SLP private practice Archives - Simplified SEO Consulting

The Ultimate Guide to SEO for Speech Therapists

What is SEO for Speech Therapists?

As a speech therapist, you understand the importance of effective communication. But when it comes to online marketing, you may find yourself struggling to be heard in a crowded digital space. That’s where SEO comes in. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). In this article, we’ll dive into what SEO is and how it can benefit your speech therapy practice.

As a private practice owner myself, I understand how hectic, challenging AND rewarding all of the marketing and business side of things can be! When I started learning SEO there weren’t many “comprehensive guides” or online courses out there. I read a ton of traditional books, listened to several podcast episodes a day, etc. Now, the Simplified SEO Consulting team wants to make your job easier. I’ll break down many of the important components of SEO and how they apply specifically to private practices like yours below. And then, feel free to check out our SEO services for Speech Language Pathologists.

The Basics of SEO

SEO is the practice of improving your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal is to increase the quality and quantity of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. Organic search engine results are unpaid listings that appear on SERPs. This is different from paid advertising, which is displayed at the top or bottom of the SERPs.

Why SEO is Important for Speech Therapists?

SEO is important for speech therapists because it allows potential clients to find you online. When someone searches for “speech therapy near me” or “speech therapist in [city],” you want your practice to appear at the top of the results page. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can increase the likelihood of being found by potential clients.

Think of your website as a library filled with books that hold valuable information for your clients. Without proper labeling, however, those books would be nearly impossible to find. The same goes for your website – without proper SEO, potential clients won’t be able to find the valuable information you offer. By optimizing your website, you make it easier for people to find and access the resources they need, ultimately helping more people and growing your practice.

How Search Engines Work

Have you ever wondered how Google decides to rank a university’s speech department’s website with hardly any content at all on the first page while your website is struggling to stay on the third? The truth is, Google’s super secret algorithm has LOTS of things it considers when deciding what website to rank well. I say “super secret” because it’s not published anywhere. However, we do have a good idea of what many of the things they’re looking at include.

To understand SEO, it’s important to understand how search engines work. Search engines use complex algorithms to determine which pages to display in the search engine results pages (SERPs). These algorithms take into account a number of factors, including keywords, content relevance, and backlinks. In fact, search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest SEO best practices.

Specific SEO Strategies for Speech Therapists

Now that you understand the basics of SEO, let’s look at some practical strategies for optimizing your private practice website for search engines. We always want to make sure that our blog posts are giving business owners really practical advice. So…let’s hop to that advice part:

Start with Keyword Research

Most effective SEO work begins with Keyword Research. Admittedly, this is the hardest SEO thing we teach. So I’m not a fan of it coming at the start of SEO work. However, don’t overthink this. You’re simply looking for a few keyword phrases that are in the ballpark of what your ideal clients are looking for.

Focus on Long-tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that potential clients may search for. Using long-tail keywords can help increase the chances of your website ranking higher in search results. For example, instead of just using the keyword “speech therapy”, consider using “pediatric speech therapy for language delays” to target a specific audience and improve your chances of showing up in relevant search results.

A few of the keyword research-focused blog posts we’ve written:

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO refers to optimizing the content on your website. This includes optimizing your website’s meta titles and descriptions, header tags, image alt tags, and content. By using relevant keywords in your content, you can increase your website’s relevance for certain search queries. Additionally, you can improve the user experience by optimizing your website’s loading time and making sure that it is mobile-friendly. We have a ton of free advice throughout our SEO blog on how to do these things.

Honestly, on-page SEO is probably my personal favorite part of optimizing websites. It’s taking good, helpful content you’ve written for clients and making it even better! Because you and Google share the same goal: to show your websites to the people who are truly looking for your services. So, if you’re optimizing a page of your website you’re not only making it easier for Google to rank your website but hopefully also making it easier for potential clients/patients.

Some blog posts we’ve written related to on-page SEO that you may find helpful include:

On-Page SEO for Speech Therapists
Effective Headings & Subheadings for Speech Therapists
On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO
On-Page SEO for Mental Health Therapists – examples in this one are specific to counselors, therapists, and psychologists but the same principles will apply to your private practice website.

Off-Page SEO for SLPs in private practice

Off-page SEO refers to activities done outside of your website to improve its rankings in search engines. This includes building backlinks from other authoritative websites, as well as engaging with people on social media. By building relationships with other professionals in the SLP space and engaging with potential clients on social media, you can improve your website’s off-page SEO.

Blog Posts about Building Backlinks:

Local SEO

Local SEO is a type of SEO that focuses on optimizing your website for local search queries. It helps you show up more often when people search for keywords that include “near me” or a location in the phrase. Local SEO is particularly important for speech therapists who have a physical location. By optimizing your website for local search queries, you can increase the likelihood of being found by potential clients in your area. Local SEO strategies can include creating a Google Business Profile, adding local pictures and references to local people on your website, adding your address to the footer of your website, and participating in a list management service to get your name, address, and phone number out consistently across the web.

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a service where we can send you a free baseline Local SEO report if you apply here.

Blog posts we’ve written about Local SEO include:

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.

Google really wants to send people to the websites that are most likely to have the answers searchers want to find when they type in their question, phrase, or other query. Content marketing can help you do this. It does so by creating content that helps potential clients find the information they need. This includes writing blog posts and other content to answer common questions about speech therapy, as well as creating videos, podcasts, and other forms of content.

Content-focused blog posts we’ve written:

Analytics and Tracking

Analytics and tracking are essential to measuring the success of your SEO efforts. By using tools like Google Analytics, you can track website traffic, user behavior, and other important metrics. This information can help you identify areas for improvement. Then, you can adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. I also generally recommend a keyword monitoring tool. Simplified SEO Consulting clients have a specialized data dashboard where they can monitor various data related to SEO including keyword rankings. However, if you’re not our client there are tons of other keyword tracking tools available. You can find these through major SEO websites such as Mangool’s Keywords Everywhere tool, SEMRush, Moz or even Neil Patel’s tools.

Keep Your Website Up-to-date

Search engines favor websites that are regularly updated with fresh and relevant content. In other words, technical problems on your website like 404 errors can hurt your ranking. So, make sure to update your website regularly. You can do this with new blog posts, articles, and other helpful resources. Not only does this improve your chances of ranking higher in search results, but it also shows potential clients that you are active and engaged in your field. It sets you up as an expert and means they come in already trusting you more. So, make sure all of your website plugins (if you have a WordPress site) are up to date, you’ve got the latest version of your theme and you’re regularly putting out content.

Utilize Meta Descriptions

A meta description is a brief summary of what your website is about that appears in search results. It’s important to craft a clear and concise meta description. It’s great if you can also include 1-2 of your target keywords that accurately represent your website’s content. This helps potential clients understand what your website is about. The clarity a meta description provides can help convince someone to actually click on your website when it does show up in search results.

We’ve written a number of blog posts on this topic including:

Optimize Your Images

Images can greatly enhance the user experience on your website. But, photos can also slow down your site’s load time if they are too large or not optimized. The best practice for SEO is to make sure to compress your images before uploading them to your website. I also always recommend that you add alt text that includes your target keywords to improve your photos after loading them. This is great for accessibility AND SEO.

Lastly, keep in mind that it’s important to be inclusive in photos on your website. Make sure your photos represent the clients you serve. If you often work with clients who have specific needs, that should be an important consideration when you’re placing photos on your site. Clients want to see that you work with people who look like them, use communication devices like they do, etc. If you frequently work with clients with hearing loss, use some photos of kids with cochlear implants. If you work with kids who have down syndrome find photos of kids with down syndrome. You likely teach clients to use communication devices, so find some photos of those.

