO Consulting
  2. Meet with an SEO specialist.
  3. Start improving your local heatmap rankings!

Other Services Offered With Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team at Simplified SEO Consulting is happy to offer support in a number of ways. We can offer support in improving local SEO for therapists as well as DIY Online SEO Courses. We also offer Done For You SEO services, and a Done With You 12-week Intensive SEO program as well. Feel free to visit our blog to learn more today!

About the Author

Sterling smiles while posing for the camera. He offers support in improving local SEO for private practices. Learn more about private practice SEO and improving your Google Business Profile in Counseling today with Simplified SEO Consulting.Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation and responding quickly to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them with extra problem-solving support. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research and make sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long-term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!

Having SEO and client-friendly content on your website is essential for any therapist or private practice. It helps potential clients find resources and see what kind of therapies you provide. Additionally, it helps keep you ranking on Google for the services you provide. However, not every therapist, private practice, or private practice owner is going to have time or someone to write this SEO-friendly content. This is why AI-powered writing assistants, like ChatGPT, were created.

Between clients, certifications/trainings, and your life outside of being a therapist, it can be hard to find the time to write content. It can also be challenging to write content if you’re not familiar with SEO practices or have a background in digital marketing. That’s why AI-powered writing assistants such as ChatGPT are becoming popular.

What is ChatGPT? Shows a person holding their phone up with ChatGPT on the screen. Represents how private practice seo and ChatGPT can benefit each other.

ChatGPT is an AI-powered writing assistant that will allow you to write quality SEO content. By using prompts, you can ask ChatGPT to write content in seconds and write about a variety of topics. For example, the ones that you come across in therapy, and would make a perfect blog.

It has access to a variety of sources, such as articles; research papers; databases, etc., only up until 2021. But as a language model, it does tend to fabricate information or will pull false information from a source. However, you can ask it to only use peer-review research. You can also ask it to only use correct, and factual information.

How Does ChatGPT Work?

When you are wanting ChatGPT to produce content for you, you have to give it a prompt. In this instance, a prompt is telling ChatGPT what you want it to do. For example, you can say “Please write a 700+ word blog about ‘What are the Symptoms of Anxiety?’ with an informational tone. Include detailed content.” This gives ChatGPT an idea of what you are wanting it to write about. Then it writes based on the information given and its understanding of the language.

The more information and prompts you give to ChatGPT the more it will alter your content to those specifications. Plus, the more you use ChatGPT, the better it will become at creating content that is tailored to you and your needs. That’s how it learns!

How Can ChatGPT Help with Writing SEO Content?

ChatGPT is capable of writing many forms of content like blogs, social media posts, meta descriptions, photo captions, about-the-author sections, and more. These are just a few of the ones I use for writing SEO content! It can help you optimize your content based on your goals for your SEO by suggesting relevant keywords and phrases based on your prompts. It can also provide you with keywords based on the content you had generated.

However, if you already have keywords in mind, you can ask it to include specific keywords and phrases that you are targeting. This can be keywords such as “EMDR” or “Anxiety Treatment in Utah”. ChatGPT can include your keywords in suggested headings and subheadings along with including them in the content it generates for you.

What are the Benefits of ChatGPT Writing My SEO-Friendly Content?

As a busy therapist, business owner, and someone who is wanting to better their SEO: ChatGPT has many benefits. It can assist you in improving your rankings on Google to creating quality content. It can be used as a tool in many aspects of your writing process to help you create SEO content that benefits your site.

Your Google Rankings Can ImproveShows a computer with the word "SEO" with components of it on sticky notes. Represents how seo for private practices can improve with SEO friendly content.

Allowing you to incorporate keywords into your content more effectively and efficiently will help to draw more organic traffic to your website. ChatGPT will also help you to write unique and interesting content that will be helpful to your potential clients. Additionally, it will help capture your voice more effectively so it portrays your practice the way you want it to.

It Will Help With Faster SEO Content Creation

You may write your own content and love it, but notice you’re not able to write as much as you would like. It’s time-consuming as you have to be intentional about what you say as this content is for SEO purposes and for potential clients to use as a resource. However, with ChatGPT, it only takes minutes to have SEO content ready for you to edit and put on your website.

This will allow you to produce more content for your website which will increase your rankings on Google. It will also allow you to focus on other aspects of your practice, such as your clients. This way you don’t have to take time out of your schedule to create content that could be used to see clients.

You Can Have the Quality of Your Content Improved

Since ChatGPT has access to resources such as books, peer-reviewed articles, journals, and more, your content will have more unique and quality information. It can create content that is not only engaging for your target audience but also incorporate SEO elements so that it is beneficial to your SEO.

The Limitations of ChatGPTShows ChatGPT giving a "full capacity" message. Represents how seo for private practices need to know that ChatGPT has limitations.

As with anything, ChatGPT is not perfect. It will occasionally include errors with grammar, syntax, or misunderstanding prompts and tones that are given. However, it is constantly learning from its mistakes and it can be corrected by you prompting it again with an updated prompt such as “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was misspelled. Please correct it.” or asking it to fix any grammatical mistakes made.

OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT, is constantly updating ChatGPT. They are also always trying to improve upon their limitations as they arise while they are still in beta. This way they can improve ChatGPT to be a better tool for writing quality content.

ChatGPT is an AI-powered assistant that allows you to create SEO-friendly content in a matter of minutes. It takes away the challenge for those who do not have a background in digital marketing or find that they are too busy to sit down and write all their content themselves. It’s a powerful tool that can benefit you and your practice’s SEO in many ways.

Learn More About ChatGPT with Our Private Practice SEO Services

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we want to provide you with the best SEO tools that can help make your job as a private practice owner easier. That’s why we have looked into and tested ChatGPT to see how it can benefit you as a private practice owner but also benefit clients who utilize our private practice SEO services. No matter your writing skill, ChatGPT can support you with writing SEO-friendly content to help boost your website’s rankings. Ready to get writing with ChatGPT?

  1. Please apply to work with us
  2. Learn about our team
  3. Begin utilizing the power of SEO marketing for therapists!

Other SEO Services At Simplified SEO Consulting

If you feel as if you need more support, we are here to 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. These can also be helpful to find better keywords, evaluating your current SEO performance, and more. 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:Lynsey, SEO Content Writer for Simplified SEO Consulting

Lynsey is an SEO Content Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting, where she takes pleasure in creating exceptional content for clients that reflects their unique brand voice and practice. She understands that high-quality content can significantly benefit her clients by improving their search engine rankings and attracting their ideal clients. Her ultimate objective is to employ the most advantageous copywriting tools to help clients maximize their return on investment. Lynsey’s passion lies in providing copywriting services, especially for mental health-related topics.

Apply to work with us if you’re ready to see how Simplified can serve you!

