Training Archives - Simplified SEO Consulting

Resources for Inclusive Photos + Alt Text Examples

Resource Guide: Photo Alt Text and Title Examples + Inclusive Resources for Photos

I have been very passionate for a while on creating impactful and effective alt text, alt titles, and having inclusive and accurately representative photos. Truly, I really hate looking at a website that has stereotypical and offensive photos that don’t accurately depict people’s struggles, needs, and identity. I know it can be hard to find the right photos at times, but we still have a duty to create content on our websites that allow clients to see themselves and their experiences.

Photo Alt Text, Optimizing Photos, & Titles Examples

Within couples therapy websites there are so many keywords you can use. This is an example of how I would formulate photo text in general. The general format I am looking at is as follows:

Know that you can do 3-5 zip codes and keywords. Make sure not to over optimize or keyword stuff.

Photo Alt Text: Semi-longer photo description ( *not denoting mental health). Sentence with keyword about struggle. A sentence with keyword establishing hope. Sentence with keyword establishing next steps.

*When it comes to some websites, their policies include making sure not to negatively attribute the photo or the person in the photo to some “negative” mental health stigma. This is the rules of some websites, not necessarily ours, so make sure to read the fine print when you are getting paid or free photos from sites.

Couples Therapy Website

Alt Title: Couple holding on to each other noses touching | Marriage Counseling and Couples Therapy in Chicago, IL | EFT therapy | Relationship Therapist | 60602 |60603 |60604

Alt Text: A couple with noses touching embracing while in love. Marriage counseling and couples therapy in Chicago, IL is not a place where relationships go to die. Working with a relationship therapist means you care and want to work on your relationship. Connect emotionally once again in EFT therapy in Illinois today!

Child and Teen Therapist

Photo Alt Text: Child curled up into a ball with parent comforting them. You never want to see your child hurting. Maybe you’ve tried child therapy or therapy for teens in Tampa, Fl before and felt it wasn’t helpful, but with the right child therapist or teen therapist, it can be. We encourage you to reach out soon!

Addiction Treatment Center

Alt Title: Disabled father hugging daughter | Substance Abuse Therapy | Substance Abuse Counseling in Los Angeles, CA | Drug Abuse Counselor | 90040 | 90058 | 90201 | 90220

Alt Text: Father in wheelchair hugging smiling daughter in yellow. Our Drug abuse and addictions counselors understand how hard substance abuse is to overcome alone. Substance abuse counseling in Los Angles, CA doesn’t need to be a lonely journey. Let our team help you in substance abuse therapy soon!

Private Medical Practice

Photo Alt Title: Client talking to medical professional | Pain Doctor in Denver, CO| Pain Management Doctors | Chronic Illness Management | 80001 | 80002 | 80003

Photo Alt Text: Woman in black sweater and pink hair talking with doctor on laptop. A pain doctor in Denver, CO can help you with pain and chronic illness management. Our pain management doctors are some of the best in their field. Call now and get support.

Speech and Language Pathologist

Alt Title: A man with his hands up in the air | Speech Therapist in Westchester, NY | SLP Therapy | Speech Therapist for Adults |10701 |10801 | 10573

Alt Text: Man with his hands up in the air. We all communicate differently, and sometimes with need a speech therapist for adults in Westchester, NY. You are not alone! SLP therapy is meant to help you connect again and feel safe in how you communicate. Start working with a speech therapist in New York today!

Dietician

Photo Alt Title: Man in the background with plant | Medical nutrition therapy | Registered Dietician in Austin, Texas | Nutrition Therapy | 78613 | 78610 | 78613

Photo Alt Text: Plant in foreground and black man in the background. Our team of registered dieticians in Austin, Texas can help you navigate nutritional concerns, eating disordered, health concerns, and more. We offer nutrition therapy and medical nutrition therapy in Texas both in-person or online.

Eating Disorder Therapist

Alt Text: Woman with chocolates on table and hands in head distressed. Sometimes we struggle to manage food and body on our own. An eating disorder therapist in Atlanta, GA who offers eating disorder therapy, anorexia treatment, and bulimia treatment can help. Call now and book a free consultation.

One great website you can use is alt text generator. It doesn’t add in keywords, but if you struggle to come up with the initial photo description, this is a good resource.

Photo Sites and Their Algorithm

One issue that really gets under my skin is how algorithms on websites are created. For example, when I am trying to find natural curly hair or hair routines on Pinterest, usually what happens is that people who look nothing like me show up. Typing in natural on a site often alludes to POC, but algorithms are often white washed by the majority.

So imagine creating a therapy website where photos “appear” diverse enough, but actually don’t show the realistic side of some ones experience. Likewise, if you are an ED therapist and all your photos show angry plus sized people or a black woman eating a salad, or stereotypical person “overeating” photos, that often stigmatized and adds to the stereotype.

One problem with the algorithm is often in order to find representative photos, you have to type in offensive or rude texts in order to find the right content. Honestly, as a therapist that infuriates me. Plus, if you as a mental health professional have a deeper attachment to the issues you work with that can also be triggering to you.

So, how do we get inclusive and representative photos without having work with the algorithm on certain sites? I have created a list of websites that you can use for finding photos that are more inclusive and real.

Where and How to Find Representative, Inclusive, and Diverse Photos ( Free + Paid)

Open AI

This is a great resource if you want to have AI create your photos. Coming up with descriptions for this is hit or miss, but its a great up and coming option.

https://openai.com/product/dall-e-2 25 free photos per month

Creative Market

If you like a mix of cartoon animations and site aesthetics, this is a great option. The photos are affordable for a set and once you purchase a commercial license the content can be used in many areas.

https://creativemarket.com/ArtOlB/5946532-CURVY-GIRLS-FLOWERS-LINE-ART

Tonl

This is a paid service, but has a group of wonderfully diverse photos. The categories are based on topics like trust, tradition, tone, and travel, among others.

https://tonl.co/

Gender Spectrum Vice

Let’s face it, finding photos that accurately represent the LGBTQIA+ community are sparse, this is a free site that offers many different options for you to add to your site.

https://genderspectrum.vice.com/

Nappy

Finding diversity in photos for black and BIPOC individuals is complicated. Luckily nappy is working to make this more accessible.

https://nappy.co/

Iwaria

Black and African culture are not the same, therefore, if you work with African clients, this site is for you. Likewise, being nationally and internationally inclusive is necessary for any clinician.

https://iwaria.com/

Big Stock Photos

This is a site the Simplified SEO Consulting using personally and for our Done for you clients. Now, I will admit, it does take a specific strategy to find the photos you need without being stereotypical or stigmatizing. I often say, don’t search for the thing you are looking for and you will find what you need.