Avoid Black Hat SEO

If it sounds too good to be true. It probably is. If someone promises you first-page rankings, it’s probably an SEO scam. If they offer to let you buy backlinks (even if they say the backlink has a Domain Authority of X), they probably aren’t following Google’s guidelines and therefore buying their services could ultimately really hurt your SEO. When a company engages in these types of techniques, it’s called “Black hat SEO” and you should avoid these at all cost.

Best Practices for SEO on a Private Practice Website

To get the most out of your SEO efforts, it’s important to follow best practices. Quality, effective, ethical SEO techniques include all of the things we’ve talked about in this blog post. Most importantly, I recommend you always, always, always follow Google’s guidelines. These are currently called “Google Search Essentials” and were previously called Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. There are a lot of shady SEO tricks out there that could get your website penalized. So, if it sounds too good to be true (promised first-page results or thousands of backlinks overnight), it probably is. Just make sure you’re being ethical when it comes to SEO and following Google’s guidelines.

Do I have to Blog for Good SEO?

I mean, no. You don’t absolutely have to. In fact, I recently wrote the Non-Blogger’s Guide to SEO Success. However, as you’ll notice when you read through that, it is much easier to get ranking quickly WITH a blog. So….here are some tips for writing great, effective blog posts that will improve the SEO for your private practice website:

Good, Lasting SEO for Private Practices Takes Time

Unfortunately, great SEO generally doesn’t happen overnight. It can take several months or even longer before you start seeing meaningful results from your SEO efforts. But SEO for speech therapists can be really powerful and effective in helping you build your business and attract more clients. We generally tell the private practices we work with to expect it to take about 6 months of actively working on SEO to start getting more calls. So, don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. Keep at it and eventually, you will start seeing the impact of your SEO efforts on your website’s search engine rankings.

SEO can be an incredibly powerful way for private practices to get in front of more potential clients. By following the tips outlined above, you can start to make improvements and increase your website’s visibility in search results. With patience and dedication, you can create a strong SEO strategy that will help bring more clients to your practice. Good luck!

Support For SLPs working on their SEO

Are you ready to start improving your SEO and getting in front of more clients? We’d love to help. The Simplified SEO Consulting team helps private practices in the helping professions attract more of their ideal clients to grow their business. We started out exclusively helping mental health counselors and then branched out to help SLPs, dieticians, birth workers (doulas, midwives, lactation consultants), physical therapists, psychiatrists, private practice physicians, and even education professionals (IEP advocates, tutors, etc). What we’ve found is that our comprehensive approach to SEO is effective for helpers in all of these professions. And, as a social worker who worked with a couple of AMAZING Speech Therapists in a school environment a while back and then received amazing SLP services for my daughter who had choking problems as an infant, I have a special fondness for working with private practice SLPs personally.

Wondering what specific SEO services we offer for speech therapists? Honestly, any of our services can be adapted for speech therapy and we seek to offer SEO services to fit a wide range of needs. We offer affordable DIY online SEO courses, a small group intensive to support you through optimizing, a 12-week 1:1 training program to give you really individualized support optimizing, and our ever-popular “Done for You” SEO program where we still work closely with you but do a lot of the SEO heavy lifting for you. That said, our online courses do still primarily have content that uses mental health therapist websites as examples, so you will see fewer speech therapy-specific examples compared to if you go with one of our other services. However, the content is still fantastic and should be relatively easy to apply to your site.

So, if you’re ready to get to work and attract more of your ideal clients, we’re ready to support you every step of the way! Fill out our pre-application today to get started!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana is the founder and CEO of Simplified SEO Consulting. She owns a private psychotherapy practice in Missouri with two locations and about 12 clinicians. She is passionate about helping people improve their quality of living. And, she has seen firsthand the amazing work SLPs can do. While she has always loved helping private practices, she’s also excited that Simplified SEO Consulting is branching out and offering more SEO services for SLPs in private practice too! She enjoys creating helpful content about SEO for speech therapists in private practice. So, keep an eye out for more helpful tips!

April 2, 2023/0 Comments/by Jessica

Local SEO Tips for Speech Language Pathologists in Private Practice

An effective way to help you grow your private practice is through local search engine optimization (SEO). Local SEO won’t usually get a website ranking all on it’s own, but it is an important piece of the puzzle. Local SEO shows Google WHERE your website is relevant. Other components tell Google exactly who to send to your website (content & on-page SEO) and build up Google’s trust in your website (lots of things, but includes link building). But today, we’re chatting about the “where” part of working on SEO and that’s Local SEO.

So, in this article, we’ll discuss some key tips and strategies to help you improve your local SEO and grow your practice.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website for local search by making sure it appears in relevant local rankings. It can be used to target potential customers in a specific geographic area, country, or city. It’s how you tell Google “THIS is where I’m relevant. THIS is the area you should show my website in search results.”

Local SEO can be incredibly helpful for private practice owners. It makes sure your website is at the top of results when someone in your local area is the one searching for your services. For example, if you are a Speech Language Pathologist based in London, England, when someone searches for a “speech language pathologist in London” your website should appear at the top of the list. But it won’t if Google understands that your a speech language pathologist but has no idea that you’re actually located in London.

Create a Google My Business Profile

One of the most important steps in local SEO is creating a Google My Business profile. This is a free listing that appears in Google Maps and search results. By claiming and optimizing your profile, you can increase your visibility and attract more local clients.

Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

To optimize your Google My Business profile, be sure to include accurate and up-to-date information, such as your business name, address, phone number (NAP), website URL, hours of operation, and a description of your services.

Consistent NAP Information

Consistency is key when it comes to local SEO. Make sure that your NAP information (name, address & phone number) is consistent across all online directories and platforms where your business is listed. Inconsistencies can create confusion for search engines and make it harder for your business to rank. But when Google sees that you’re consistently using the same name, address and phone number throughout the web it helps build up Google’s trust in your site.

Local Citations on Directories

A local citation is an online mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP). Local citations are important because they help demonstrate to Google that you exist in the local area — and these citations don’t even need to include a link to your website.

Directory Listings Management Service

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a directory list management service that ensures your business is listed on all of the top directories and platforms, which can help improve your local SEO. We also offer this free report/option to get a baseline of what your directory listings look like at the moment. There are a lot of other list management options out there. The bottom line is that directories are a fantastic way to get that NAP information I mentioned above out there showing up all over the internet.

Create Local Content

Content is still king when it comes to SEO. Creating content with local keywords and topics, such as blogs or articles that focus on SLPs in your area, can help you rank higher in local search results.

Location References Throughout Your Website

Another way to improve your local SEO is by including location references throughout your website. This includes adding your city and state to your page titles, headings, content, and image alt tags.

Mentioning local places in a blog post is a powerful way to boost local SEO for speech therapists in private practice. For instance, an SLP in Ontario, Canada, might create a blog post about speech therapy techniques that can be used during a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum. This type of post would feature a relevant and popular local attraction, which would help to increase local visibility and improve the chances of attracting local clients. Similarly, a therapist in a specific place in the state of Washington could create a post about the benefits of speech therapy for children who live near Mount Rainier, highlighting the local aspect of their services and making it easier for potential clients in that area to find them.

Local Pictures

Including pictures that are specific to your location can also improve your local SEO. For example, you can include pictures of local landmarks or events. I love including pictures I’ve taken or others have taken on my website. They may not be as professional (bonus points if you have a professional camera or photographer friend who can take these!), but they give it that local touch. They make your website more relatable.

Footer Information

Be sure to include your address and contact information in the footer of your website. This can help with local SEO as well as making it easy for clients to get in touch with you.