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we are now offering a new copywriting package option. It is for our clients that want to add helpful content to their websites.  But more quickly and for less than the traditional copywriting package. As I’m sure you have heard, there is a new tool called Chat GPT. An AI tool that can be used to create content quickly. So, what does this mean for you and your options?

How are Our Copywriting Options Different?Shows a woman thinking about how the two copywriting packages are different. Represents how seo coaching can help you find the package that is right for you and your practice.

We will now be offering a Basic Copywriting Package. This will only cost ½ a point per blog versus 1 point. It also utilizes Chat GPT with about 15 minutes of individualized by me, the copywriter. This is a faster and more affordable way for us to provide you with content. Content that can help you build your website and offer helpful content to your ideal clients.

This basic copywriting package will include limited customization in the writing stage. For example, it will only allow one round of edits. Using this AI technology, such as Chat GPT is a way to write content with a clear and simple message. However, it is not as customizable as our traditional copywriting package.

For instance, you will not receive a questionnaire as you would for a traditional copywriting package blog. You will inform your SEO specialist of a topic you would like us to write about. Then once the blog is written, you will be able to give feedback and edits. However, your SEO Specialist will still incorporate keywords and other helpful phrases your ideal clients are looking for. This is to ensure you won’t be penalized by search engines such as Google. This requires more in-depth optimization. This is why we will only be offering this new package to clients who are currently using our Done-For-You optimization services.

Traditional Copywriting Package

Our traditional copywriting package will still be available with the customization and editing you are used to. In this package, we will still do multiple rounds of edits and implementations of feedback. We want to ensure the content aligns with the voice of you and your practice.  Our goal is to also make sure the content is what will be most helpful. Not only for you but for your practice to reach your target audience and ideal clients.

In this process, we will make sure that any keywords or phrases that you are wanting are included in the content. This way they will help you rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs). This is why we will continue to send out blog post questionnaires via 17hats and email our clients to check their content before it goes live on their websites. So that you can be sure that you are getting the most out of your copywriting package and that your content is tailored to you.

Traditional copywriting will continue to have the optimization process involved. But with the traditional copywriting package you will have more control over the content and its outcome. Your SEO Specialist will still be responsible for incorporating keywords and other helpful phrases into your content, but you have the opportunity to give more feedback on how it should be done.

Does Chat GPT Really Work?Shows ChatGPT up on the screen. Represents how AI tools can be used for seo for mental health and its copywriting.

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we have taken the time to test Chat GPT by making content with it. And it does work. Not only have we been able to make content quickly but it has been accurate and meaningful. We had it write multiple blog posts. It was able to craft them in a way that was not only understandable but helpful as well. Along with having it answer questions that we would normally ask you in your questionnaires. This was to get a better understanding of its grasp of the material.

We were able to have it target specific topics such as a blog about anxiety treatment emphasizing the effectiveness of exposure therapy and exposure-based interventions. Chat GPT was able to write meaningful and accurate content. I was also able to customize the content by using our keywords. I was also able to tell Chat GPT what grade reading level to use and how long the content should be. It was able to change the way it wrote to match the specifications that I gave it.

The goal of offering the basic copywriting package is to make content creation more affordable and accessible to our clients while still giving them quality content. With this package, you can still have access to the same optimization process that comes with more traditional copywriting packages but at a more affordable rate.

Why You Should Use a CopywriterShows an SEO copywriter taking notes. Represents how a copywriter can benefit seo coaching by supervising ChatGPT and the content it produces.

You may be wondering why you should choose Simplified SEO Consulting to do your copywriting instead of doing it yourself. The answer is simple: we are experts in the field. You will have a professional copywriter who knows how to specify Chat GPT to write content. Content that is effective and interesting. As the copywriter, I will make sure Chat GPT produces quality work. I will also make sure that any keywords or phrases you want to be incorporated are done so accurately.

Furthermore, a copywriter has experience in writing content to meet the needs of your practice.  

I have written for a lot of clients. I have also seen firsthand how effective good quality content can be in helping you rank higher on Google. But also reach your ideal clients. Having a professional copywriter supervise Chat GPT is a benefit. I will make sure it is producing quality content. But, you can be sure that the content you put on your website will be the best it can be but within a budget.

ChatGPT also has a feature where it can analyze writing to tell you what tone is being used. This feature can be implemented when I use ChatGPT to ensure it encompasses your voice when writing your content. Of course, like with any content, review and edits will be needed but this is another way I as a copywriter can use this tool to make your blogs sound more like your voice without you doing as much work.

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we are passionate about helping our clients. From reaching their goals in terms of ranking higher on Google and finding their ideal clients. We look forward to providing you with the copywriting package that will benefit you and your practice the most. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the copywriting packages further, please feel free to reach out. We look forward to working with you!

Learn More About Our Copywriting Packages

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we’re dedicated to providing you with the best tools to make managing your private practice easier. One of the ways we do this is through our copywriting packages. We offer two options: Basic and Traditional. If you’re looking for an easy, hassle-free way to create SEO-friendly content for your website, our Basic package is perfect for you. However, if you’re looking for a more personalized approach to copywriting, our Traditional package offers customized content tailored to your unique practice. No matter which package you choose, we’ve got you covered. So why not take the first step toward improving your website’s rankings? Try out our copywriting packages today!

  1. Please apply to work with us
  2. Learn about our team
  3. Begin utilizing the power of SEO marketing for therapists!

Other SEO Services At Simplified SEO Consulting

If you feel as if you need more support, we are here to 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. These can also be helpful to find better keywords, evaluating your current SEO performance, and more. 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:Lynsey, SEO Content Writer for Simplified SEO Consulting

Lynsey is an SEO Content Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. At Simplified, Lynsey enjoys writing unique content for clients. Content that embodies the voice of the client and their practice. She knows that the quality content that she writes benefits her clients in many ways. From boosting their SEO to helping their ideal clients find them. Her goal is to utilize the most beneficial copywriting tools to help her clients get the most ROI out of their copywriting. She is passionate about providing copywriting services for mental

Apply to work with us if you’re ready to see how Simplified can serve you!

Have you tried ChatGPT yet? It’s an interesting open-source AI tool that was released in November 2022 and has taken the world by storm. Chat GPT has been coming up in many of the recent conversations we’ve had, including with other therapists in the United States. And, our team has been “all hands on deck” investigating this tool. Furthermore, we’ve been internally discussing the pros/cons of suggesting people use this and how to mitigate any risks.

I Asked ChatGPT to Write A Blog Post About Pros/Cons of Using AIChatGPT screen on a computer next to a phone showing the ease of use for therapists and psychiatrists looking for a quick way to write helpful blog posts for their website. for Blog Writing

We’ll share a little bit more about what we’ve come up with in another upcoming blog post. In the meantime, I asked ChatGPT to write a sample blog post for me to discuss this topic. My goal in posting ChatGPT’s response below is two-fold: 1) I want you to see an example of the kind of work ChatGPT can do with a carefully selected prompt. 2) This is truly good content that we want to share.

screen shot of the ChatGPT message regarding potential misleading information

A couple of things to note when it comes to using GPT….