So if I type in native women, I am likely to get tribal representations, however if I type in business woman ethic, or indigenous, or sometime similar it will narrow the results. Its unfortunately we have to find what we need inversely, but it is possible.

https://www.bigstockphoto.com/

Flickr (Women in Tech)

Looking for fierce women in tech of all ethnicities, races, religions, and so on? You have found the right site.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wocintechchat/

CreateHERStock

This is a paid service with some options for freebies ( which is currently being updated). If you are looking for more representative photos of men, non-binary, and women. Then this is for you.

https://createherstock.com/

Wrap Up on Private Practice SEO

You are responsible for allowing clients to see themselves in your website message, photos, and design. User experience and design play a big role on our brand. Try your hands at photo descriptions. Be intentional about the descriptions, and check out these resources, especially if you are struggling to find sites that represent your ideal clients.

Learn How to Begin Optimizing Photos, Descriptions and Choose Inclusive Photos with Our Webinar!

We are hosting a webinar on April 7th for Alt Text and Diversity. We’d love to have you attend. You can also purchase the recording from our website afterwards. In the meantime, if you want support with your SEO, our team of experts will work with you every step of the way. Simplified SEO Consulting can help you begin developing content and best practices for your online and in-person presence. So don’t let confusion stop you from having an effective website – contact us today by following these simple steps:

Apply to work with our team
Once approved schedule your 45-minute consultation
Learn about our team!
Start adding intentional photos and alt text to your site.

Other Services At Simplified SEO Consulting

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

About the Author

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

April 3, 2023/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess

Business Tips, SEO Basics, Training

Do You Have the Best Website Structure for SEO?

Are you building a website, doing a redesign, or curious about how to revise your current website for the best website structure for SEO? You are not alone. It’s important for your overall SEO strategy and user experience that your important pages are accessible to your ideal clients.

Know that site structure and what is ideal will look different for every professional depending on your needs. Are you a group, solo, niched, or general? These site layouts will be similar, but not the same.

In this blog post, you will learn which site layout is ideal for your practice and how to effectively implement this on your site to give you the best return.

What is Website Structure?

Website structure or architecture is the way a website is organized. It’s the visual representation of how pages link together and the best practices for navigation on your website. The best practices are to have a top menu that lists services or departments within an organization with drop-down menus linking to key services and/or products.

Important Drop-Downs for Your Website Structure

When an ideal client lands on your website, it should be easy to find the information they are looking for. A best practice is to have key service pages and/or products as drop-down menus from the top menu bar.

For example, a mental health professional who offers counseling services might have a top menu item that says “counseling” with drop-down menus highlighting the best services they offer. These menu items can include individual, family, couples, and group counseling.

Other important pages for your website include your homepage, about or team page, contact, blog, services, and specialties.

What About Your Footer?

In addition to your top menu, the best practice is to have a footer that links directly to important pages on your website. This should include the same service and product information as the top menu with additional contact information, such as social media links, newsletter sign-up forms, etc. You will also want to include a physical address or a keyword such as “online therapy in New York” for local SEO. Additionally, you may have your privacy policy, disclaimers, terms and conditions, copyright, and so on. You may also have a link to your in-person office, resources. Know that your rates/FAQ page, team page, and resources can be placed on the top or the bottom. There is no right place to put them.

Examples of the Best Website Structure for SEO

Best Website Structure for SEO: Solo Clinicians

If you are a solo practitioner, you may want to opt for a minimalist website where all important pages are clearly visible in the navigation bar. This ensures that best practices for SEO and usability are followed.

For example, your top menu should include: Home, About/Team Page (listing who you are and what services you offer), and Services (list best services you offer with a brief overview of what they are about. Make sure to link to their respective page for more details.), Blog, Contact, and Rates/FAQ page (if applicable).

Site Structure Small Group Practice (Niched)

If you are a small group practice with niche services, best practices for website structure include Home, About/Team (list who you are and what services each member offers), Services (list best services you offer with a brief overview of what they are about.

Make sure to link to their respective pages for more details.) Blog, Contact, Rates/FAQ page (if applicable), Specialties (list best specialties within your group practice with a brief overview of what each specialty is about. Make sure to link to their respective pages for more details.), and Resources (this is where you can link any forms, documents, self-help articles, etc. that are relevant to your practice.

Larger Generalist Practice Site Structure

For a larger group practice with generalist services best practices for website structure include: Home, About/Team (list who you are and what services each member offers), Services (list best services you offer with a brief overview of what they are about. Make sure to link to their respective pages for more details.) Blog, Contact, Rates/FAQ page (if applicable), Specialties (list best specialties within your group practice with a brief overview of what each specialty is about.

Online Therapy Practice Site Structure

Online therapy practices will be harder to rank for but in order to rank for this creating an effective home, about, contact, services, and blog page matters. Create blogs related to the benefits of online therapy and make sure you are doing what you can to optimize for local SEO.

Example: Benefits of working with online therapy in San Diego for Busy Moms. In addition, you can also create pages for best practices, teletherapy policies, and tips for online therapy.

Small Niched Group Practice

A small group practice needs to hone in on its strengths and not rank for everything under the sun. Start by creating best practice pages, best services pages, and best specialty pages. This will give you a better chance of ranking for all your niches. Additionally, you may want to add a Resources page with helpful forms, documents, and self-help articles which are related to your practice’s specialties. No matter what type of mental

Want Support for the Best Website Structure for SEO? Our Team is Here!

We know that getting the best website structure for SEO can be tricky. That’s why we are here to help. Our team of experts will work with you every step of the way. While we don’t claim to be website designers, we can support you with the help of a web designer on best site structure practices. Simplified SEO Consulting can also help you begin developing content and best practices for your online and in-person presence. So don’t let confusion stop you from having an effective website – contact us today by following these simple steps:

Apply to work with our team
Once approved schedule your 45-minute consultation
Learn about our team!
Start getting the referrals you are seeking

Other Services At Simplified SEO Consulting

About the Author

March 1, 2023/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess

SEO Tips, Training

SEO, A New Perspective: How to build your site strategically as a content area expert.

