If you’ve read some of our other SEO blogs or followed us on Facebook you’ve probably heard us mention how important it is that you tell Google where you’re located. Google prioritizes ranking websites that provide accurate information. So, if your potential client is looking for a “therapist near me” then Google needs to know which therapists provide services where the client is located. Today, I want to explain some easy ways you can best optimize your website to tell Google exactly where you’re located.
According to Google’s terms of service “Providing useful, meaningful experiences is at the core of what Google does, and location information plays an important role in doing just that. From driving directions to making sure your search results include things near you, to showing you when a restaurant is typically busy, location can make your experiences across Google more relevant and helpful. Location information also helps with some core product functionality, like providing a website in the right language or helping to keep Google’s services secure.” You can read Google’s full terms of service here.
The next easy tip is, add location indicators throughout your pages. For example, say your practice is located in Kansas City, MO. You might say something along the lines of “come see us at our counseling office which is conveniently located near the plaza.” Or perhaps you’re in a college town like Lawrence, KS, you might say something along the lines “perhaps, you’re a student at The University of Kansas and you’re dealing with anxiety. Our counseling clinic sees many KU students and helps them cope with the symptoms of anxiety so they can get back to college life. Our office is conveniently located 10 minutes away from campus.” These are subtle ways to tell Google where you’re located and give them as much information as possible.
If you’re really trying to drum up business from a certain area near your practice, or a suburb that’s close by, then consider writing a blog that directly mentions certain areas or places your ideal client would go. So if you’re a couples therapist, you might consider writing a blog that talks about unique date night ideas in your area.
For a great example of blogging and referencing specific places or businesses in your area, check out this blog from Aspire Counseling located in Columbia, MO. It’s written by Jessica Tappana, Simplified SEO Consulting’s founder, so you know it will be chalked full of great SEO. She references several local businesses and locations including internal links to really tell search engines her practice is relevant throughout the Mid Missouri area.
Next tip, create a Google My Business and optimize your profile. If you have a physical location you really need to take the time and create Google My Business listing. This will help your SEO by telling Google more about your business and where you’re located. Furthermore, creating and optimizing a Google My Business listing will help you get noticed on Google Maps and it will give you the option to later imbed a Google Map onto your website.
Embed a Google Map onto your site, ideally on your location page. I will talk more about the importance of a location page in a minute. But, embedding a Google Map boosts your SEO because Google prioritizes ranking credible websites that provide the most information to their consumers. So they are likely to rank you higher for adding a map to your site. To get a Google Map, you’ll first need to create a Google My Business listing.
Another really great way to tell Google where you’re located is to create a location or our office page. On this page, I recommend you do a few things. Provide driving directions including local landmarks and street names in your area. Consider adding photos of your office and include location indicators in your alt text and photo titles. Lastly, embed a Google map.
Here’s a great example of a location page from Jessica Tappana’s private practice; Aspire Counseling. Take note of the location indicators she uses there as well as the Google Map that’s embedded.
Who are natural referrals sources for you in your local community? Do any of those have a resources type page on their website? Or perhaps a blog that you could write a guest blog post? Getting a backlink from local businesses in related sectors could help indicate to Google that you are relevant in similar ways those businesses are relevant. And backlinks are a great SEO strategy overall. One of Jessica’s personal favorite backlinks is from a local paleo meal prep business. Back to Basic (the meal prep business) clients are often interested in their overall health and can be a great fit for referrals to mental health services. It’s also a pricier service that she’s offering which is a good fit since Jessica’s practice is private pay. Best of all, she’s local. In fact, they were just across the street from one another when she first added me to her list of references. So, think outside the box about how you can partner with local businesses to feature one another. 🙂
For those of you who are reading this and feeling anxious because you don’t have a physical location, I want to reassure you that ranking well on Google is absolutely doable. You just have to aggressively target locations and make it clear to Google where you offer online therapy. Here are a few of our older blogs that discuss this in detail.
The Simplified SEO Consulting team is passionate about providing SEO services for helping professionals and therapists. Our comprehensive SEO services are included in our Done for You SEO Service packages. Also, we offer alumni packages and al la carte SEO services. Our SEO staff provides several SEO training opportunities. including our “Top of Google” online course and 12 weeks of online video training. We also offer an SEO Strategy package to learn more about SEO and what you can do to rank better on search engines.
Contact Simplified SEO to learn more, or book a free SEO Consultation to decide which SEO service is best for your business. Our team looks forward to hearing from you!
Cory Moss is a Simplified SEO specialist based in Kansas City. She specializes in working on readability for therapist websites. She really enjoys helping her clients get to the top of Google and attract their ideal clients.
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The importance of accurately informing Google about your location cannot be overstated when it comes to boosting SEO. Local search is increasingly dominating online inquiries, with users seeking nearby solutions to their needs. By providing clear and consistent location data through tools like Google My Business and ensuring NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency across all online platforms, businesses can significantly enhance their local SEO visibility. This not only improves the chances of appearing in local search results but also fosters trust and credibility among potential customers. In today's competitive digital landscape, letting Google know where you're located isn't just beneficial – it's essential for maximizing your online presence and driving real-world foot traffic.