Typically, if our Simplified SEO Consulting were going to use ChatGPT to write a blog post for our own site, we would do a decent amount of personalizing, rewriting, adding, etc. I have not done this below. The only change I made to the content below was to add headings/subheadings so you get a pretty clear picture of what this tool can provide and a couple of minor tweaks for clarity. However, I have read through the content for accuracy/relevance.

Also, I want to emphasize the point about reading through the content for accuracy/relevance. We’ve spoken with people using this new tool (ChatGPT) who have found it creating misinformation (which can happen with other AI tools as well) and sometimes writing things with some bias. In this particular blog post, I didn’t find any misinformation.

In fact, ChatGPT currently has a message on its site reading, “While we have safeguards in place, the system may occasionally generate incorrect or misleading information and produce offensive or biased content. It is not intended to give advice.” So, if you’re going to use ChatGPT, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of checking your content for accuracy and making sure it fully represents you and your brand.

 

Chat GPT’s Blog Post on Pros/Cons of Using AI to Write Blog Posts

(From here to the next H2 subheading, ChatGPT did the copywriting with Jessica providing careful instructions and reading carefully for the quality of the content before posting.)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way in recent years and has the potential to revolutionize the way we do things, including writing blog posts. While AI-generated content can save time and effort, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks and the impact on search engine optimization (SEO).

Photo of a computer with the word "blog" on the screen pulled up an a person typing representing a private practice owner who is working on writing blogs.Pros of Using AI Such as ChatGPT to Write Blog Posts:

  1. Time-saving: One of the biggest advantages of using AI to write blog posts is the time-saving aspect. AI algorithms can analyze a large amount of data and generate content in a matter of seconds, whereas a human writer would take significantly longer to research and write a similar piece.
  2. Consistency: Another benefit of AI-generated content is the ability to maintain a high level of consistency in terms of tone, style, and formatting. AI algorithms can be programmed to follow specific guidelines, ensuring that the content produced adheres to brand standards.
  3. Cost-effective: In addition to saving time, using AI to write blog posts can also be cost-effective. AI algorithms don’t require breaks, vacation time, or sick leave, and they can work 24/7 without any additional costs.

Cons of Using AI to Write Blog Posts:

  1. Lack of creativity: One of the main drawbacks of using AI to write blog posts is the lack of creativity. AI algorithms are designed to follow specific rules and guidelines, which means they may not be able to come up with original ideas or produce content that stands out.
  2. Quality: Another concern with AI-generated content is the quality of the writing. While AI algorithms have come a long way, they still may not be able to produce content that is as well-written or engaging as content produced by a human writer.
  3. Legal issues: There may also be legal issues to consider when using AI to write blog posts. In some countries, it is not clear who owns the copyright of AI-generated content. This could potentially lead to disputes over ownership and the right to use the content.

Impact of using ChatGPT & Other AI Resources on SEO:

The use of AI to write blog posts could have a significant impact on SEO. Search engines like Google use algorithms to rank websites based on the quality and relevance of the content. If AI-generated content is not up to par, it could negatively affect the ranking of a website.

Additionally, search engines are designed to identify and penalize websites that engage in spammy or low-quality practices. If search engines determine that a website is using AI-generated content in an attempt to manipulate the ranking, it could result in a penalty or even a ban from the search results.

Potential Solutions to Mitigating Risks of Using AIThe ChatGPT screen up on a computer with some content on it showing how AI can be used to quickly create content that a private practice owner should then customize to make sure it adds real value for their clients.

One potential solution to the quality and creativity issues with AI-generated content is to use it as a starting point and have a human writer edit and refine the content. This way, the time-saving benefits of AI can be leveraged while still ensuring the final product is of high quality and meets the necessary standards. This approach could also help mitigate concerns about the impact on SEO and potential legal issues. However, it’s important to carefully consider the resources and budget required to implement this hybrid approach.

In conclusion, the use of AI to write blog posts has both pros and cons. While it can save time and effort, and provide a level of consistency, it may lack creativity and the quality may not be up to par with human-generated content. It’s also important to consider the potential impact on SEO and the potential legal issues. Ultimately, it’s important to carefully weigh the pros and cons before deciding to use AI to write blog posts.

Other Ways to Use ChatGPT for Blogging

(This is back to Jessica writing, not Chat GPT)

If you don’t want to take the risk of asking ChatGPT to write a blog for you (or don’t want to have it write one you then have to individualize), there are other ways ChatGPT can be helpful for you as a private practice owner who blogs. A few ideas include:

  • Ask ChatGPT to give you a list of blogging ideas related to a topic you want to rank better for. My team and I have found that some of the ideas it gives are really good. In fact, our copywriter said she likes this better that some of the other tools we use to get blog post ideas.
  • Ask ChatGPT to write an outline for a blog post you’d like to write. So far, I think this is my personal favorite use. The outlines it’s given me have been pretty good. It usually suggests a couple paragraphs I don’t end up writing and I add in a few of my own. But it’s a great way to at least get started!
  • Have ChatGPT to give you several possible ideas for a title for a blog post you’ve written. Another great use as I’ve found the title ideas it gives pretty good!
  • Ask it to write a meta description for you. I’ve done this a few times and have personally chosen to rewrite the meta descriptions to be even better. But it has given a basic meta description, so if you’re just starting to optimize your own metas you may find this really useful.

 

About the Author(s)

First, let’s acknowledge that much of this post (as disclosed above) was written by ChatGPT. That said, Jessica Tappana was very careful in making sure even that content was high quality and helpful to you as a practice owner. She gave it carefully crafted instructions. Then, she read over the post for accuracy. She also added subheadings and made just a couple minor changes for clarity so the content would be useful and applicable for private practice owners. Even when ChatGPT is our second author, we want to emphasize that we’re only posting content that we believe will truly help private practice owners get in front of their ideal clients and add true value for their audience. Jessica, and our entire team, believe in doing SEO and website content in a responsible, ethical way and seek to share content with you that you will find helpful.

There Are Many Content Management Systems (CMS) Available for Business Owners.

You may be more familiar with the other names these platforms use, such as WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix. Each has its own benefits and limitations, & knowing how to interact with your site with helpful tools is a vital part of ensuring you are making the most of what your site has to offer. While most will offer the functionality to integrate tools like Google Analytics, others may not have what you need to easily connect to Google Analytics

One of the most important interactions your site will have is with Google Analytics, which is how important data is tracked. However, to start using Google Analytics, you must first connect it with your site. There are a few ways to do this, but the process itself will differ depending on the specific CMS you are using. So, today we are going to address how to connect Google Analytics to three major CMS: WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix.