SEO, times they are a-changing!

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a website in order to improve its ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). When people think of traditional SEO they generally think about optimizing your pages for specific keywords. These then show up in SERPS when people search for them. This mindset leans less toward content and more toward strategic placement of keywords in headings, subheadings, and other areas of the page in order to get Google’s attention.

While this straightforward approach has worked well in the past, times are certainly changing! More and more Google is turning its focus away from standard keyword use. It’s now about looking at the content itself to determine if there is useful and helpful information being presented along with those keywords! In effect, you need to show Google and its users that YOU are a content area expert with the information you are presenting on your site. At Simplified SEO Consulting, we understand this process and our skilled team is here to help you tap into your huge professional potential. Let’s dive in!

Become a content area expert in your field!

One developing way to improve a website’s SEO is to position your site and yourself as a content area expert.

This can be done by creating high-quality, informative content that is relevant to the target audience and using keywords that are relevant to the site’s subject matter. Additionally, it’s important to make sure the site’s technical elements, such as its structure and code, are optimized for search engines. Building backlinks and social signals also play a role in SEO.

Becoming a content area expert in a particular field or industry takes time and effort but is well worth it.

Here are a few steps you can take to establish yourself as a content area expert:

Build knowledge:

Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, news, and developments in your industry by reading relevant publications, attending conferences, and networking with other experts in your field.

Create high-quality content:

Share your knowledge and expertise through blog posts, articles, whitepapers, videos, and other types of content that provide value to your target audience.

Promote your content:

Share your content on social media, through email marketing, and by reaching out to influencers and other experts in your industry to get your content in front of more people.

Engage with your audience:

Respond to comments and questions on your blog and social media accounts and participate in online communities related to your industry.

Continuously learn and improve to maintain your status as a content area expert:

Keep updating your knowledge and skills, and use feedback from your audience to improve your content and approach.

Being a content area expert can be beneficial for your SEO in numerous ways as well. When you position yourself as an authority in your industry and create high-quality, informative content that provides value to your target audience, it can help to improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings.

Here are a few ways that being a content area expert can benefit your SEO:

Increased website traffic:

By creating valuable content that is relevant to your target audience, you can attract more visitors to your website, which can help to improve your search engine rankings.

Improved engagement:

When you provide valuable information, your audience will be more likely to engage with your content by sharing it on social media, leaving comments, and linking to it from their own websites.

Established authority:

When you position yourself as an authority in your industry and consistently produce high-quality content, it can help establish your website as a trusted and respected source of information, which can improve your search engine rankings.

Better backlinks:

When other websites and authorities in your industry see that you’re a content area expert and link to your content, it can help to improve the authority and trust of your website, which can have a positive impact on your search engine rankings.

Long-term benefits of being a content area expert:

Building a reputation as a content area expert takes time but it’s a long-term strategy that can continuously benefit your SEO and online presence.

By positioning yourself as a content expert and creating high-quality content, you can improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings, which can ultimately drive more traffic and leads to your site.

General guidelines for optimizing your content as a content area expert.

Lastly, here are some general guidelines for optimizing your content in the most effective way. Optimizing your content for SEO involves several steps, and these include:

Keyword research:

Identify the keywords that are relevant to your content and that your target audience is searching for. Use these keywords in the title, headings, and body of your content.

On-page optimization:

Use proper formatting, such as headings, lists, and images, to make your content easy to read and scan. Use alt text to describe images and videos.

Meta tags:

Add meta tags such as the title and meta description tags to your content, which summarize the content for search engines and help them understand the context.

Quality content:

Create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that provides value to your target audience. The more valuable and informative your content is, the more likely it is to be shared, linked to, and rank well in search results.

Interlinking:

Link to other relevant pages on your website within your content. This will help to improve the user experience and also help search engines understand the structure of your site.

Backlinks:

Reach out to other websites and ask them to link to your content. The more high-quality backlinks you have pointing to your site, the more likely it is to rank well in search results.

Social sharing:

Encourage your readers to share your content on social media. Which can help increase its visibility and drive more traffic to your site.

Closing thoughts about SEO content area experts.

By following the steps listed here you can help search engines understand the context and more importantly, the value of your content and improve its chances of ranking well in search results and demonstrating to not only Google but also potential clients that YOU are an expert in your field!

Become a Content Area Expert 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:

Apply to Start SEO Services
Learn more about our talented team of mental health SEO Specialists
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, fill out our application to start SEO services today!

About Mary, the Author of this SEO Article!

Mary is one of the 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, fill out our application to start SEO services with us now. Mary and the rest of our team are ready to support you!

February 14, 2023/0 Comments/by Mary Miller

Content, Training

In The World of YouTube is Blogging Still Worth it From an SEO Perspective?

In this day and age where we are bombarded with YouTube videos and Instagram reels, some of you may be wondering if blogging is still a worthwhile endeavor. Sometimes it seems so much easier to just record a quick video than commit the time to sit down and create new content by writing a blog.

The truth is, blogging is more important now than ever. Google wants to see new content that demonstrates your expertise and knowledge and blogging accomplishes this far better than a YouTube video.

With that being said, it is not to say that YouTubing is not important. Realistically the two platforms work together in sync to reach the widest audience possible. Let’s take a look at the importance of blogging and how it can work in conjunction with YouTube to grow your exposure on the web exponentially!

Is blogging still worth it from an SEO perspective?

Blogging Provides Content For Search Engines

Blogging provides content that search engines can index and use to understand the topic and context of a website. Regularly publishing high-quality, relevant blog posts can help increase a website’s visibility in search engine results, attract more traffic, and establish a website as a credible source of information in its niche.

Blogging Allows You to Perform On-Page SEO

In addition, blog posts can target specific keywords and provide opportunities for internal linking to other pages on a website, both of which can improve a website’s SEO.

Allows You to Attract and Engage Users

Overall, blogging can still play an important role in a comprehensive SEO strategy, providing valuable content that can attract and engage users, and improve a website’s visibility in search engines.