Social Media Presence

Having an active social media presence can also help with local SEO. Be sure to include your location information in your social media profiles and posts. Additionally, joining local groups on social media and engaging with other members can help you build relationships in your area.

Local Link Building

Link building is an important aspect of SEO in general, but for local SEO, it’s particularly important to focus on building links from other local businesses and organizations. Reach out to other local businesses that work with your ideal clients. Ask if you can be added to their resource list, write a guest blog for them or otherwise be featured on their website. Be humble in how you request this seeking to make real, genuine connections. Consider if you can do the same or if something else is helpful for them.

Sponsor & Attend Local Events

Attending local events and networking with other local businesses can also help improve your local SEO. One way to do this is to sponsor local events or charities. When you sponsor an event, they often mention this on your website and give a backlink to your website. This is essentially that local link building I mentioned above.

Local SEO can Help You Reach More Clients

As you can see, local SEO is an incredibly powerful asset for speech therapists who own a private practice. From Google My Business page optimization to creating and optimizing content for local searches, using a variety of local SEO techniques and strategies will help to increase your visibility in the search engine rankings. With more visibility, you will be able to draw in more patients and turn your business into a thriving success.

However, it is important to remember that (local) SEO does take time as well as effort to produce meaningful returns on your investment. If you ever feel overwhelmed or need assistance along the way, why not contact one of our experienced SEO specialists? We are here to help provide knowledge and understanding so you can transform potential leads into booked appointments! We invite you to apply now for a call with one of our SEO specialists today and discuss how we can create an SEO campaign tailored just for your practice.

SEO Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

Done for You (Outsource to our expert team!)
Affordable DIY Online SEO courses
Small Group Mastermind SEO Training
1:1 Intensive Training
SEO Training cruise in July 2023

Not sure what’s right for your practice? Read more about our SEO services for speech therapists, read our Ultimate Guide to SEO for Speech Therapists in private practice or apply for a free consultation call with one of our SEO specialists!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana is an experienced private practice owner, having run her own psychotherapy practice for over six years with a team of 12 counselors. For the past five years, Jessica has been helping private practice owners, initially focusing on mental health therapists, and now expanded to a variety of healthcare professionals. Her passion for helping healthcare professionals serve their ideal clients led her to found Simplified SEO Consulting and bring on several other amazing SEO professionals. The Simplified team has helped many private practice owners achieve greater visibility online and attract more clients to their businesses. They value a team approach to SEO and love celebrating the success of the prac

February 6, 2023/0 Comments/by Jessica

SEO Tips, SLP private practice

Why Voice Search is the Future of SEO for SLPs

Voice search has become more popular in recent years. People now use their phone’s virtual assistant to ask questions, make phone calls, and complete tasks. All businesses, including speech and language pathologists, need to optimize their websites for voice search to keep up with this trend. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the implications of voice search for SEO and how SLPs can stay relevant when their target audience has speech and communication concerns.

Why Voice Search for SLPs is the Future of SEO

Speech and language pathologists must optimize their website for voice search to remain relevant in the digital world. Virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa have become more popular, and users now search for solutions by speaking instead of typing. This provides a significant opportunity for SLPs to reach a larger audience and connect more genuinely.

Importance to SLPs who have a target audience with speech and communication concerns

Speech and communication concerns are some of the most common reasons people search for SLPs. It’s only natural to assume that people with such concerns may use voice search to find the right solution. By optimizing their website for voice search, SLPs can be the solution people are looking for. Also, SLPs can offer quick and useful answers to frequently asked questions related to speech and communication through their content on the websites.

Tips for optimizing an SLPs website for voice search

There are several tactics that SLPs can use to optimize their website for voice search. One of them is using conversational language that answers the speaker’s exact questions. Utilize long tail keywords revolving around phrases rather than isolated words that users are more likely to speak. SLPs can format content in list or Q&A formats to help search engines index them properly.

Also, It’s essential to ensure website speed and responsiveness, particularly for mobile users. Google prioritizes quick, responsive websites in voice search results, so make sure your site loads quickly.

Take Advantage of Local SEO

To optimize their website content, SLPs can focus on specific locations, including cities, towns, and neighborhoods. This local SEO strategy can help secure the “near me” search result and connect with potential clients in their area. It is essential to keep contact information up to date and easily accessible on the website. Including reviews and testimonials can also help to establish local authority, build trust, and increase visibility in the community.

Focus on Accurate Content Creation

Optimizing for voice search is more about accuracy than keyword density, so focus on creating accurate, reliable content that accurately suits the needs of users. Aim to create high-quality, informative content that provides insight, unique perspectives, and helpful advice. This generally means having a well written home page, perhaps an FAQ page answering common questions you are asked, some key service pages explaining what you specialize in and an active blog.

Struggling with blogging? Honestly, blog posts can be so helpful for your clients and a key part of your SEO strategy. Yet, this is one of the things our clients often struggle with: regularly publishing high quality blog posts. To help you out, here are three articles I’ve written on blogging specifically for SLPs:

It’s not unusual for voice search devices to pull a response directly from a trustworthy blog. So, really try to think about the questions your clients might ask and as you write your blog post, answer as if it might be verbally read back by a screen reader or displayed at the top of SERP results on a phone screen.

Voice Search SEO will be Increasingly Important

As voice search continues gaining popularity, SLPs need to optimize their website for better visibility and attract users with speech and communication concerns. By using conversational language, creating accurate content, optimizing for local SEO, and ensuring website speed and responsiveness, SLPs can remain relevant and stay ahead of their competitors. Utilizing these tips helps ensure that voice searchers can find an SLP that fits their needs perfectly. So, as a speech and language pathologist, make voice search optimization a top priority, and see your business grow beyond your wildest dreams.

You’re Next Steps Optimizing for Voice Search & Organic Rankings

Looking to stay ahead of the curve in the world of online marketing for SLPs in private practice? Simplified SEO Consulting can help. Here are some next steps you can take to improve your website’s SEO:

Apply to schedule a complimentary SEO consultation with our team to discuss your current SEO efforts and goals.
Sign up for our DIY online SEO courses, which can be easily adapted to fit an SLP private practice.
Join our SEO mastermind group and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to optimize your website and get accountability as you go.
Join Jessica and a select group of practice owners as we optimize on a Caribbean cruise in July 2023.
Or, outsource by working closely with our incredible “Done for You” SEO team.

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

December 14, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

SEO Basics, SLP private practice

5 Common SEO Mistakes SLPs in Private Practice Make

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an essential digital marketing tool that boosts the visibility of your private practice website online. As a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) running a private practice, it’s important to ensure that your website is optimized for search engines to attract more clients. However, getting your SEO right can be a challenge, especially if you aren’t familiar with the best practices. In this post, we’ll highlight five common SEO mistakes that SLPs in private practice often make and provide some tips on how to fix them.

Not having a technically sound website

First, it’s important to have a mobile-optimized website. With more people using their mobile devices to search for services and products online, having a website that isn’t optimized for mobile can negatively affect your website ranking on search engines. To fix this, ensure your website is responsive and easy to navigate on all devices.

Second, I more often these days see private practice owners with a lot of 404 errors on their website. These pesky errors can be a big problem. Website visitors get annoyed when they’re constantly taken to the dreaded “404 error” page. And, Google starts to take notice if you’re website has a lot of errors that start impacting the user experience.

Overuse of keywords

While it’s important to include relevant keywords in your website content and meta descriptions, overloading your website with keywords can hurt your SEO. Search engines can flag your website as spammy, and your website may appear lower in search results. Ensure that you use keywords appropriately and naturally within your content.