Before We Get Started, You Will Need Your Google Analytics Measurement ID

A screenshot of a Google Analytics account. Learn how Google Analytics can offer support with therapist SEO. Contact us to learn more about improving private pratice seo today.

For each of these examples, you will first need to be signed in to your Google Analytics account and have your measurement ID copied from your account. You can find this by clicking the gear icon in the bottom left corner, selecting the Admin tab, and selecting your site’s property from the dropdown menu.

Once the correct site has been selected, you can use the Setup Assistant to check if your site is indeed collecting data from Google, or click on “data streams” to find the specific data stream for your website. Once you click on your site’s data stream, you can copy the measurement ID, which you will need for each of these examples.

Connecting Google Analytics: The WordPress Process

The navigation bar of a WordPress site. Learn how to improve therapist SEO by searching "private practice seo" today. Simplified SEO can support your private practice website.When connecting Google Analytics to a WordPress site, you will need to access the backend of your private practice website and navigate to the Tools section of the navigation bar on the left side of your screen. Depending on the plugins you have installed on your site, the location of the Tools tab may differ. But, once you’ve navigated to this section, you will only have to click on the Traffic tab near the top of the screen. 

Once in the Traffic tab, simply scroll down to the Google Analytics section and paste your measurement ID into the “Google Analytics Measurement ID” box. Once pasted, click “save settings” to confirm your changes. With this completed, Google Analytics should now be able to collect data from your website! 

What if I Can’t Use A Measurement ID?

If you can’t use your measurement ID or need to manually add the Google Analytics integration, you will need to get a bit more information to successfully connect your site. However, you can still easily find this information on your Google Analytics account. Much like finding your Measurement ID, you will need to access the data stream connected to your site. Luckily, you can use the previously mentioned steps to navigate to your site’s specific data stream. Once here, you will need to scroll down the “Web Stream Details” window and click on the “View Tag Instructions” section. This will have a set of instructions for you to manually add the necessary code to your site, or identify your CMS with Google.

A screenshot of Google Analytics web streams. Learn how to improve your private practice seo by contacting Simplified SEO Consulting. We can offer support for your private practice website today.If you decide to manually add this code to your WordPress site, you will need to navigate the backend of your site once again. Once here, you need to add the copied code to the header section on each page of your site. But, WordPress doesn’t automatically allow you to edit the header code of your site. Due to this, you will likely need to install a plugin that will allow you to make these additions. Thankfully, regardless of your choice of plugin, you will often find access to your site’s header code in the Theme settings of the website builder. Please ensure you are familiar with your site and the plugin you are using if you decide to manually add the necessary code since errors in the code of your site can have a wide variety of ramifications. 

The Squarespace Process

The navigation menu of Squarespace, showing how to improve therapist SEO. Contact Simplified SEO Consulting to learn more about private practice SEO and how to improve your private practice website.For Squarespace users, the process for connecting to Google Analytics is fairly straightforward! Once you have your measurement ID, you will need to access the back end of your private practice website. Once on your home screen, click Settings, then Advanced. Click on External API Keys from here, and paste your measurement ID in the Google Analytics section. After you save your changes, your site should successfully be connected with Google Analytics!

Manually adding code to Squarespace

Thankfully, the process for adding to the header is also fairly straightforward. First, you will need to navigate to the Home screen on the back end of your site. Once on your home screen, click Settings, Advanced, and finally Code Injection. This option will allow you to paste the necessary code on each page of your site without having to go through each page one by one. As previously mentioned, please practice caution when adding code manually to your site, since issues can arise when it isn’t implemented correctly.

The Wix Process

Last but not least, we have Wix! In order to add your measurement ID to a private practice website using Wix, you will need to first log into your site and navigate to the backend dashboard. Once here, you will need to choose the Marketing Integrations tab under the “Marketing and SEO” section on the navigation bar. After navigating to this screen, you should see the integration for Google Analytics and also have the option to add your measurement ID to your site. After you save your changes your site should successfully begin tracking data through Google Analytics!A screenshot of marketing intergrations of a Wix platform for Simplified SEO Consulting. Learn more about private practice SEO and improving your private practice website today.

Manually Adding to Wix

In order to manually add the necessary code from Google you will need to log in to your site and scroll down on the navigation bar to Settings. Once you click on this, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page where you will see the option to add custom code to your private practice website. Click “Add Custom Code” to paste the necessary code. This is similar to Squarespace in that you can set the code to run on every page of your site, thus helping you save time on implementing this integration.

Conclusion

Addressing the more technical aspects of SEO can sometimes feel stressful and complex. But, understanding each step in the process can help you feel more comfortable with making these vital additions to your private practice website. Connecting Google Analytics is only one part of your SEO journey, but you don’t have to do it alone!

Begin Improving Private Practice SEO with Simplified SEO Consulting

Becoming familiar with Google Analytics and other technical SEO aspects is much easier said than done. This is why our team of SEO specialists would be happy to offer support in helping your site reach the first page of Google. You can start your SEO journey with Simplified SEO Consulting by following these simple steps:

  1. Apply to work with us to improve your SEO
  2. Meet with an SEO specialist 
  3. Begin improving your private practice website and SEO!

Other Services Offered with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team understands that there are many aspects of SEO that likely need to be addressed to improve your private practice website. This is why we offer a variety of SEO services including our Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses. We also offer a 12-week Done With You Intensive SEO Program. Visit our blog to learn more valuable SEO info today!

About the AuthorPhoto of Sterling, an SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting that specializes in all things technical SEO!

Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation. And, responding in a timely manner to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them with extra problem-solving support. He now provides additional support with a variety of local SEO services. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research. By doing so, he sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!

 

Are you working on your SEO and started to notice changes in the data on your website? Have you noticed data fluctuation in your data between high and low and you’re not sure why? We’ve all been there. Your data had started to climb and you were excited that your page had begun to rank higher in Google’s search results. But a week later your back down where you started and not ranking as high for some key terms.

You’re probably wondering, why is this happening to my site. In this blog post, you’ll learn how and why your website’s rankings are changing and what you can do to fix them.

What Is Data Fluctuation and How Are They Affecting my SEO?

Data fluctuation happens to every website on Google. It is a normal process that helps Google understand your website and what your content represents. Since Google is a top search engine it continually comes out with new algorithms to update and improve itself. These algorithm updates cause your SEO to fluctuate as it builds trust with your website and understands what content you are representing. For more information, here is a blog post on Google Analytics to help you better understand them.Photo of a phone screen showing google analytics. Struggling with the data fluctuations on your website? Learn about Google Analytics to know why your data is fluctuating.