Blogging is also a valuable tool for content creators in the YouTube world because it offers the following:

Increased visibility:

Blogging allows creators to reach a wider audience beyond just their YouTube subscribers. People who stumble upon a blog post can then discover the creator’s YouTube channel.

Better search engine optimization (SEO): Blog posts allow for more specific keywords to be targeted, which can increase a content creator’s visibility on search engines such as Google.

Deeper engagement with the audience:

Blogs provide an opportunity for creators to share longer-form content and dive deeper into topics they cover on YouTube. This can help foster a deeper connection with their audience and keep them engaged.

Monetization opportunities:

Blogs can be used to promote products and services, including those related to the YouTube channel. This can provide an additional revenue stream for creators.

Improved brand image:

Blogging can help establish a content creator as a thought leader in their niche, improving their brand image and reputation.

Now You May Be Wondering… Is blogging more important than posting YouTube videos?

It depends on the goals and target audience of the content creator.

Blogging and posting YouTube videos both have their own unique benefits and drawbacks.

Blogging allows for longer-form, in-depth content and can provide better SEO benefits. However, video content is often more engaging and can reach a wider audience.

For content creators whose goal is to build a strong personal brand and establish themselves as a thought leader in their niche, blogging might be more important. However, for a content creator whose goal is to entertain and engage with a wider audience, posting YouTube videos might be more important.

Blogging is important to maintain SEO for several reasons:

Fresh content:

Search engines favor websites that regularly publish fresh, relevant content. Blogging provides an opportunity to publish new content on a consistent basis.

Relevance:

Blogging allows for targeting specific keywords and topics relevant to a website, improving its relevance in search engine results.

Long-tail keywords:

Blogging provides an opportunity to target long-tail keywords, which are more specific and have less competition, improving a website’s visibility in search results.

Internal linking:

Blogging provides opportunities for internal linking, which can help distribute link equity and improve the overall SEO of a website.

Engagement:

A blog provides an opportunity to engage with users and build a community, which can improve a website’s relevance and visibility in search results.

Regularly publishing high-quality blog posts can play an important role in maintaining and improving a website’s SEO. It provides fresh content, relevance, opportunities to target long-tail keywords, internal linking, and engagement with users.

On the other hand…

YouTube can be important for SEO for several reasons:

Video content:

Video content is highly engaging and can attract a large audience. This can drive traffic to a website and improve its visibility in search results.

Relevance:

YouTube videos can be optimized with relevant keywords and descriptions to improve their relevance in search engine results.

Backlinks:

YouTube videos can include links back to a website, providing valuable backlinks that can improve a website’s SEO.

Social signals:

YouTube is a social platform, and the engagement and shares a video receives can provide valuable social signals that search engines take into account when ranking a website.

User engagement:

Engaging and relevant YouTube videos can encourage users to spend more time on a website, which can improve its relevance and visibility in search results.

While YouTube is primarily a video platform, it can play an important role in a comprehensive SEO strategy. By providing engaging video content, relevant keywords, backlinks, social signals, and user engagement, YouTube can help improve a website’s visibility in search engine results.

Ultimately, both blogging and posting YouTube videos have value!

The most effective content strategy is likely to involve a combination of both. It’s important for content creators to assess their goals, target audience, and strengths, and then develop a content strategy that leverages both blogging and video content.

Here are a few ways to effectively use blogging and YouTube together:

Cross-promotion:

Promote each other’s content on both the blog and YouTube channels. For example, include a call-to-action in a YouTube video encouraging viewers to check out a related blog post.

Repurpose content: Convert popular blog posts into YouTube videos, or take key points from YouTube videos and expand upon them in a blog post.

Use blog posts to complement videos:

Use blog posts to provide additional information, background, or context for a topic covered in a YouTube video. You can take this one step further and embed your YouTube video at the top or bottom of the page. And then create a blog on the same page that summarizes the video. With this method, you get twice the return on your investment and twice the exposure!

Optimize for SEO:

Optimize both blog posts and YouTube videos with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and tags to improve search engine visibility.

Build a community:

Encourage audience engagement through blog post comments and YouTube video comments, and respond to comments on both platforms to build a loyal community.

By using blogging and YouTube together, content creators can reach a wider audience, provide deeper engagement with their audience, and improve their overall online presence.

In Conclusion, Blogging is Still a Key Piece of the SEO Puzzle!

Blogging is still definitely a key factor in the success of your business and its growth. Creating new content for Google and other search engines to index demonstrates your expertise, knowledge, site structure, and visibility on the web.

Blogging may seem like a huge time investment, but it really can be made easy! At Simplified SEO Consulting, we have blogging courses, blogs about blogging, and blogging retreats all geared toward making the process as painless as possible! Reach out to us to learn how these services and resources can help you become the best blogger you can be.

Be The Best Blogger Possible with Simplified SEO Consulting

Our team works closely with therapists nationwide to optimize their SEO based on analytical metrics! We offer support and resources to help you understand the need for blogging, which topics are relevant based on data, and how to harness your knowledge to create fantastic blogs. 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:

Apply to Start SEO Services
Learn more about our talented team of mental health SEO Specialists
Start learning SEO for Mental Health Professionals!

Other Services offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

About Mary, the Author of this SEO Article!

Mary is one of the 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 working with our clients to create content that is relevant to their individual needs and especially loves watching them reap the rewards of their hard work!

If you are ready to start your analytical SEO journey with us, fill out our application to start SEO services with us now. Mary and the rest of our team are ready to support you!

February 9, 2023/0 Comments/by Mary Miller

Business Tips, Training

Investing in SEO Part III: DIY or DFY

Another Great Consideration is Where will I get the most out of My SEO: Doing it Myself or Delegating?

Pros and Cons of Learning SEO Yourself

Some individuals really thrive when it comes to learning SEO for themselves. If you are debating on investing in SEO these are some things you should consider:

I personally know some mental health professionals who do their own SEO and get some clients. They have had great success, but also recognize the investment of time and money it takes to understand the elements and then implement them. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each:

Pros of Doing SEO Yourself:

You save money knowing exactly how to do things.
It helps you create content and optimize it in the way you want them to be for your site and brand.
You’ll be an informed consumer of marketing strategies and an understanding of Google.