Not optimizing page titles and meta descriptions

Page titles and descriptions play a crucial role in optimizing your website for search engines. They offer a summary of the content of a page to search engines and potential visitors. Using clear, concise titles and descriptions that include relevant keywords can boost your website’s ranking in search engine results pages.

Neglecting the importance of local SEO

As an SLP in private practice, you’re likely serving clients in a specific geographic area. Neglecting the importance of local SEO means you’re missing the opportunity to attract local clients. Ensure that your website includes local search terms and that your Google Business Profile is complete and accurate.

Not optimizing images on your website

Images on your website can make your content more engaging and attractive, but they can also slow down your website’s loading speed. Slow loading speed can negatively affect your website’s SEO. So, optimize your images by compressing them, using appropriate alt text, and choosing appropriate file formats.

You absolutely CAN optimize your own website

Optimizing your website for search engines can be a daunting task, but avoiding these common SEO mistakes can help you rank higher on search engine results pages, attract more local clients, and grow your private practice. By having a mobile-friendly website, using keywords appropriately, optimizing page titles and descriptions, prioritizing local SEO, and optimizing your images, you’re well on your way to improving your SEO and getting more clients through your website. Embrace these tips, and don’t hesitate to reach out to a digital marketing expert if you need further guidance.

I know it can seem overwhelming to work on optimizing your private practice website. But you CAN do this. Personally, I’m not very tech savvy at all. Truly, I’m not. But when I started my private practice, I was absolutely determined to make it work. So, I learned how to do this stuff as part of that business building phase. Now, I have an incredible team of SEO specialists at Simplified so I honestly outsource much of the SEO work for my own practice to them. But I realized long ago that if I of all people can do SEO, so can other private practice owners. That’s why often my favorite part of the job is when I wear my training hat and help teach other private practice owners the things I”ve learned.

Next Steps for Optimizing Your Private Practice Website

So, if these are the things you shouldn’t be doing, what SHOULD you do to optimize your website? You can read more about our SEO Services for SLP Private Practice Owners or move on to these “next steps:”

Sign up for KWFinder and start doing some keyword research using these tips!
Start one of our Do-it-Yourself SEO courses (our Top of Search Engines course will have a ton of step by step instructions!)
Join our next Small Group Mastermind
Apply for a call with one of our SEO Specialists to chat about your SEO needs

About the Author:

Jessica Tappana owns a 12 clinician private pay psychotherapy practice in Missouri specializing in anxiety and trauma. Additionally, she started helping other therapists with their SEO about 5 years ago. She strongly believes she does her best work when she’s working with clients who are a great fit and able to say no to not-so-great fits because she knows more calls will come. So, she also believes other healthcare professionals do their best work in similar situations. Therefore, she founded Simplified SEO Consulting to support healthcare professionals in the private practice world. And, she’s grown a team of incredibly talented individuals who are all much more tech-savvy than she is!

November 13, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

SEO Basics, SLP private practice

Keyword Research Tips for Speech Therapists in Private Practice

Looking for help with keyword research as an SLP? As a speech therapist in private practice, keyword research is a vital aspect of your SEO strategy. Proper keyword research ensures that your website and content are found by your target audience, leading to more traffic, higher conversions, and better ROI. Here are some tips on how to conduct effective keyword research for your speech therapy practice.

Understand Your Target Audience

Before you start researching keywords, it is essential to understand your target audience. Who are your ideal clients? What are their needs and pain points? What are their goals and motivations? Knowing your target audience will help you identify the right keywords to use in your marketing efforts.

Brainstorm Relevant Topics for Keyword Research

Once you have a clear idea of your target audience, brainstorm topics that are relevant to your practice. For example, if you specialize in pediatric speech therapy, relevant topics might include language development in children, speech delays, or phonological disorders. These topics will help guide your keyword research.

Use Online Keyword Research Tools

There are many online tools available to help you with keyword research. Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs are all popular options. These tools provide valuable information such as search volume, competition, and related keywords. Use these tools to identify high-volume, low-competition keywords that are relevant to your practice.

My personal favorite keyword research tool is Mangool’s KWFinder. I like that I can choose to look at a specific area. I usually look state wide at keyword data even if I’m targeting a more specific part of the state. Occasionally, I’ll use another tool and I’ve tried out tons of other tools. My second favorite is probably SEMRush, but it’s honestly a lot steeper learning curve to get to where you really use that one effectively.

Understand the competition

Analyzing the top-performing websites in your niche will give you an idea of the kind of content they are ranking for, the keywords they are using, and the level of competition. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz to get detailed information about your competitors’ strategies. Mangools also has some helpful tools for this competitor research such as their SERP Checker & Link Miner.

Analyze and evaluate your keywords

Keyword research isn’t a one-time activity. Keep evaluating the performance of your keywords, and keep an eye on how your website is ranking for them. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to measure your website’s traffic and monitor your keyword rankings.

One really important thing to keep in mind is the user intent of specific keywords. Sometimes, you may find that lots of people are searching for a keyword related to your topic. However, you may realize that they aren’t very likely looking for your services if that’s the keyword they’re using. So, use common sense. And when you identify a keyword to target ask yourself what the person who searches for that is most likely really looking for.

Optimize your website for long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are phrases that contain three or more words and are highly specific. They have lower search volume than short-tail keywords, but they also have lower competition. Use long-tail keywords in your website content to target a more specific audience and improve your chances of ranking for those keywords.

Long tail keywords are essentially golden opportunities. These lower volume but easier to rank for keywords are often your perfect next client. Why? Because they know what they’re looking for. Their language is more specific in their query. These clients are more often really ready to get started.

Use location-specific keywords

If you’re targeting a local audience, use location-specific keywords in your website content. Include the name of your city or region in your keyword research to improve your chances of ranking for location-based searches.

Local SEO is becoming more and more important for private practices. If you’re anything like me, you may have searched a number of times recently for a keyword and a specific location. For example, I asked Siri this evening for the 10 day forecast in Barcelona, Spain because I’m planning a trip and wanted to know the weather in that specific place. And over the weekend, I asked Siri for the best restaurants in the Topeka, KS area when I was going to be traveling through.

This isn’t uncommon for your potential new clients either. So, read some of our blog posts about local SEO and find ways to target location-specific keywords as well.

Use keyword variations

People use different variations of keywords to search for information online. Use keyword variations in your website content to capture a broader audience. You can also use keyword variations to optimize your website for voice search.

Using keyword variations involves using synonyms, related words, and long-tail keywords, which are phrases containing three or more words. For instance, instead of just “speech therapy,” you can use long-tail variations such as “speech therapy exercises for children,” “speech therapy for adults with autism,” or “speech therapy for stroke patients.” By using different keyword variations, you increase your chances of appearing in voice search results and attract more potential clients to your private practice.

Create quality content

No matter how much keyword research you do, it won’t matter if your content isn’t high quality. Focus on creating informative, engaging, and unique content that resonates with your target audience. Make sure your content is easy to read, well-structured, and free of spelling and grammatical errors. This means having service pages that clearly lay out your services and any specialties you may have. And, it generally means blogging regularly as well.

Use keywords naturally

When incorporating keywords, write for your audience, not just for search engines. Use variations throughout your content. Consider the user’s intent when optimizing your page for a particular keyword. Do not stuff your content with keywords, or it may be penalized. Ensure your content is high-quality, relevant, and engaging. Utilize related terms and synonyms to support the primary keyword instead of saying the same word over and over again.

Keep track of your progress

Monitor your website’s ranking and traffic regularly to see the impact of your keyword research efforts. Keep tweaking and adjusting your strategy based on the results you see.