In this case, don’t sweat the small data fluctuations, it usually changes daily. Data fluctuations affect your SEO daily when they fall or continually rise. As Google builds trust with your website, you will start to see your data increase because Google understands what content you are trying to convey. Data fluctuations may be helpful to your page or can make them fall, it just depends on how much Google knows and trusts your site.

Is Pogo-Sticking Affecting My Data?

Pogo-sticking is very common with search users. When a user enters a site from the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) and then quickly leaves to go back to the SERP they are pogo-sticking. From an SEO perspective, pogo-sticking can seem a little worrisome but for SEO reasons, Google isn’t worried about it. Some ways you can keep someone from pogo-sticking from your site would be to have engaging content, make sure your page is clear and concise, ensure that it is visually appealing, use relevant internal links, and keep your content up to date. 

Pinging and What It Means in SEO

Pinging refers to the submission of a page to alert search engines that your pages have changed on your site. This helps inform the search engine crawlers that you may have new content or changed one of your pages and what information actually appears on your website. Pinging is important or else search engines wouldn’t be aware of new changes in your site when you are trying to improve your SEO. Any new updates or changes should help benefit your site.Photo of a cartoon graphic with an arrow pointing up. This photo shows how data can fluctuate on Google over time as it builds trust with your website.

Don’t Give Up on Your SEO Because of Data Fluctuation

Data fluctuation is normal and shouldn’t always be worrisome. If your data starts to decrease, take what you’ve learned and apply it to your site to start seeing changes in your data. This should continually improve your data as well as gain trust over time with the search engine. 

Learn How To Improve Your Website With Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team at Simplified SEO Consulting wants to guide you in the right direction when it comes to improving your data and getting the right clients to view your page. Having guidance in your SEO journey is important for your website’s journey and we understand. 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

Photo of a cartoon graphic with cartoon characters around a laptop screen showing data. Unsure why your data fluctuates? Learn here why data fluctuations are important to building trust with Google.

Other Services Offered With Simplified SEO Consulting

Looking for a different way we might be able to support you? 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:

Brianna is a Mental health SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. At Simplified, Brianna enjoys optimizing websites and interacting withPhoto of Brianna Joplin, a mental health SEO specialist who offers SEO for therapists at Simplified SEO Consulting. her clients. Her goal while working with our clients is to ensure they enjoy their SEO journey and to 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.

Tracking metrics is a vital part of any technical SEO strategy. 

A graphic of people on computers looking at analytical data. Learn SEO online by contacting Simplified SEO Consulting. We can offer support for your private practice website by improving counselor SEO. Contact an SEO specialist for therapists today. Only by tracking data can one understand how their site is performing. Data can provide so many useful insights into how clients engage with your site, and what might need to be changed as well. This is why it is so important to integrate Google Analytics into your site. Your Google Analytics account can also be integrated with your Google Ads profile as well. But, depending on your familiarity with the technical aspects of your site, this may be much easier said than done.

There are a few different ways you can go about connecting Google Analytics to your site, depending on the platform you are on. So, today we are going to discuss these options, and how to integrate them on some of the most common platforms we see therapists use. 

Connecting Google Analytics: What is A Gtag?

A Gtag is short for Global Site Tag. This is the snippet of code that allows Google Analytics to track events, conversions, and other important data that takes place on your site. In the past, Google made use of multiple tags to track different information on websites. But, this has since been simplified through the implementation of the Global Site Tag, which replaces all other Google tags under a single source. Installing a Gtag is the most basic way of connecting Google Analytics, and will provide all the same tracking benefits as using Google Tag Manager. 

Installing your Gtag on your site

This is available within your Google Analytics account and can be accessed through your Admin section. Once here, select Tracking Info, and then Tracking Code. Once you see the Global Tag, you will have the option to copy the exact code needed for your site. By doing so, you can then paste the code on the backend of your site. But, this must be done carefully. If you paste the code in the wrong section of your site, Google Analytics will be unable to correctly track data on your site.

 In order for Google Analytics to successfully track data, you must place this code after the <header> section of your site’s code on each page of your site. But, this will differ depending on the content management system your site is present on (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, etc.). If you use a site like WordPress, you should have the ability to add the code to an overarching section of your site that will automatically add the code to each page for you. Once added to your site, you should now be able to see data populated on your Google Analytics account. Once you confirm this, you’ve successfully integrated Google Analytics tracking to your site!

What is Google Tag Manager

A person holds their phone with the Google Tag Manager logo on screen. Contact an SEO specialist for therapists to learn more about how to improve private practice SEO today.Google Tag Manager is a more user-friendly management tool for installing tags on your site. It uses the same back-end code as Gtag but allows you to manage and update multiple tags from a single user interface. You will need to create an account in order to use this tool. But, once you have, you can more easily edit the different tags on your site from within the Google Tag Manager. 

Implementing Google Tag Manager

Installing Google Tag Manager comes with its own set of steps once you’ve created your account. This will involve providing your site’s URL, the type of data stream you wish to gather data from, and installing the Tag Manager container to the backend of your site. This will once again require you to install snippets of code to the backend of your site as instructed by the Tag Manager. Once connected, you will be able to then create and manage tags from within the manage instead of adding code to your site each time you wish to integrate a new tag. 

Which is the best for you?

When it comes to deciding if Google Tag Manager or a Gtag is best for you, it is best to ask yourself how many tag integrations you expect to make on your site. Both will require some level of technical know-how in order to add the code snippets in the correct location. But, you will only have to do this once if you install a Global Site Tag to your site. This will likely take less time on your part, and provide all the same tracking benefits of the Tag Manager. But, without having to take the extra steps to create and manage new tags.

Using this method will also allow you more control over the exact code that goes into your site, but will also require you to manually update the code if changes need to be made. Google Tag Manager offers a more user-friendly experience that can offer more support for websites that wish to implement tags to track data and conversions that may not already be included. 

Closing Thoughts

A graphic of two people looking at a rising graph while looking at their laptop and phone. Learn more about how SEO services for therapists can help improve your private practice website. Contact Simplified SEO Consulting to learn SEO online today.Regardless of your preferred method of integrating Google Analytics, doing so will offer many invaluable insights. You can better understand how your site is performing, how you can improve, and what needs to be done in order to do so. While this may take a certain level of technical expertise, the juice is worth the squeeze. 

Start Working with an SEO Specialist for Therapists 

Adding the correct code in the correct location of your site is much easier said than done. But, our team of SEO specialists would be happy to offer support to improve counselor SEO and make these integrations on your behalf. To start your SEO journey with Simplified SEO Consulting, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Apply to schedule a consultation
  2. Meet with an SEO specialist
  3. Begin SEO services for therapists

Other Services Offered with Simplified SEO Consulting

There are so many aspects that go into a successful SEO strategy in addition to analytics. This is why we are happy to offer a number of services in support of your private practice. We are happy to offer support with our Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses. We also offer a 12-week Done With You Intensive SEO Program as well. Please visit our blog to read other informative posts today!