Cons of Doing SEO Yourself:

SEO requires upkeep ( but not to the extent of needing to live on your site daily)
You may end up spending hours learning how to do your SEO correctly
What a skilled team can do you may not be able to replicate as easily.
Staying up on Google algorithm changes and shifts in the market is a must.
This will take time away from your clinical practice. Is this something you are willing to compromise on?

Do I work with an SEO Company?

Delegating is often one of the best things clinicians in the mental health profession can do. However, it’s not for everyone. So if you are wondering if this is a great choice for you, consider these points.

Pros:

If you choose a company, you don’t have to do too much work. The goal of SEO companies is to maximize your results, while also recognizing that SEO takes time.
You’ll be able to do so much more clinical work and invest in your clients over the long term.

Cons:

SEO is often one of the biggest investments that mental health professionals make. It is worth the investment long term, but our company completely understands the financial faith and sacrifice you have to make before seeing a return on your investment. This can be truly terrifying whether you are a seasoned professional or fresh out of getting your full license.
We can’t promise results. While we understand how to connect with the Google algorithm, there are some nuances, that no one knows. With that being said, we don’t promise that rankings equal conversations. We have seen that be the outcome in most cases, but know that you can do everything right and still not fully connect with your ideal clients. That may be based on geography, market, location, competition, relevance, authority, and so on.

What we do know about investing in SEO over time

By investing in SEO, mental health professionals can greatly improve their visibility, reach more potential clients, and increase revenue. Taking the time to plan ahead and consider all of the factors mentioned above will help you determine how much investment is necessary for your practice. With the right investment, you can start to see results quickly and keep growing in the long run. SEO does work, it’s just a matter of time, investment, and intentional strategy.

Wrap up on Investing with SEO

Truly if you are looking for a concrete answer, we recommend pages on a case-by-case basis. For example, if you are a general practice in New York, our platinum package is going to be useful, but you will have to niche down. If you are a trauma-focused practice in New York, you are going to want to do our platinum as well. If you are in Ohio and you are a generalist, a Gold or Platinum can work for you depending on how specific or broad you want to go niche and location-wise. I could keep going, but everything is so nuanced.

So if you want concrete support from our team, booking a consult is going to be your best bet. Additionally, if you are wanting to learn from our team, again it depends on what you are capable of. Some people love working with a group. Therefore our small group intensive over a semester is fantastic for some.

Others work better with one on one support and that’s where a 12-week training can help. If you are just looking for some guided getting-started support a strategy session could be just what you need.

Are you ready to make your SEO invest for 2023?

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

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

Other Services at Simplified SEO Consulting

About the Author

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

February 1, 2023/0 Comments/by Jasmine Jaquess

SEO Tips, Training

On-Page SEO for Therapists, Psychiatrists & Mental Health Providers

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

What is On-Page SEO?

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

On-Page SEO as Part of Your Bigger SEO Plan

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

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

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

Specific On-Page Techniques Private Practice Owners Should be Using

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

High Quality Content

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

Title Tag & Meta Descriptions

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

Headers (H1, H2 etc.)

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

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

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

Use Photos Strategically

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

Use Keywords

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

Consider Readability: Is Your Page Easy to Read?

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

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

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

Internal Linking

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

External Linking

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

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

Take On-Page SEO One Step at a Time

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

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

On-Page SEO Training on a Cruise This July

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

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

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

January 26, 2023/0 Comments/by Jessica

Business Tips, Training

SEO Marketing for Therapists: An Investment of Time or Money?

Running a private practice comes with many decisions! One of the most common decisions is whether you should outsource an aspect of your practice, or handle it “in-house”. Whether it’s administrative tasks, billing, or digital marketing. Often the answer comes down to this question, “Do I want to spend the time to do it myself, OR do I want to spend the money to have someone else do it for me?” The decision is no different when it comes to SEO!

However, it’s not always an either/or answer, sometimes the answer is a little bit of both! It may be easier to understand if I go ahead and outline the different SEO options you have, so let’s get into it!

Outsourcing Your SEO Entirely: SEO Services for Therapists

If you have no time to learn or implement SEO strategies on your website, then outsourcing all of your SEO needs may be the best option for you. With this option, someone else will handle the optimization of your website with minimal input needed from you. At Simplified SEO Consulting, this would look like one of our “Done-For-You” SEO packages. And at our business, we ask our clients to be involved enough in the process to give us feedback and check that our work aligns with their brand and values. However, how involved you are will really depend on your unique needs.

Within our Done-For-You options, you still have room to cut back a bit on the cost if you’re able to put in more time yourself. For example, if you’re able to write the content for your website, then we can focus all of our efforts on optimizing that content, which will save you a bit of money. Or, if you rather have us handle it all, we can write AND optimize your content for you!

However, if you’re interested in investing more of your time and as little money as possible, then this may not be the option for you.

Handling SEO Yourself: DIY SEO Courses

Let’s say you recently launched your practice, or you’re in the process of launching your practice. Perhaps you don’t have a full caseload at the moment. Or, maybe you enjoy learning new things! If you’re interested in tackling SEO on your own, then a DIY option may be the best fit for you.

Our DIY SEO courses allow you to learn SEO at your own pace.

You can watch all of the videos and start optimizing your website this week. Or, you could steadily learn more and make changes over the course of a few months, even a year! Our online SEO courses are our most affordable option.

But even this option, well, has options! Some clients decide to purchase an online course to learn as much as they can. And if they need more support down the line, they reach out about our Done-For-You SEO services. For example, you may optimize your blog posts but need help with your service pages. It doesn’t always have to be one or the other.

Learning SEO Marketing for Therapists Yourself Has Many Benefits

As a therapist, knowing how to use SEO yourself can prove to be an investment and a worthy use of your time. You invest both time and money, but since you’re the one doing the SEO in the end, you will be saving both by understanding the importance of SEO marketing. But also how it can greatly benefit your practice. Here are a few reasons why investing your time and money into SEO can benefit you:

Increased visibility: By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve your online rankings and make yourself more present online and make it easier for potential clients to find you.
Cost-effective marketing: SEO is a cost-effective way to market your therapy services compared to traditional advertising methods.
Better understanding of your audience: Learning SEO can give you insights into your target audience’s search habits and preferences, which can help you tailor your content to their needs.
Improved credibility: A well-optimized website can help establish you as a credible and trustworthy therapist in your field.
Long-term results: Unlike some other marketing techniques, SEO provides long-term benefits that can continue to drive traffic to your site and generate leads for your therapy practice.