I can’t emphasize this enough. So, so often I see private practice owners tell me they’re working so hard and not seeing any SEO results. They’ve been reading our blog posts and my emails and trying to follow along but are frustrated it’s not working. Then, I ask about how they’re currently ranking and how they’re tracking their rankings. Quickly they sheepishly say that they aren’t tracking their rankings.

Tracking your rankings is SO important. It’s the first sign SEO is working. Often, you’ll rank for a term for weeks before enough people start landing on the website that you have a noticeable increase in calls. Without tracking your progress, you could get discouraged that it’s “not working.” In fact, it is working and you are ranking. OR you can see that you’re moving up and what you’re doing is working but you’re still on that annoying page 2 or 3. So, you know to keep it up until you get to that page 1 spot.

Don’t Overlook Keyword Research…But Don’t Obsess Either

Keyword research is an essential part of SEO, and it’s very helpful for speech therapists in private practice to use it to their advantage. By understanding your target audience, analyzing your competition, and optimizing your website content, you can improve your website’s visibility and attract more clients to your practice.

However, keep in mind that keyword research is an ongoing process. It requires constant monitoring and adjustment to stay relevant. And, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. As helpful as I think Keyword Research is when you’re doing super intense optimization, if you find it overwhelming then start with just writing really great, client-focused content. You’ll naturally use some keywords. Or just pick one keyword you *think* people are using even if it’s not perfect.

Imperfect action is certainly better than no action when it comes to SEO!

Your Next Steps Optimizing Your Private Practice Website

Read more about our SEO Services for SLPs in private practice or move on to one of these next steps:

Read my Ultimate Guide to SEO for SLPs blog post
Sign up for KWFinder and start doing some keyword research using these tips!
Start one of our Do-it-Yourself SEO courses
Join our next Small Group Mastermind
Apply for a call with one of our SEO Specialists to chat about your SEO needs

October 10, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

SLP private practice

Blogging Tips for Speech Language Pathologists

Blogging is a great way to grow a professional brand and join in on the online conversation. And it’s an important part of a solid SEO strategy. In fact, no matter which one of our SEO services for private practices you go with, if you’re working with us, we’re probably recommending you blog. However, if you’ve never blogged before, or if you’re just getting started with your own blog, it can be hard to know where to begin.

Blogging can feel overwhelming at first and we’ve seen many private practice owners feel so overwhelmed they just avoid blogging altogether. But we know you have great information to share with the world. And we want to help improve your knowledge about blogging and motivation to get started. That’s why we’ve put together some general blogging tips for speech language pathologists that will help you get started so that you can get the most out of your blog.

Why Blogging for SLPs is Important

Blogging is a great way to share your knowledge with others, stay up to date on the latest trends in speech-language pathology and build your reputation as an expert in your field. It can also help you network with other professionals and improve your SEO because Google starts seeing you as an “expert” and see your website as an authority on that topic.

Blogging gives you a great way to communicate with existing clients-you can even assign blog posts to a client or parent as homework between times that they see you!

Blogging gives credibility as an expert on speech. In fact, it may even result in media sources reaching out to you when they’re doing stories on related topics and finding your post during their research. That has happened to me before and it’s an amazing feeling!

How to Choose a Blog Post Topic that helps your SEO

Choosing a topic is one of the most important parts of writing a blog. Here are some things to consider:

Choose a topic that you are passionate about and an expert in. Your passion will come through in your writing, and it will be easier for readers to trust what you have to say if they know that this is something that matters deeply to you.
Consider using tools like Answer The Public, AI tools or even the “related searches” at the bottom of Google SERP results (SERP = Search Engine Results Page). These tools can help you determine which topics would work best for both online search engine optimization purposes as well as helping potential clients find answers before their first appointment with you.
What do you wish clients knew before their first appointment with you? Write a blog about that!
What topics or tips do you find yourself hurriedly giving caregivers between sessions? Write a more detailed answer you can point them to in a blog post!
What questions do your patients or their families usually ask? These make excellent topics, particularly in a world where voice searches are more and more common.

Still need help coming up with ideas? Check out this blog post I wrote to help SLPs in private practice generate ideas for blog posts.

What Type of Content Should You Include In a blog post?

In order to ensure that your blog post is engaging and effective, you should include a variety of content types. This will help keep readers interested and give them an easier way to digest the information that you are providing. Here are some examples of what type of content can be included in a blog post:

Images: Including visuals in your blog post can help break up the text and draw attention to key points.
Videos: If you have a video that is relevant to your content, embedding videos can be a great way to give readers an even more detailed overview of the topic you are discussing.
Quotes: Quoting experts or other professionals who have knowledge on the subject you are writing about can help add more credibility to your content and provide readers with a different perspective.
Lists: Listing tips or resources that you have found helpful in your practice is an effective way to break up the text and provide valuable information for readers.

Write catchy, informative, and keyword-filled headlines and subheadings within the content body of each blog post.

An important part of your blog post is the title or headline. A catchy and informative headline will encourage readers to click on it. Balance that with the understanding that a keyword-filled heading will help search engines find your content more easily. So…writing a title for a blog post can be a bit tricky. You’re balancing SEO and trying to entice people to read what you wrote.

You should support this title/heading with subheadings that are relevant. These essentially act as an outline for the rest of your blog post. This gives readers a clear idea of what information they can expect from each section within your article. Importantly, it is easier for them to skim through if they don’t have time to read everything all at once (which we know happens often!). Don’t forget though–you still need some keywords in there too!

It’s also important not to overdo it with keywords. IWhy? Honestly, people can see right through a blog post that’s totally keyword stuffed. People want content that’s easy to read and understand. Content that flows nicely and provides truly helpful information. So, it’s best practice to avoid TOO many keywords in subheadings. Instead of overdoing it too much on the keyword, focus on creating valuable content that speaks directly towards topics related specifically to helping your clients and their caregivers. The bottom line is that Google rewards good content. So, if you focus on helping your clients and their caregivers, Google should reward you in time.

Tips for Optimizing Your Blog Posts for SEO

Use keywords strategically

When you’re writing a blog post, think about the keywords or phrases that potential clients might use to search for speech therapy services in your area. These keywords should be used throughout your post, but make sure to use them naturally and not overdo it. For example, if you specialize in working with children who have apraxia, include this keyword in your blog post title and within the content of your post.

Blog posts are particularly helpful to target long-tail keywords. Simply think of a question about speech therapy people often ask you (the question is the long-tail keyword here) and write an entire blog post about it!

Optimize your headings & subheadings

Headings not only make your blog post easier to read, but they can also help with your SEO. Make sure to include at least one H1 heading in your post, which should contain your primary keyword. Additionally, use H2 and H3 headings throughout your post to break up the content and include secondary keywords. For example, if you’re writing a post about speech therapy for children with autism, you might include an H2 heading titled “How Speech Therapy Can Help Children with Autism.”

Include internal and external links

Linking to other pages on your website can help search engines understand the structure of your site and the relationships between your pages. Additionally, including external links to reputable sources can improve your credibility with search engines. For example, if you’re writing a post about speech therapy for children with stuttering, you might create an internal link to a page on your site that talks about your experience working with children who stutter, as well as to an external resource from a reputable organization like the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

SEO Services for Speech Therapists in Private Practice

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a range of SEO services for speech therapists in private practice. We have several small group SEO training options, an individual training program, and our popular “done for you” service that can take your SEO efforts to the next level. We also offer affordable DIY courses and even an upcoming SEO training cruise that you don’t want to miss! Contact us today & apply to get started. Together, we can increase your reach to potential clients and help them find the services they’re looking for.