About the AuthorPhoto of Sterling, an SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting that specializes in all things technical SEO!

Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation. And, responding in a timely manner to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them extra problem-solving support. He now provides additional support with a variety of local SEO services. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research. By doing so, he sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!

 

Google and the tools used to track essential website metrics have evolved a lot over the years, and one of the biggest upcoming transitions will take place on July 1st, 2023. That change is the discontinuing of Universal Analytics and migration to exclusive use of Google Analytics 4 for all Google Analytics properties. This may sound Greek to you. But, today we are going to be talking about some of the key differences between the two, and what you need to understand before this transition. 

Data Collection Changes

A close up of a phone screen with the word “analytics”. Learn how Simplified SEO consulting can offer SEO services for therapists and help improve private practice SEO today.Historically, Universal Analytics has used a session-based data model that makes use of different “hit types.”

Google defines hits as “an interaction that results in data being sent to Analytics.” There are a variety of hit types, such as social interactions, a user loading a new page, or clicking on a link. Google reports these interactions by breaking them down into categories, actions, and labels. Universal Analytics collects and processes data based on the number of sessions on your site. Due to how the data is collected, the same person may visit the site more than once, but it will count as multiple sessions, even though it’s just one person visiting your site multiple times. As a result, tracking sessions can sometimes report less accurate data in terms of understanding how many users are actually viewing your site.  

Understanding Categories, Actions, and Labels

Universal Analytics reports different kinds of events on your site by breaking them down in a way that separates them into different categories, actions, and labels. Because of this, it can become difficult for the average user to understand how to track the correct categories, actions, and labels so they can capture the specific data they want from their site. An example of this could include a clinician wishing to track every time a visitor clicks on the “contact” button, or visits their scheduling page. Generally, more technical knowledge is required to create triggers to get the data you want since these are not automatically captured by Universal Analytics.

Google Analytics 4, everything is an event

As previously mentioned, of the biggest changes in how Google Analytics 4 approaches capturing data. Google Analytics 4 uses machine learning and automated data collection. It also uses a different model from Universal Analytics that is centered around events rather than sessions. Everything is seen as an event; every page view, every time a person loads up a new page, every click on a link, etc. By transitioning to this approach, things become a bit more streamlined when tracking important data, and setting up other triggers to track additional events. Instead of having to remember each category, action, and label for each event you want to track, there are now four main types of events that can be tracked within Google Analytics. 

The first set of events is automatically collected events

 These are events that are automatically recorded by GA4 once they occur on your site. These events may include:

  • When users click on an ad
  • Loading up a new page
  • Starting a new brand new session on the site 
  • Users the bottom of the page for the first time
  • A variety of other collected events

The second type of event is enhanced measurements

A graphic of a laptop screen with the text “web analytics” representing how to rank on Google for therapists. Learn more about private practice SEO and SEO for psychotherapists today.These are measurements for more specific things you want to track on your site. This could include events like when someone downloads a file from your site. Or, clicks on an external link leading to another site. With Universal Analytics, only page views were tracked originally, and capturing other important events would be something that must be set up using categories, actions, and labels. But with GA4, this process is automatic, so you don’t have to worry about setting it up yourself! You can simply choose to enable Enhanced Measurement when creating a data stream (which we will get to in just a bit).

Next, we have recommended events

Events of this type are those that Google suggests you implement on your site. Events like these often need a bit more background information to implement fully, which is why they are recommended by google instead of automatically recorded. Adding these can provide additional features and extra data on reports. Google will offer a predefined name for specific events that are common, such as when a user submits a form or requests information. In this case, Google would likely recommend setting up an event that is titled “generate_lead.”

Finally, we have custom events

These are events that you define. This means that you must set up the parameters to collect information yourself. As a result, it can be a bit harder to implement properly. These types of events won’t usually show up in most standard Google Analytics reports, so you will need to take a few extra steps to set up custom reports with this data.

Data Tracking Changes

Both Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 use properties. Properties are websites, mobile apps, blogs, etc. with a unique tracking ID. For both UA and GA4, you will have to add this unique id in order to start tracking data on your site. But, tracking the data will differ for each. With Universal Analytics, data is tracked using a “view”, which is a set of specifications for tracking traffic on your site. You can set up multiple views in order to filter out data, track certain data, or set up different goals. 

Google Analytics 4: Goodbye views, hello data streams

Unlike views in Universal Analytics, Google Analytics 4 uses data streams. Views are no longer used in GA4, which means you can’t create new views to filter your data. Instead, data streams are used to allow you to collect data from multiple sources in the same property. Unlike in Universal Analytics where you would have to have multiple properties to track data from your site and a companion app, you can instead create data streams for both your site and app to track each of them on the same property. For most private practice owners, you likely won’t have to worry about including apps with Google Analytics. But, it is still worth knowing how things are changing between UA and GA4. 

Data Metric Changes

Finally, we are going to address how metrics have changed between UA and GA4. In Universal Analytics, you are likely familiar with the metrics “bounce rate”, “pages per session”, and “average session duration”. Bounce rate is the rate at which people only visit one page of your site before ‘bouncing’ off your site. Since GA4 has moved away from a model centered around sessions and page views, these metrics haven’t been available until recently. Instead, new metrics have been implemented to track how engaged users are with your site. 

A hand points to a graphic that reads “analytics”, surrounded by technical symbols. Learn how to rank on google for therapists by contacting Simplified SEO Consulting. We offer seo services for therapists and other services.The new metrics used with GA4 won’t show you data like how long someone is staying on your site. Instead, these metrics aim to focus on how engaged users are with your site. One of the main metrics is “engaged sessions”, which are the number of sessions that:

  • Have lasted longer than 10 seconds,
  • Have a conversion,
  • Or have had 2 or more screen/page views

Other related metrics include “engaged sessions per user,” “engagement rate”, and shift the focus from “how fast are people leaving my site” to “how long are people staying on the site”. In essence, the engagement rate is essentially the inverse of the bounce rate. But, it can still tell us vital info about how engaged people are with your site. using 

Why these changes matter

The upcoming migration to Google Analytics 4 isn’t something that can be avoided. As a result, SEO specialists and therapists alike must understand how things are changing to accurately collect, track, and report site data. Taking the time to understand how to adapt to the new processes implemented in Google Analytics 4 will be vital in continuing to keep track of important data. Our team is here to offer support during this transition.