As a therapist who wants to improve their online presence, it’s important for you to understand the basics of SEO. By learning SEO strategies yourself, you can gain a better understanding of how to improve your website’s visibility, credibility, and long-term success. If you’re not sure how, at Simplified SEO Consulting we have plenty of resources available to help you get started with learning SEO, so you can take control of your online presence and build a successful therapy practice.

This brings us to our training options!

Learning SEO with Support: SEO Training for Therapists

Learning SEO on your own can be a bit daunting for some. So, if you’re interested in learning SEO with support then our SEO training options may be what you’re looking for. Our SEO training options are a great middle ground between our Done-For-You packages and our DIY courses. They allow you to get feedback and support from a trained SEO Specialist while you learn how to implement SEO strategies on your website. Our training options also come with extra tools to help you track your SEO progress and simplify your SEO process.

We have a variety of SEO training options depending on whether you rather invest more time or money for a more individualized experience.

For example, our Small Group SEO Intensive is one of our most affordable SEO training options. With this option, you’ll learn our SEO process with a group of other mental health professionals. Whereas our 12-Week SEO Intensive Training Program is fully customized and focused on your unique needs.

We also offer a few unique SEO training options! Jessica and Danica just had a blogging retreat in Florida and continue to dream up ideas to meet the needs of our clients. We’re always looking for new ways to make learning SEO an exciting experience!

The Bottom Line is That You Have Options!

We understand that running a practice comes with quite a few expenses. And we know that every practice (and practice owner) needs something different. This is why we’re dedicated to making SEO training and services accessible at different price points.

So whether you want to dip your toes in with a DIY online course or you’re ready to outsource your SEO with a Done-For-You SEO package, we’re happy to support you in whichever way makes the most sense for your practice.

Do you Need Help Making a Decision for Your Private Practice Website?

We know this is a big decision, and there are quite a few options to consider! That is why we have our potential clients apply to work with us so that we can take a look at your website, gather information about you, your practice, and your goals along with having a member of our team see where your SEO stands. If you are chosen to work with us, you will then have a consultation, where we’ll discuss your goals for your practice, take a look at your website together, and give you our suggestions on which SEO option best suits your SEO goals.

You can apply to work with us, here!

About the Author

Kaite Ritchie was our former Done-For-You SEO Coordinator at Simplified SEO Consulting. But before she stepped into this role, Kaite worked as an Intake Coordinator for our founder’s private practice. During that time she learned about the different aspects of running a private practice, including getting therapists connected with their ideal clients. There, she also learned what a big difference SEO can make for therapists! You can apply to work with us and learn more about SEO marketing for therapists and our SEO services!

Updated on 4/30/2023 by Lynsey Heskett

October 27, 2022/0 Comments/by Kaite Ritchie

Business Tips, Training

Why Have a Member of Your Team Go Through Private Practice SEO Training?

When I talk to therapists about learning SEO and our SEO training options, the most common response I get is “I don’t have the time!” And I believe it! As someone who has worked for a private practice, I know firsthand how busy owning a practice can be. If you have a group practice then you may be juggling hiring new clinicians, ensuring that everyone is following policy, and handling billing and payroll. Not to mention potentially having your own clients that you see!

It’s easy to see how on top of that, the idea of learning (and then applying) SEO techniques to your website just sounds impossible. And I’m not going to try to talk you into it. Being a practice owner is a busy, busy role. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to outsource your SEO entirely. Learning to delegate is an important part of being a business owner. But have you considered delegating your practice’s SEO needs to a member of your own team?

Yes, a Member of Your Team Can Learn SEO Online!

Now, I don’t know the dynamic of your practice. Some practice owners handle intake and administrative duties all on their own. You may have a therapist on your team taking phone calls and emails when they can. However, if you have an Administrative Assistant, Intake Coordinator, Social Media Manager, or even a therapist who has an interest, then you may be able to actually have a member of your team learn SEO!

If at this point you’re thinking, “Why shouldn’t I just have YOU do it then?” that’s an understandable question. And for some practices, it does make sense to outsource their SEO to us. But before you make that decision, it’s important to consider all of your options. And having a member of your team learn SEO is one of them!

Benefits of Having a Member of Your Team Learn SEO

There are many benefits to bringing your SEO “in-house”. I actually go into all of the benefits of learning SEO yourself in this blog, but I’ll go ahead and name a few reasons.

1) You’ll have full control over the content on your private practice website.

Every heading, blog post, and photo title will come from you. Which ensures that everything on your website fully aligns with your practice’s values and brand.

2) You’ll be able to make updates and changes to your private practice website as soon as you need them!

New team member, who needs a profile on the website? Done. New group or service that you’re offering? Up on the site! If you have the skills to add and optimize content on your site, you won’t have to wait for an SEO specialist to do it.

3) You’ll be able to maintain your SEO for years to come.

Even if you decide to outsource some of your SEO, having a member of your team learn a few SEO elements or strategies can allow you to maintain your SEO and stretch your investment!

Perhaps your Intake Coordinator can learn a bit about building backlinks. They can sign up for HARO and respond to inquiries, so your site has the potential to be featured on a high-traffic website like Buzzfeed. Or, maybe a therapist on your team can learn a bit about optimizing blog posts so you can continue to post optimized blogs on your site each month.

For many therapists, this is a great option. Outsource your SEO until your website is ranking well, and then have a member of your team learn some basic SEO skills to maintain your rankings.

4) Learning SEO can cut costs so you can put more money into other areas of your private practice.

Investing in private practice SEO training for a team member is a great way to save money so you don’t have to keep paying for SEO indefinitely. And with that money you save, you can invest in other areas of your practice! Maybe you want to start donating more to local organizations, purchase trainings for your therapists, or even revamp your office space.

When Will the Team Member Use the Private Practice SEO?

There are several scenarios where your team member will be able to use their private practice SEO training skills to good use. From knowing how to optimize your practice’s website to researching keywords that your ideal clients may be searching for, the benefits of having a team member with private practice SEO training are numerous.