We look forward to connecting with you! Happy optimizing!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana, MSW, LCSW, is the driving force behind Simplified SEO Consulting. Though not an SLP (she’s a LCSW and owns a private practice offering psychotherapy), she has a deep respect and admiration for the work they do. With a team of SEO experts, she is dedicated to helping SLPs improve their online visibility. Through using effective SEO techniques and a whole lot of teamwork, they help speech therapists attract the clients who need them most.

September 8, 2022/1 Comment/by Jessica

SEO Basics, SLP private practice

Coming up with Blog Post Topics as an SLP: Why Blogging Can Be Helpful for Speech Pathologists & Lots of Practical Ideas

Blogging can be an incredibly useful tool for speech pathologists. Not only does it allow you to reach a broader audience and connect with potential clients who may be searching for speech therapy support online, but it is also a great way to build your credibility within your field. Creating high-quality content that offers valuable insights and tips for parents or caregivers of children with speech difficulties can help build trust with your audience and position you as a thought leader in the industry.

However, coming up with new and creative blog post topics can be a challenge. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with some practical tips and ideas for generating a wide range of topics that will be relevant to your audience and help you enhance your online presence.

Start With Common Questions as Blog Post Topics

One of the best ways to come up with blog post topics is to think about the most common questions that parents or caregivers of children with speech difficulties (or your adult clients) tend to ask. What are the most common struggles that they may face when it comes to speech therapy? What advice have you given parents in the past that could be turned into a blog post?

For example, you could write a blog post that addresses common myths about speech therapy. Or, you could provide useful tips on how to help children who are struggling with articulation. Whatever topic you choose, make sure it is something that your audience will find helpful and informative.

Focus on Your Expertise

As an SLP, you have a unique set of skills and experience that can help you to generate interesting and informative blog post topics. Things that almost seem like common sense to you now are still unknown to the average person.

It’s even better if you can lean into your unique specialties. The things you have sought out training on or run into in practice that not everyone has. Think about the types of speech disorders you specialize in, and then create blog posts that provide insightful information on the topic.

For example, if you specialize in treating children with stuttering disorders, you could create a post that discusses the emotional impact of stuttering on children and their families. You could also write a post about how to communicate more effectively with children who stutter. By focusing on your expertise, you can establish yourself as a credible and authoritative source for helpful, informative content.

Share Your Own Experiences

Another effective way to generate blog post topics is to draw from your own experiences as a speech pathologist. Of course, you want to respect the confidentiality of specific clients you’ve worked with. But a little bit of appropriate self-disclosure can be a great way to connect with your audience and provide valuable insights into the speech therapy process.

Stay Current with Trends and Research

As a speech pathologist, you need to stay up-to-date with current trends and research in your field. This can be a great source of inspiration for blog post topics. For example, if you read about a new speech therapy technique or tool that has been recently introduced, you could create a post that discusses the benefits and drawbacks of using that approach.

Alternatively, you could write about emerging trends in speech therapy, such as the growing use of teletherapy. By staying current with the latest research and trends, you can position yourself as a trusted and knowledgeable source for speech therapy information.

You can even predict where the industry might be heading in the next few years and share your thoughts on what changes might be on the horizon.

Broaden Your Scope

Finally, don’t be afraid to broaden your scope and write about topics that may not seem directly related to speech pathology. For example, you could write about tools and techniques for improving communication skills in general or discuss the importance of early intervention for speech disorders.

By broadening your scope, you can reach a wider audience and appeal to a broader range of individuals who may be interested in learning more about speech therapy.

Blogging Helps You AND Your Clients

Blogging is a great way to stay informed and connected with your clients. It can help you keep up with current trends, share practical tips, and provide insight into the speech therapy process. By using the tips and strategies outlined in this post, you can generate a wide range of topics that will be helpful, informative, and engaging for your audience. Remember, the key is to focus on providing value and establishing yourself as a thought leader in your field. With dedication and effort, you can create a successful blog that enhances your online presence and supports your private practice. And, better SEO is sure to follow!

You may also choose to write guest blog posts for other SLPs or professionals who refer to you. This is a great way to build backlinks! Just make sure you’re giving them unique content and not something from your own site. If you really like a blog post you wrote on your own site, you can “reuse” the idea by rewriting the blog post to use other words but say similar things. This can be easier than starting from scratch. It’s just that Google will prefer that each website has it’s own, unique content.

Write & Optimize Your Blog

Now, please don’t stop at just selecting topics. That part is fun, but it’s so important you then put pen to paper. Or fingers to the keyboard as the case may be. I see a lot of practice owners overthink blog posts. Do your best to just write as if you’re talking to a client or parent or another person in the community about that topic. Don’t worry too much about optimizing in the moment that you’re writing. That can get overwhelming fast. Instead, just focus on providing helpful information in a conversational tone.

Once you’ve written your blog posts, I encourage you to do some on-page SEO work. Add relevant photos, add in some subheadings, find a couple places to add keywords, write a great meta description and request indexing on Google Search Console for the new post. Still want more blogging tips? Check out this blog and this one I’ve written with optimizing tips for speech therapists.

Looking for More SEO & Website Tips?

If you’re interested in learning more about SEO and how to create an effective website for your private practice, make sure to check out our other blog posts. And, if you’re ready to take your SEO to the next level, Simplified SEO Consulting has a variety of SEO services and resources for private practice owners.

Potential next steps:

Read other blog posts we’ve written
Purchase one of our DIY courses
Sign up for our Small Group Intensive
Meet with one of our team members to learn more about our other SEO services for SLPs:
Done for You SEO Services
1:1 Personalized SEO Training
Carribean SEO Training cruise in July 2023

August 14, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

SEO Tips, SLP private practice

Mastering Internal Linking for Optimal SEO in Your SLP Practice

You’ve been working on your SEO for some time and trying to follow our advice, but are still struggling to get ranking. What’s next?

First, hopefully you’re focusing your efforts initially on optimizing your website’s key pages. I think of on-page optimization as building a strong foundation for SEO. Internal linking is an important part of on page SEO.

What are internal links?

Internal links are hyperlinks that point from one page of your website to another. Search engine crawlers use these links to index and rank the pages on your site. Your content should include relevant internal links, as this will help you pass PageRank (Google’s ranking algorithm) from one page to another.

For example, an SLP website homepage would contain internal links to their services page, location page and contact page. It’s important to use relevant anchor text for your internal links. This means that not only should you be linking to the correct pages, but also using words that accurately describe the content on the other side of the link.

What’s the Difference Between Internal vs. External Links?

If you’re new to SEO, you may have heard both of these terms but not really understand the difference. That said, it’s pretty simple: External links point away from your website and internal links point to a different page still on your website. Both are an important part of a comprehensive SEO strategy. For external links, you may choose to link to a couple high quality other sites. And of course, you want to build backlinks by getting others to include external links from their website to yours. But today, we’re going to focus on those internal links pointing between pages of your own site.

Why is Internal Linking Important?

Internal linking has a number of benefits for your website’s SEO and is an important part of on-page SEO. First, it helps search engines like Google and Bing understand the structure and organization of your site, making it easier for them to crawl and index your pages. This can lead to better visibility and higher search rankings over time.

In addition, internal linking helps to establish relationships between different pages of your site, passing “link equity” from one page to another. When you link from a high-authority page to a lower-authority page, some of that authority is passed along, potentially boosting the search ranking of the lower-authority page.

Finally, internal linking helps to create a better user experience for your site visitors. By linking related pages together, you make it easier for visitors to find the information they need and navigate your site. This then leads to longer dwell times and potentially better engagement metrics. In other words, it makes life easier for your website visitors and encourages them to find all of the helpful information you’re putting out into the world!

How Many Internal Links Do I Need?

It’s been my experience that most private practice owners don’t use nearly enough internal links on their website. This is just a common SEO mistake private practice owners make on their websites. I recommend including at least a few internal links on each page of your site, and multiple links if it makes sense.