Begin Improving Private Practice SEO with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team is preparing for the upcoming transition, and honing in on the data we need to focus on most. By doing so, we hope to ensure we are providing the best insights for our clients. We would be happy to offer support in cultivating your site’s SEO and helping you get to the first page of Google. To start your journey with Simplified SEO Consulting, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Apply to work with Simplified SEO Consulting
  2. Meet with an SEO specialist
  3. Begin SEO services for therapists

Other Services Offered with Simplified SEO Consulting

SEO is an ever-changing field. This is why we are happy to offer a number of services in support of your private practice. We are happy to offer support with our Done For You SEO Services and DIY Online SEO Courses. We also offer a 12-week Done With You Intensive SEO Program as well. Please visit our blog to read other informative posts today!

About the Author

Photo of Sterling, an SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting that specializes in all things technical SEO!

Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation. And, responding in a timely manner to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them extra problem-solving support. He now provides additional support with a variety of local SEO services. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research. By doing so, he sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!

Organic SEO vs. PPC: Pros and Cons

Many of our clients often ask what the benefits of organic SEO vs. PPC ads are. They both serve a purpose specific to driving consumers to your business. They just accomplish this goal with different tactics and strategies. Let’s take a look at both of these concepts and see what they have to offer.

Cartoon Picture of SEO vs. PPC ads with various tools shown. If your are just beginning your SEO journey, understanding the differences organic SEO and PPC is key. Let Simplified SEO Consulting help you!

What is Organic SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. The goal of SEO is to help your site show up more often in search engine results pages or SERPs. This is accomplished by optimizing your web pages with keywords and phrases that you want to rank for. There are many pros and cons to using organic SEO. Let’s look at a few examples.

Pros of Organic SEO:

ROI

Historically organic search engine optimization can create more return on investment over traditional forms of paid media. This is due in part to the low cost of implementing search engine optimizations on your pages.

Awareness of Your Brand

High-ranking visibility in SERPs can raise brand awareness as you garner more attention from people searching for keywords related to your website. This can result in a positive branding effect as customers who are searching begin associating your brand with answers to their questions.

Credibility and Trust

This is a big one! When your site shows up in organic search results this influences your credibility with your consumer as they look for services. In today’s hypercritical world many consumers automatically skip ads and go straight to organic search results as they feel these are more legitimate and trustworthy connections.

Cost

While there is some cost associated with SEO in regard to who you are paying to do your optimizations or how much of your own personal time you are investing in optimizing, the overall cost is more effective than other marketing tactics.

Sustainability Over the Long-Term

Unlike PPC ads SEO continues to be profitable even after you stop actively paying or optimizing. Efforts put in place to develop organic traffic can sustain your business over a long period of time even if budget concerns do not allow you to invest the time, energy, or funds to the process at the time.

Improved Clickthrough Rates or CTR

It’s been proven that organic SEO results in improved CTR over the long haul. More often than not you can produce more clicks from a well-placed organic search result than you can with a PPC ad.

All of these things lend themselves to the long-term success of SEO but there are some cons to consider.

Graph with SEO metrics highlighted on it. Organic SEO is key to the successful branding and growth of your business. At Simplified SEO Consulting we offer the tips and tools to help you become your own SEO expert! Learn more here.

Cons of SEO:

SEO is a Long-Term Commitment

If you are looking for instantaneous results that will drive consumers to your business in a short period of time, SEO is not the best option. Organic SEO is a long-term commitment that takes consistent input and adjustments for an extended period of time to be successful. It can take months to start seeing results after you optimize your site. This often leads people to feel that their efforts have been for naught.

Competitive Markets

Competition to rank for high search volume keywords can be intense. You must remember that you are not the only business owner who wants to rank for these keywords And understand that you may need to pick and choose which keywords to go after in order to be successful in your strategy.

SEO is Fluid and Changes Rapidly

As stated above SEO is a long-term commitment however that does not mean it’s stagnant. Search engine results and volumes change constantly based on user needs and demands. What’s popular one month could be at the bottom of the list the next and it’s important to keep track of these insights when optimizing your pages for organic search engine results. Google also regularly tweaks and changes its search engine algorithms over 600 times a year. This means that what’s driving search results to the top of the page can change in an instant.

What is Pay Per Click or PPC?

Now let’s examine some pay-per-click or PPC information. As you may have guessed PPC are paid ads that determine your cost based on the number of clicks your ad receives. PPC ads still utilize keywords that you want to rank for but they do so in a more targeted and laser-focused manner.

Pros of PPC:

Reach Your Target Audience

PPC ads allow you to specifically target a group of people based on their interests and demographics. This can help you specifically target your ideal consumer in a more effective and efficient way. Google ads allow you to personalize your campaigns to accomplish this.

Quicker ROI

PPC ads generate a quicker return on investment due to their increased visibility and placement on SERPs. This allows you to accomplish your goal of driving customers to your brand much more quickly and effectively than traditional organic SEO can.

SERP Position

PPC ads or just that, advertisements, as a result, will appear at the top of search engine results pages above typical organic search engine results. This can drive more consumers to your brand simply by virtue of placement on the page and visibility.

Speed and Agility

As stated, developing good organic visibility can take time while a PPC campaign can be created in days and see results within weeks. PPC ads allow you to get in front of customers much more quickly and that speed offers you agility. If you have an upcoming event or a new service you want to promote, the speed of PPC  ads offers you the ability to do so in a very short period of time with a very quick turnaround.

Measurability of Success

PPC ads, unlike organic SEO, allow more collection of analytics related to conversion tracking, integration, and what keywords are converting at what percentage and cost. This information can then be utilized to help inform your organic keyword research into what keywords are converting and should be used long-term to drive consumers to your site.

Stability

PPC ads are not at the mercy of the same market volatility that organic search results are. While there are changes, they tend to have a lower impact and are more easily managed by carefully utilizing match types and analysis of search terms and quickly adjusting your PPC ad to meet those changes.

With that being said there are some cons that come along with PPC ad campaigns. Let’s look at a few.

cartoon of a group of workers creating a PPC campaign. Let us help you get the best return on investment from your website. An SEO specialist is here to help you learn and apply SEO tactics successfully!

Cons of PPC:

Cost

Because of the nature of PPC ad campaigns, the cost can quickly add up. If you are not monitoring your cost per click regularly and adjusting your budget consistently you can easily spend thousands of dollars before you realize it.

Short Term

PPC is great in the short term but in the long term, it is not such a good investment. As the name suggests it is paid so it requires constant investment. So when you stop paying for the ads the return on investment dries up immediately and you no longer have access to the benefits as you do with ongoing organic SEO

Clicks Do Not Always Turn Into Conversions

Another downside to PPC ads is the fact that just because the consumer is clicking on your ad does not mean they are going to follow through with utilizing services from you. If a high number of people are clicking on your ad but there is no conversion your cost per click and spend on your PPC ad campaign can increase without seeing any ROI. It is important to not just set a PPC ad and forget it.  You must also ensure that your website is set up to convince visitors that your products and services are valuable.

