Search Engine Optimization for Counselors: 10 Quick Tips

Search Engine Optimization or SEO can be tricky, especially when you don’t know what it entails, just that you were told you need it.  Luckily, you’ve got me, an SEO specialist specifically for counselors, to give you some pointers. When trying to grow your business and your online presence, it is important to gain trust with Google and improve your SEO. Specifically, search engine optimization for counselors can help your ideal clients find your site and realize that your provide the help that they need.

Why Do I Need SEO?

Optimizing your website can help you show up in Google searches, be a site your ideal clients want to click on, and hopefully, get you the calls and consultations you are needing to really fill up your schedule. In other words, I am so glad you are here, because you are about to learn some quick tips to help you with your website’s SEO!

There are a million and one little things you can do that can add up to make a big difference on your site. Today, I’m going to share 10 things with you!

Now, before I start sharing the good stuff, I want to remind you that search engine optimization for counselors is not rocket science. Plus, you went through how many years of school for that degree? You certainly have a good head on your shoulders. You can do this. And if you read through this and decide it is still out of your wheelhouse, I totally get it. We’re humans and we simply can’t be good at everything.

Thankfully, you’re in the right place to get help. Whether you want to learn to do SEO yourself or would rather have it done for you, our staff at Simplified SEO Consulting is here to help!

Hopefully by now you realize that search engine optimization (SEO) is so important for your private practice! Because we care so much about helping you find your ideal clients, I wanted to share some tips with you to increase your website’s SEO!

10 Quick Tips: Search Engine Optimization For Counselors

1.Include Pictures

Pictures are extremely helpful for your SEO! The space it creates for more keywords is an extreme benefit to your ranking goals. Make sure your images have an image file name and an alt text that both include keywords. Further, your photos should be representative of your practice and your values.

Additionally having photos that are inclusive of different races, religions, body sizes, lifestyles, sexual orientations, and more can show potential clients that you are inclusive and accepting of all walks of life. Pictures are worth a thousand words… allow them to speak for you!

2. Break up the text!

Seeing a giant paragraph of text is overwhelming for everyone. It can turn people away from your page, because no one wants to sift through a big block of 400 words just to figure out what they need to know. Break up your text into sections. Make your pages more user friendly by having subheadings that hit the main points with the explanations in each section. Remember, you are a therapist, seeking clients who need help. Anyone in crisis is not going to process a large amount of information. Break it down and spread it out so they can easily navigate the page and find the information they need!

3. Speak to your ideal client

This one might seem like a no brainer, but I challenge you to really reflect on your content throughout your site. Does it speak directly to the pain points of your ideal client? Like the people you really want to see. There is no sense in speaking to all who are hurting when you don’t want to see everyone. You have a niche, so don’t be afraid to stick to it.

4. Use your real voice

When writing blog posts or service pages, you need to really think about the language you are using. Does the voice on each page sound like you and your therapists? The goal here is to sound just as you would in a therapy session. Speak to clients in a way they can trust and relate. Speak through your pages and posts just as you would want to talk to someone during the first therapy appointment! Make sure to always use authentic, original content! 

5. Use blogs as “homework” 

A personal favorite tip. Write with the idea in mind that you can use these blogs as assignments for your clients. Blog about things you want your clients to know. Think about what ideas and tools you would want them to think about and utilize outside of sessions, and recommend they read that before you meet again. For example, if you use DBT… write a blog post about DEARMAN for them to read and refer back to rather than giving a handout. What a way to boost views and view time!

6. The more content the better

Yes, I know I said to break up with bulky text. But that doesn’t mean less text. It just means you need to space it out. Google needs to trust that you are an expert on the content. In order to do that, you need to write about it… a lot. Write multiple  blog posts that relate to your service pages to help google see that you really know what you are talking about. Build that trust! Don’t want to write it yourself? I get that completely! You can always hire us to write and have it done for you!

7. Simplify the language and improve readability

I know you are intelligent and I know you worked hard for that degree. Trust me, as a grad student, I understand that you are so used to APA format and using language that appeased your professors. But, this is not the world of academia. This is the world of SEO and having user friendly content. More importantly, your content needs to be crisis friendly. It’s no secret that it is harder to process information when trauma, anxiety, and other mental challenges are clouding your brain. Try to keep this perspective in mind when writing. If it isn’t easily understood by a middle schooler, it is probably too complex. Simplify it!

8. Connect Google my business

Make sure this is connected to your site so google knows who you are and where you are. Connecting your Google my business helps you show up in Maps and can benefit current and future clients!

9. Include internal links wherever possible

Keep people clicking around on your site! Provide internal links throughout the pages and posts and link to other relevant content on your site. Make it a game even– start on one page of your site and see if you can get to every other page on your site just by clicking through internal links. There’s a challenge for ya!

10. Build an “About Us” page

Use this page of your website to expand on the expertise of you and any other professionals on your team. An “about us” page is great for discussing strategies, theories, and preferred clientele. That also means that about pages are great for keywords! Create space and use it!

Search Engine Optimization for Counselors: We Can Help!

Again, SEO for counselors may seem intimidating at first, but you can do it! And, you don’t have to do it all alone. You can always reach out to us and gain a helping hand in boosting your rankings. We are here for you. Our services can support you in doing your SEO yourself through courses, help you through a strategy session, or we can do the hard stuff for you with our Done-For-You Services. Reach out today and start talking with us about your private practice goals!

Start SEO for Therapists today!

Our SEO Specialists are excited to help you build your practice and see you reach your ideal clients. All of our specialists have a background in the mental health field and understand the importance of hitting pain points, speaking to your ideal client, and sharing content that is relatable and helpful. To start SEO services with Simplified SEO Consulting, please follow these simple steps:

1. Book a free consult 
2. Meet with an SEO specialist to discuss our services
3. Start improving your site’s SEO today!

Other Services Offered by Simplified SEO Consulting

Simplified SEO Consulting was built to provide personalized services that fit your needs. Therefore, we offer a variety of services. For those with the desire to tackle SEO on their own, we offer DIY services. For those who already understand SEO but need a bit of help, we offer a strategy session or we can work with you through our Done With You services. Finally, we offer Done For You services, where you don’t have to spend time on the hard stuff. You can simply tell us your goals and allow us to get to work! Still not quite sure what you want yet? Read through our blog and learn more about SEO for your private practice site!

Happy Blogging 😉

About the author

Reagan is one of our newest Simplified SEO Specialists, but she has been diving right in to the work. As a new graduate student working towards her LPC, she understands the importance of reaching your ideal clients and building out your private practice. Reagan enjoys blogging, both for Simplified and in her free time. Reagan helps current clients through our Done-For-You services, but also speaks to potential clients through our FREE consults! Reagan is excited to be here and is ready to start helping you on your SEO journey!