I remember when I was first learning about internal links, I put a couple here and there on my website. At the time, I was telling my husband about what I was learning. Then, one night he was reading ESPN.com and said, “Hey Jessica, is this what you mean by internal links?” Sure enough, he was pointing to an internal link in the article he was reading. But what surprised me was how MANY internal links were on that one page of the site! There were a ton!

It’s not like that with every website, but it did help me realize I had been underutilizing internal links on my own site. It was a great reminder that there really is no limit to the number of internal links you can use as long as they are relevant and useful to your visitors. But that’s the catch-internal links should make sense. They should help your readers find other pages of your website that would be logical to look at for more information about the topic mentioned.

How to Implement Internal Linking on Your Private Practice Website

Now that you know the importance of internal linking and how many links to use, you’re probably wondering how to go about actually implementing them. Here are a few tips:

1. Prioritize the key pages of your website:

Identify the most important pages of your site. These might include your homepage, services pages, and contact page. Make sure that these pages are linked to frequently throughout your site.

2. Include anchor text for internal links:

Anchor text is the words that are hyperlinked to a different page. Use descriptive language that accurately describes the content on the other side of the link. In other words, use words that make sense and make it clear to readers where the link will take them. The anchor text should give website visitors a good idea what the page they’re going to is about.

3. Link related pages together:

Look for opportunities to link related pages together, such as your blog posts or FAQs pages. One thing I like to do is put a “Check out our blogs about _____” section on each service page. Then, I link list a bunch of blog posts I’ve written on that topic. This gets links to each of those pages which shows Google they matter. However, it also provides useful information to potential clients and encourages them to stay on the site longer. On the flip side, I also link every single blog post I write to one or more of my service pages.

4. Use internal links in your content:

Add relevant internal links to the content you’re writing, such as blog posts or web page copy. Not only does this provide more link equity for those pages but it also provides visitors with easy access to other related information on your site. For example, if you’re an SLP running a private practice and you wrote blog post on expressive language, you could link to a page about speech therapy services at the end of the post. This provides readers with easy access to more information about how they can get help from you and encourages them to explore other areas of your website.

Don’t Overlook Internal Links When Optimizing

Using internal links on your website is important for SEO and providing a better experience for website visitors. It’s also really helpful for encouraging Google to index your entire website. When you’re optimizing your individual website pages for SEO, please do not overlook this important element. Start by adding internal links to your key pages and then build outward from there.

It may feel odd at first. In fact, you may at first feel like you’re putting too many links in. However, it’s been my experience that most practice owners actually underuse internal links. As long as you’re linking relevant pages together, you’ll be in great shape!

SEO Services for Private Practice Owners

If you’re looking for help with optimizing your private practice website, look no further than Simplified SEO Consulting. Our team of experts specializes in helping healthcare private practices increase their visibility online. Our SEO services for SLPs include a variety of done-for-you SEO services as well as various seo training options including affordable DIY courses and small group intensives. Contact us today to get started!

About the Author

Jessica Tappana is the founder and CEO of Simplified SEO Consulting. She owns a group psychotherapy practice with around 12 clinicians and began learning SEO when she was initially trying to grow her own private practice. Since then, she’s hired a small group of SEO professionals all of whom she describes as being smarter than she is…especially when it comes to techy things! She has really high expectations for offering excellent customer service and believes in using the strengths of each SEO Specialist which drives our team approach to optimizing.

July 13, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

SEO Basics, SLP private practice

Examples of Meta Descriptions for Speech Therapists in Private Practice

As a speech therapist, you have a unique and important skill set that can truly make a difference in the lives of your clients. But running a successful private practice is more than just providing excellent services. It’s also about making sure your practice is easily found by potential clients online.

You already know the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) for your private practice website, but maybe you’re not sure where to start or how to improve your website’s SEO. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with some tips and tricks for optimizing your website’s meta descriptions – a small but crucial aspect of SEO. We’ll also provide you with some sample meta descriptions to help get you started.

We’ve written before about what a meta description is and shared lots of tips for optimizing your meta descriptions on your websites. But over the years we’ve had many, many requests for more examples of meta descriptions. And now that we’re expanding to work with more speech therapists in private practice, we wanted to make sure to offer some examples specific to your field as well.

What is a Meta Description?

A meta description is a short summary of a webpage that appears underneath the page’s title in search engine results. It is typically 150-155 characters long and gives a brief overview of what the page is about. Meta descriptions can impact click-through rates and are an important element of on-page SEO.

Is it worth taking the time to write a meta description for each page of my site?

Absolutely! Writing a unique meta description for each page of your site helps people know what to expect when they land on your website. There is some debate about if search engines pay much attention to meta descriptions, but the people looking at search results absolutely do! A meta description is your way of suggesting to Google the page description is shows potential visitors and the best tool you have for convincing people to choose your website to click on from the list of sites that show up in search results.

Examples of Meta Descriptions for Speech Therapist Websites

Title: Private Practice Speech Therapy in London

Meta Description: Providing speech therapy services for children and adults in London. Visit our website to learn more.

Title: Speech Therapy in Sydney, Australia

Meta Description: Experienced SLPs providing speech and language therapy services for children and adults in Sydney. Contact us to book an appointment.

Title: Meet Your Speech Therapist – Charlotte, NC 28270

Meta Description: Anne is a Charlotte-based speech therapist near Davidson who specializes in helping children overcome speech and language difficulties. Meet her today!

Title: Meet Our Speech Therapist in Melbourne, Australia

Meta Description: Our Melbourne-based speech therapist has years of experience working with children & adults who stutter or have articulation concerns. Learn more!

Title: Speech Therapy Services in Pacific Palisades, California 90272

Meta Description: Our Los Angeles area SLPs provide speech therapy services for infants, children & adults. Contact us to book an appointment.

Title: Pediatric Speech Therapy in Houston, TX

Meta Description: Our Houston-based SLPs specialize in pediatric speech therapy services. Learn more about our approach on our website.

Title: Adult Speech Therapy – Speech Associates in Toronto, Ontario

Meta Description: Our Toronto-based SLPs provide speech therapy services for adults. Contact us to book an appointment.

Title: Speech Therapy Services for Autism – Vancouver, British Columbia

Meta Description: Our Vancouver-based SLPs provide speech therapy services for individuals with autism. Learn more on our website.

Title: Speech Therapy for Stuttering – Speech, Voice & Language Clinic – Chicago, IL 60601

Meta Description: Our Chicago-based SLPs specialize in speech therapy services for stuttering. Contact us to book an appointment.

Title: Language Therapy – ABC Communication – Philadelphia, PA

Meta Description: Our Philadelphia-based SLPs provide a wide range of language therapy services for infants, children & adults. Learn more!

Title: Speech Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease – New York City 11235

Meta Description: At our speech therapy office in West Brighton, Brooklyn, our SLPs provide speech therapy services for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Title: Meet Your Speech Therapist – Speak Freely Speech Therapy in Dallas, TX

Meta Description: Gina is a Dallas-based speech therapist with years of experience helping individuals who have speech & language difficulties. Learn more about her services!

Title: Speech Therapy for Hearing Impaired – Seattle, Washington 98101

Meta Description: Our Seattle-based SLPs specialize in speech therapy services for individuals who are deaf or have hearing impairments. Visit our website to learn more.

Title: Meet Your Speech Therapist – Jasmine Joy Speech Therapy – Atlanta, GA

Meta Description: Our Atlanta-based speech therapist specializes in helping children and adults overcome speech and language difficulties. Meet her today!