Closing thoughts about Organic SEO vs. PPC

As you can see there are upsides and downsides to both organic SEO and PPC ads. Ideally, these two will work synergistically together to provide the greatest return on investment for your business. For all points and purposes if your budget is limited and you are in this for the long-haul organic SEO may be the best way to start. Then as the need arises for new services or upcoming events you can use pay-per-click ads to get in front of consumers quickly to establish dominance in those new categories.

Key Takeaway

However, there is one key factor to remember about using PPC and organic SEO together. If you are optimizing for a group of keywords in your organic SEO you do not want to optimize for those same keywords with your paid advertisements. This could result in your PPC ads cannibalizing your organic SEO results. You would basically be spending money for something you were already ranking for organically. Always make sure your organic SEO optimizations and keywords are different from what you are targeting for your PPC ads.

Begin Improving Your SEO and Analytics Understanding with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team works closely with therapists nationwide to optimize their SEO based on analytical metrics! If you have been searching for an SEO company that understands analytics and its real-world applications, you’re in the right place. Our wonderful team of mental health SEO specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting would love to talk strategy with you and help you get connected with the best service for you. To get started with our service follow these simple steps:

  1. Schedule a consult with our Consultation Team
  2. Learn more about our talented team of mental health SEO Specialists
  3. Start learning SEO for Mental Health Professionals!

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

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

About the AuthorPicture of the author. Simplified SEO Consulting is here to help you navigate the world of Analytics and SEO. Learn more here.

Mary is one of the newest members of our dedicated and knowledgeable SEO Specialists here at Simplified SEO Consulting. She brings with her certification in Google Analytics (Google Analytics IQ Certification). And she also understands the importance of analytics and their application. She loves staying up to date on all things analytical in order to bring clients the most informed service possible.

If you are ready to start your analytical SEO journey with us, schedule your free 30-minute consultation with us now. Mary and the rest of our team are ready to support you!

 

There are many tools out there that exist to support you in finding the best ways to optimize your business, site, and content. Some tools are more invaluable than others to meet basic SEO tenets such as keyword research. Others can help give deeper insights to private practice owners looking to take their business to the next level. One of these handy tools to help gain an edge over the competition is referred to as a heatmap. 

First Off, What Is A Heatmap?

An illustration of a heatmap of a site. Simplified SEO Consulting can offer support with therapist seo. Learn more about SEO for therapists and more today. Heatmaps come in different forms. But, they often work to help therapists understand how visitors interact with their websites. Forms and surveys can also accomplish this. But, the results they share may or may not be accurate with what visitors actually do on the site. Heatmaps on the other hand visually show the most popular and overlooked parts of a page. This can be represented with a red to a blue color gradient. The more blue an area, the less engagement it has on the page. Similarly, the more red an area is, the more engagement there is. Yet, not all heatmaps track the same information. Different types of heatmaps may offer insight into aspects of your site such as:

So, let’s talk about some of the other types of heatmaps. Plus, how they can support local SEO for therapists.

Types of Heatmaps

When it comes to the most common heatmaps you may find, the top three include scroll maps, click maps, and hover maps. Each uses heatmaps in different but subtle ways. Scroll maps show you how far users scroll down your page. By doing so, you can better understand if they are reaching the most vital parts of your page that you want them to see, and where to place your most important content. Click maps also offer similar support. But, these focus on where users click most often on a page. This insight can help you determine which links or buttons are most popular on a page. Finally, hover maps also serve a similar role in tracking where users hover their mouse cursors most often on a page. This gives an idea of where most of the focus on the page is being placed, and how long people are hovering in a certain area.

A graphic showing a scroll heatmap. This can improve therapist seo, and Simplified SEO Consulting can help improve SEO for therapists. Learn more today!These three work similarly to improve on-screen elements of SEO. But, there are still others that can also offer other forms of valuable information. Local SEO heatmaps can offer insight into how certain keywords perform in a given area, and other important stats based on geographical location. In fact, there are even more advanced heatmaps available that track how visitors actually  

How Heatmaps Can Benefit SEO for Therapists

Making use of the data heatmaps provide can offer a variety of benefits as previously mentioned. One of these benefits comes in the form of giving insight as to how effective the design of a given page is. By using heatmaps, therapists can better understand what aspects of a page may be getting overlooked by visitors to their site. As a result, they can work to redesign elements of their site in a way that improves the different elements the heatmap addresses. These elements can include:

  • The actual design and layout of the site/page
  • Optimizing the length of content on the site
  • Understanding the type of content visitors spend most of their time reading
  • Redistributing internal and external links on the page

However, this is not the only information that can be gained by using heatmaps. With different tools come alternative benefits.

Different Heatmaps Offer Different Benefits

A graphic representing local seo for therapists. Simplified SEO Consulting can offer support with SEO for therapists across the country. Learn more about therapist SEO today.Heatmaps that track data related to keywords or geographical location may not offer much support in terms of on-page optimization. Yet, they can still offer valuable off-page data to support therapist SEO. Heatmaps that focus on local SEO can show therapists how well they rank for specific keywords in specific service areas. With this data, therapists can better focus their keyword efforts on specific location indicators they hope to rank for. Plus, they can get also get an idea of what competitors in the area may be trying to rank for the same terms!

Conclusion

Heatmaps come in different forms and offer a variety of different insights. Therapists can use these insights to gain an edge in both on and off-page optimization. As tools like these continue to evolve and improve their ability to draw from different user experiences, so do the opportunities for private practice owners to improve their websites. By doing so, they can better connect with their ideal clients.

Begin Improving SEO for Therapists

The team at Simplified SEO Consulting is trained to offer support with both on and off-page elements of your site. Our team is happy to offer support across the country with on-page optimization and List Management tools including heatmaps! You can start improving your local SEO presence by following these simple steps:

  1. Apply to work with us to improve your SEO
  2. Meet with an SEO specialist.
  3. Start improving your SEO!

Other Services Offered with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team is happy to offer a variety of services in support of building your private practice website. Our team can offer support in optimizing your site with our Done For You SEO Services. We also offer DIY Online SEO Courses, and a 12-week Done With You Intensive SEO Program. Feel free to read other posts from our blog for more helpful information!

About the Author

Photo of Sterling, an SEO Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting that specializes in all things technical SEO!Sterling Humburg-Cage graduated from the University of Missouri with a BA in Psychology in 2020. He integrates what he learned in school into his work as an SEO Specialist with Simplified SEO Consulting. Sterling prides himself on helping current clients & alumni problems solve difficult SEO issues.  He’s great at giving clients multiple options about how to approach a situation and responding quickly to client concerns.  Since he started, Sterling has met frequently with our alumni and provided them extra problem-solving support. He often goes the extra mile to do outside research and make sure private practice owners have everything they need to rank well on search engines long term for the keywords their ideal clients are using!