Some instances where your team member can use their private practice SEO skills include:

Developing a new website for your practice or revamping your existing one.
Creating content for your practice that is written and optimized for search engines and ideal clients.
Conducting keyword research.
Analyzing website analytics to measure the success of their SEO efforts.
Adding new service pages to your website.
Marketing new services, new therapists, or offers that your practice has.

Investing in private practice SEO training for your team members can bring significant benefits to your practice’s online presence. With their newfound skills, your team members can optimize the website, conduct effective keyword research, and analyze data to improve overall SEO performance. By using these skills, your practice can rank higher in search engine results, attract more patients, and increase revenue. So, consider providing your team members with SEO training and see the positive impact on your practice’s online visibility.

But, What Happens if They Leave My Private Practice After Learning SEO?

After learning all of the benefits of having a team member learn SEO you may be thinking, “Well that all sounds great, but what if that team member leaves the practice?” Which is an understandable concern. The job market has certainly been a bit tricky lately. And we’ve worked with a lot of practices that I’ve seen a high turnover rate in recent years. We’ve thought about this, and we have a few ideas you may want to consider.

SEO Training Options

Now, the ideal solution would be for that team member to train the new hire on what they’ve learned about SEO before they leave. Similarly to training them on the other responsibilities, you could build SEO skills into their training. However, we know that sometimes people leave unexpectedly, and this isn’t always feasible.

In this case, we have online SEO courses you can purchase so your new hire can learn SEO skills on their own! We have courses on building backlinks, optimizing blog posts, and other SEO strategies which are great for maintaining SEO.

If you go through training with us, such as our one-on-one training or our Small Group SEO Intensives, then you may consider having two members of your team learn about SEO. Perhaps you and a team member (if you have the time) can learn together. This way, you also learn enough about SEO to train new hires in the future. You can talk to our team about options for our trainings to see what we’re able to offer if you want more than one team member to learn a bit about SEO.

However, if learning SEO doesn’t make sense for your private practice right now, that’s okay.

We offer a wide range of SEO options because we know that every practice needs something a bit different. Maybe right now it makes sense to outsource your SEO. Then down the line, as you grow your practice you may want to have a team member go through one of our SEO trainings.

We’re here to support your practice’s journey in whichever way makes sense for you right now. And if you need some help figuring out what that looks like, we’re happy to consult with you and give you our suggestions!

Are you Interested in Learning More About Our SEO Training Options?

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we offer a variety of options to teach therapists (and their team members) how to improve or maintain their online rankings. If you’re looking for a more personalized approach, then our one-on-one SEO trainings may be the best option for you. Or, if you think a group setting is a better fit, then our Small Group SEO Intensives would be a good choice! And if you’re looking for an affordable option to get started, we have several DIY online courses that cover different SEO strategies too!

Since we have so many options, you may be wondering what choice is best for your practice’s needs. That’s why we have an application for potential clients to fill out to apply to work with us. Just like you, we want to make sure we are attracting our ideal clients. A member of our team will look over your application to see if you and your practice are a good fit. Once you are approved, one of our SEO specialists would be happy to learn more about your practice and your SEO goals. They will also give you their suggestions on what makes the most sense for you.

Other SEO Services Offered at Simplified SEO Consulting

As I mentioned, we realize that training and DIY options aren’t suitable for all practices. Or at least, they may not be suitable for your practice at this moment. So, for those who want to outsource, we offer Done-For-You SEO services at different levels. Or, if you’re still considering SEO then you may want to start learning a bit more with our free 7-day SEO email series. You can also check out our other blogs on SEO as well to gather more information on how SEO can benefit your practice.

About the Author

Kaite Ritchie was our former Administrative Assistant and Done-For-You Coordinator at Simplified SEO Consulting. Before joining our team, she worked at our founder’s private practice as an Intake Coordinator. There she learned all about how busy running a private practice can be. However, she also learned how valuable SEO can be in getting connected with ideal clients! That’s why she’s so passionate about helping private practice owners find SEO solutions that make sense for their practice. You can apply to work with us and learn more about our SEO services on our website to help to decide whether one of our training options is right for you!

Updated on 4/30/2023 by Lynsey Heskett

September 27, 2022/0 Comments/by Kaite Ritchie

SEO Basics, Training

SEO Training for Therapists: What are the Benefits of Learning SEO Yourself?

So you’re thinking about SEO! Maybe you heard about it on a podcast or read about it in a Facebook group for therapists. Perhaps a colleague mentioned to you that SEO helped them grow their practice, and now you’re considering it too.

Many of our clients come to us with a very basic understanding of SEO. They know that it helps people get found in search engines, but they aren’t really sure what it means. You might not even know what “SEO” stands for. (Psst, it stands for search engine optimization.)

Because of this, a fair amount of our clients don’t even consider the idea of learning SEO for their own website. They think that it’s too technical and confusing, and that only a computer-wiz could figure it out. But believe it or not, SEO actually isn’t that complicated. And there are plenty of benefits to learning SEO yourself!

SEO is Actually Pretty Simple Once You Learn the Basics

For context, I (like many of my team members) have a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. I never studied computer science or digital marketing, and honestly the only computer class I took in college was related to statistics for psychology! I’ve worked as an Intake Coordinator for a private practice, and had heard about SEO, but before I started working here I had no idea how it worked.

I wouldn’t have considered myself tech-savvy in the least, but after a bit of training I realized that SEO is actually pretty simple! Now, there are a wide range of SEO strategies, and yes there are some components of SEO that are a bit more “technical”. However, once you understand the basic principles of SEO, you can make big improvements in your website’s online rankings!

What are the Benefits of Learning SEO?

You Have Full Control Over the Content on Your Private Practice Website

When you learn how to optimize your website yourself, you have full control over the content on your website. Everything from the writing on your service pages and blogs, to the photos, and how you choose to incorporate keywords all comes from you. This ensures that everything on your website aligns with your values and brand. It also means that clients get a very authentic sense of your perspective, your voice, and your practice’s unique approach.

Now, if you outsource your SEO with us, we will do everything we can to match your voice and approach. However, many of our clients who learn how to optimize their own website find it very rewarding to know that all of the content on their website comes directly from them.

You’ll be Able to Maintain Your SEO for Years to Come

Another great benefit of learning how to optimize your website is that you’ll be able to maintain it for years to come! One of the great things about SEO is that once you are ranking well, your rankings should remain relatively stable.