Title: Speech Therapy for Aphasia – Stephanie Jones – Miami, FL 33152

Meta Description: Our Miami-based SLPs provide speech therapy services for individuals with aphasia. Contact us to book an appointment.

Title: Speech Therapy Services in San Francisco, CA

Meta Description: Our San Francisco-based SLPs provide speech therapy services for children and adults. Learn more on our website.

Title: Meet Our Speech Therapist in Dublin, Ireland

Meta Description: Our Dublin-based speech therapist has years of experience helping children and adults overcome speech and language difficulties. Learn more about her on our website.

Title: Contact Our Office – Manchester, NY 14504

Meta Description: Contact us to book an appointment with our Manchester-based SLPs. We provide speech therapy services for children and adults.

Title: Speech Therapy for Dyslexia – Edinburgh

Meta Description: Our Edinburgh-based SLPs specialize in speech therapy services for individuals with dyslexia. Learn more on our website.

Title: Speech Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury – Ottawa, Ontario

Meta Description: Our Ottawa-based SLPs provide speech therapy services for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. Contact us to book an

A few Notes About These Meta Descriptions:

I wrote these all very quickly. Typically I take more time to write meta descriptions and then our team revises them about three times during a single month of optimizing. So please know that these aren’t the end all be all, best ever examples of meta descriptions. And they’re a little generic. But they at least let you get a feel for meta descriptions.

You’ll also notice that in some of the meta titles, particularly those in more competitive parts of the United States, we included a zip code. I don’t love doing that, because I think it looks a little odd. But sometimes I do, particularly if I’m frustrated because a website just isn’t ranking as well as I’d like it to. And it does seem to help Google really pinpoint where you are wanting to rank. So, I tried to do it in a few examples here and not in others.

Sometimes I included the name of the practice or, if the example was a solo practice, the specific SLP’s name. You don’t have to do this, but I think it’s helpful when there is room to do that. The truth is that it’s pretty easy to rank for the name of your practice or your own name. But I still like to include it when it makes sense for clarity.

Meta Descriptions are One Part of Optimizing Your Private Practice Website

When a private practice owner wants to optimize their own website, meta descriptions are one of the first things I teach them to do. Why? Because I like writing meta descriptions myself I suppose is the real answer. It’s a small chore to write one or two little sentences. So, it seems less overwhelming that some other SEO techniques. And it helps the people who see your site in search results because it tells them what to expect on the page when they visit it.

But, it’s important to understand that just writing meta descriptions is unlikely to get your website ranking on it’s own. It’s one small piece of the puzzle. An important one. Often one of the first steps we want to take. In fact, keyword research and then meta descriptions are the first two things our staff members do each month. But it truly is only one piece of the puzzle.

Looking for more help or resources optimizing your Speech Therapy website?

Now that you have a better understanding of meta descriptions, it’s time to start optimizing your private practice website to improve your search engine ranking. However, we know that it can be overwhelming and time-consuming to handle all of this on your own. That’s where Simplified SEO Consulting comes in! We offer a variety of SEO services & resources for speech therapists. Our team of experts has years of experience in helping private practice owners, including speech therapists, achieve their SEO goals. From our affordable DIY courses to our small group training and even our Done for You SEO Services, we’re here to help. Apply for a free SEO consultation today to learn more about how we can help you take your private practice to the next level.

About the Author:

Jessica Tappana is the founder and CEO of Simplified SEO Consulting, a company dedicated to helping private practice owners improve their online visibility through effective SEO strategies. With over 6 years of experience owning a successful private practice and working with other mental health professionals, Jessica understands the unique challenges and opportunities that come with running a private practice. She has assembled a team of highly skilled SEO experts, including one team member who specializes in Google Business Profile management, to provide top-notch services to private practice owners across the country. When she’s not working, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

May 13, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica

Local SEO, SEO Tools, SLP private practice

Google Business Profile for Speech Therapists: Tips to Optimize Your Profile

As a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), you know the importance of connecting with potential clients and making it easy for them to find you. A Google Business Profile is a powerful tool to do just that. Not only does it allow you to showcase your business information, but it also increases your visibility in local search results. In this article, we’ll go over tips to optimize your Google Business Profile for maximum exposure.

Claim Your Business Profile

The first step to optimizing your Google Business Profile is to claim it. This involves verifying your business information with Google. Once verified, you’ll have full access to your profile and be able to make edits and updates. This can be done through the Google Business app, or on the website.

Fill Out Your Profile Details

Once you’ve claimed your profile, it’s time to start entering information. Make sure to fill out all relevant sections in order to create a complete profile. Include details such as business name, address, phone number, website URL, hours of operation, and services you offer. You can also add descriptions about your practice and the types of conditions you treat. You can even note if you’re business is woman owned, BIPOC owned, veteran owned, etc. Then, you can choose attributes such as “wheelchair accessible.”

Basically, it’s important to fill out absolutely as much as you can on your Google Business Profile. The more information you give it, the easier it can determine when your business is relevant to show in search results.

Add Photos

Your profile should have several photos to give potential clients an idea of what it will be like to work with you. Upload a few professional headshots as well as images that capture your work environment and the types of services you offer.

Keep Your Business Information Accurate

Make sure your business information is accurate and up-to-date. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, and hours of operation. Consistent and accurate information (especially your name, address & phone number) across all platforms is important for local search ranking.

Use Keywords

Incorporating relevant keywords into your Google Business Profile can improve your local search ranking. I even think about this when I’m writing updates on my page. For example, I’ll share a new blog post that just published and in the small description on Google Business Profile I’ll use one or two keywords I think potential clients may be searching for.

Respond to Reviews

Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you value your clients’ feedback and are committed to providing excellent service. Of course, you do want to respect your client’s privacy and be as professional as possible. So, if there is a negative review , take the time to respond politely and consider simply encouraging them to reach out directly to your practice.

Post Updates

By posting updates on your Google Business Profile, you can keep your profile fresh and relevant. Share any new services or events you may be offering, upcoming workshops you’ll be attending, or even just a friendly message about the office environment. I personally really like to share new blog posts as updates on Google Business Profile. You can use this as an opportunity to remind potential clients of who you are and what you do.

Google My Business is another great way to improve your SEO

Google Business Profile shows both clients and search engines that your business is “legit” and can help potential clients find you. By taking the time to optimize your profile, you can increase visibility and be on your way to growing your private practice.

SEO Services for Private Practice with Simplified SEO Consulting

If you’re looking for a more in-depth SEO services tailored to private practice, reach out to Simplified SEO Consulting. We understand that managing a speech therapy practice is time-consuming. And, the ins and outs of SEO can be tricky. That’s why we provide personalized solutions designed specifically for helping professionals such as Private Practice Speech Language Pathologists who want to improve their online visibility.

Simplified SEO Consulting offers a wide range of services from our popular “done for you” services (we still get tons of information from you to make sure we understand your practice but do the bulk of the work) to our training options. If you want to learn to optimize your website yourself, we have a small group intensive training offered a couple times a year (including an upcoming 4-6 person SEO training cruise in July 2023), a 1:1 training program where you work directly with our COO on optimizing your website or really affordable DIY courses.

About the Author

Jessica Tappana is an experienced private practice owner and SEO expert. She has been helping private practice owners with their SEO for over 5 years and has grown a small team of SEO specialists who each bring their own amazing talents to the table. In fact, one of her team members has come to specialize in Google Business Profile management.

As the founder and CEO of Simplified SEO Consulting, Jessica is passionate about helping SLP private practice owners optimize their Google Business Profile to increase their visibility online. With her team’s expertise, she provides valuable tips and strategies for SLPs to improve their online presence and attract more clients.

April 13, 2022/0 Comments/by Jessica