However, we know that other practices and websites will pop up that also want a great ranking. So we recommend doing a few things to maintain your SEO, such as keeping up with a consistent blogging strategy or doing an “SEO tune-up” every once in a while. If you learn SEO, you’ll be able to handle these things yourself without having to pay someone else to do it. Which means that you’ll be able to stretch your investment even further!

You’ll be Able to Use Your SEO Training as You Grow Your Practice

Learning SEO is great for maintaining your current site, however it’s especially helpful if you plan on growing your practice. Let’s say you add a new member to your team with a new speciality. If you have the skills to optimize your site, you can get this new page added and optimized as soon as you need to.

Or, if you want to change directions and open a practice in a new location or start a consulting business, you can apply these skills to an entirely new website! When you learn SEO, the possibilities of how you use those skills are pretty endless.

Learning SEO is a More Affordable Option

You can probably gather from the reasons I listed above that learning how to optimize your website yourself is a more affordable option compared to outsourcing. When you gain SEO skills, you won’t need to pay someone to add and optimize new content to your website down the line. As your practice grows, you can even teach another member of your team how to optimize your blogs or do an SEO tune-up for you, and stretch your knowledge even further!

We always say that SEO is either an investment of time or money. It just depends on how you want to allocate your resources.

On That Note, Who Should Learn SEO?

It’s important to mention that learning how to optimize your website isn’t for everyone. While anyone can learn how to optimize their website, not everyone necessarily should.

Now, we actually have an entire blog dedicated to answering the question of who should do their own optimization. So I recommend checking that out for all of our thoughts. But in this blog I wanted to briefly mention that learning how to optimize your website does take some time and energy. So if you are an incredibly busy practice owner, it may not be the best option for you. (Though, you could always have a member of your team learn SEO!)

However, we know that learning optimization isn’t the best option for every practice. That’s why we offer Done-For-You services too! If you need help deciding what option is best for you, our team would be happy to give you our advice!

Interested in Learning More About Our SEO Training Options?

At Simplified SEO Consulting we offer a range of options to teach therapists and helping professionals how to optimize their websites! For those who want a personalized approach, we offer one-on-one SEO trainings. If you want to learn SEO in a group, our Small Group SEO Intensives are a great fit. Or, if you’re looking for an affordable option to get started, we have several DIY online courses that cover different SEO strategies!

If you’re interested in learning more about our different options and getting our suggestions on which is best for you, you can schedule a free video consultation with a member of our team. We’d be happy to learn more about your practice, your SEO goals, and give your advice!

Other SEO Services Offered at Simplified SEO Consulting

We understand that training and DIY options aren’t suitable for all practices. So for those who want to outsource, we offer Done-For-You SEO services at different levels. You can also start learning a bit more with our free 7-day SEO email series or by reading our other blogs on SEO. We are happy to be a part of your business’s journey in any way that we can.

About the Author

Kaite Ritchie is our Administrative Assistant, Alumni Specialist, and a Mental Health SEO Copywriter at Simplified SEO Consulting. Before joining our team, she worked at our founder’s private practice as an Intake Coordinator. Since she worked at the practice where it all began, when Jessica taught herself how to optimize her own website, she learned how powerful of a tool SEO can be! Now she enjoys writing and optimizing content for our clients, and helping therapists decide if learning SEO is the right path for them during our free consultations. You can schedule a free consultation with Kaite to learn more about our SEO services and get help deciding whether one of our trainings is right for you!

July 29, 2022/0 Comments/by Kaite Ritchie

Content, SEO Basics, SEO Tips, Training

Incorporating SEO keywords

You know you need to incorporate SEO keywords into your copy, but it feels so clunky and awkward. You’ve done SEO keyword research and have come up with what you want to rank for but are struggling to add those keywords in a way that flows and makes sense.

Copywriting for SEO doesn’t have to be difficult! I personally love the puzzle of adding keywords to my blog posts. As a mental health SEO copywriter at Simplified SEO Consulting, I have three tips for you as you work to add SEO keywords to your private practice website.

Write from the heart, use keywords later.

Writing with SEO in mind is important. However, if you want to reach your ideal clients for your private practice, copywriting which is authentic to you is even more important. You know your clients’ challenges and what they are facing. Pretend like you’re talking directly to someone you’re working with and write out what you want them to hear from you. Being honest and sincere is powerful.

While SEO copywriting can get people on your page, there isn’t a point unless those clicks convert to new clients. This is w

here writing from the heart comes in. Search engine optimization for psychotherapists can help you get more clients, but only if your content resonates with the people who land on your page.

Give yourself a day to reset your brain.

Writing from the heart is only the first step in incorporating SEO keywords naturally into your content. I find it helpful to write a blog post or webpage and then put it down for a day. Come back to it and find those places you can “sneak” in keywords. Switching up counseling and therapy for example can help you rank for both words! Your copy CAN have flow and style while still having great SEO. Sometimes you just need to get your brain out of therapist mode and into SEO mode. Think about what your ideal client might be typing into Google to find the help they are looking for. Put yourself in their shoes and remember that incorporating keywords into your copy and content is truly helping your ideal client. Perhaps they’re not ready for therapy yet, but are looking for a blog post that resonates. That is powerful!

Approach SEO keywords as a puzzle.

My personal favorite way to incorporate SEO keywords while copywriting is to approach it as a puzzle. Make it a word game where you try and fit in keywords wherever you can. When you approach it as a game and not a chore, that mindset shift makes a big difference in how frustrated you may get. I love the challenge of using as many keywords as possible, while still having the style and flow that I desire. There are so many words associated with counseling, see how many you can use! You likely enjoy word games (have you started playing Wordle yet, or is it just blowing up your Facebook feed?) so make SEO optimization simply another fun game to play!

Consider copywriting for SEO with Simplified SEO Consulting!

If you’re still struggling with incorporating keywords into your web content, it might be time to consider SEO copywriting from Simplified SEO Consulting. Our mental health SEO specialists love taking your words and optimizing them for SEO. If you don’t have the capacity to put words to a computer screen, fret not! We’ve got you covered at our SEO consulting firm specializing in SEO for therapists, psychiatrists & other mental health professionals. We love writing for mental health professionals like you.

February 8, 2022/0 Comments/by Mason Aid