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Summer SEO: Building Backlinks Ethically

Summer can often bring a noticeable “summer slowdown” for many businesses, including those in the mental health field. With vacations, holidays, and a general shift in routine, it’s common to see a dip in client inquiries and engagement. This seasonal lull presents a perfect opportunity to focus on strengthening your online presence through strategic SEO efforts.

One of the key components of SEO is building backlinks. Backlinks, also known as inbound links, are links from one website to another. However, not all backlinks are created equal. Ethical backlink building is essential to ensure that your SEO efforts are sustainable and effective in the long run. Building backlinks ethically means earning them through high-quality content and genuine relationships, rather than resorting to shortcuts that can harm your site’s reputation and rankings.

Let’s dive into the essentials of building backlinks ethically and effectively, helping you make the most of the summer slow down to enhance your SEO and prepare for the busy seasons ahead.

A notebook with "Link Building" written in black marker, sitting on a work desk. If you want to learn more about link building, get started with Simplified SEO Consulting today! Contact us now.

Do Backlinks Still Matter in SEO?

Yes, backlinks are still a crucial factor in SEO. They act as endorsements from other websites, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. When a reputable site links to your content, it can boost your search engine ranking and increase your visibility. However, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity. High-quality backlinks from authoritative sites can significantly impact your SEO more than numerous low-quality links. In the changing world of SEO, backlinks continue to be a key component in building a strong online presence on Google.

How Many Backlinks Do You Need for SEO?

At Simplified SEO Consulting, we recommend aiming for at least 100 backlinks to start with. That might sound like a huge number and feel a bit overwhelming at first. Yes, 100 is a lot of backlinks. However, it is very attainable for most websites and a great place to start!

To put things into perspective, many of you reading this will actually need significantly more than 100 backlinks. But don’t be discouraged; building backlinks is a gradual process. If this sounds overwhelming, schedule a strategy session with one of our skilled specialists. We also have numerous other blogs that can guide you to ethically build backlinks.

Creating a plan that works for you and your practice is essential. Start by setting SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-specific). Look at your schedule and see where you can dedicate time to building backlinks.

For example, set a goal to build one backlink every week for a month. This way, you can gradually build up your backlink profile without feeling overwhelmed.

Is it OK to Pay for Backlinks?

While it might seem that paying for backlinks can expedite your SEO efforts, it’s not a recommended practice. Paying for backlinks can be seen as a shortcut, but it doesn’t align with Google’s goal of providing the most helpful and relevant search results. Instead, it artificially boosts your site’s authority, which Google frowns upon.

Paying for backlinks comes with significant risks. Search engines like Google strive to deliver high-quality and relevant content to users. When backlinks are bought, they disrupt the natural link-building process, promoting content that might lack authenticity or real value.

Content circled in white chalk on a blackboard with arrows pointing to it. If you want to learn more about creating content, contact us for a free consultation. Get started on your SEO today!

How to Get Backlinks for Free?

Instead of paying for backlinks, there are several ethical strategies to build high-quality backlinks this summer:

  • Create Valuable Content: Publish informative and engaging content that naturally attracts backlinks from other websites.
  • Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for reputable websites in your niche, including a link back to your site.
  • Build Relationships: Network with other professionals and therapists in your industry to earn backlinks through collaborations and mentions.
  • Podcast Guesting: Participate as a guest on relevant podcasts. Share your insights and expertise, and in return, the podcast host often links back to your website in the show notes.
  • Guest Speaking: Offer to speak at webinars, online conferences, or industry events. These platforms typically promote their speakers, providing you with backlinks from their event pages or promotional materials.
  • List in Therapist Directories: Ensure your practice is listed in reputable therapist directories. These directories often provide a backlink to your site, increasing your visibility and authority.

Final Thoughts from an SEO Specialist

Implementing ethical backlink strategies requires commitment and patience, but the rewards are well worth the effort. By avoiding shortcuts like paying for backlinks and instead focusing on creating high-quality content, guest blogging, networking, and engaging with industry communities, you can build a strong backlink profile that will benefit your site in the long run. These strategies not only improve your site’s SEO but also enhance its overall reputation and authority.

While the temptation to take shortcuts can be strong, it’s important to remember that ethical practices ultimately yield the best results. By prioritizing quality over quantity and focusing on genuine, value-driven content, you can achieve sustainable SEO success that withstands algorithm changes and maintains your site’s integrity.

A black man sitting on a couch while typing on a laptop. To build ethical backlinks, consider writing a guest blog for a colleague. Start building your SEO today.

Start Ethically Building Backlinks Today!

Building a list of high-quality backlinks that will enhance your practice’s online presence takes time and effort. At Simplified SEO Consulting, we understand the challenges you may encounter on this journey. Our team is dedicated to providing the support you need to overcome these obstacles and achieve improved SEO rankings. Here’s how you can get started on your SEO journey with us:

  1. Schedule a free consultation with us to share your SEO goals.
  2. Start implementing effective backlink strategies to boost your site’s authority and search engine ranking.
  3. Watch your site climb its way to the first page of Google!

Other Services We Offer:

We recognize that SEO encompasses a wide range of elements that you may need assistance with on your site. That’s why we offer a comprehensive suite of SEO services designed to address all your needs. Our Done For You SEO Services allow our experts to handle all aspects of your SEO, from keyword research to content optimization and backlink building, so you can focus on your practice. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, our DIY Online SEO Courses let you learn the fundamentals of SEO at your own pace, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to manage your own SEO. For a more intensive and guided experience, our 12-Week Done With You Intensive SEO Program offers close collaboration with our team, combining hands-on training with expert guidance to significantly improve your SEO in just 12 weeks.

About the Author

Olivia Ferguson, Mental Health SEO Specialist

Olivia graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Combining her deep understanding of social work principles with her expertise in SEO, she is dedicated to empowering therapists to connect effectively with their ideal clients. Through strategic SEO techniques, Olivia enjoys helping therapists enhance their online visibility and attract clients who can benefit most from their services. Her goal is to bridge the gap between mental health expertise and digital marketing, ensuring that therapists can focus on what they do best – providing compassionate care – while reaching those in need through effective online presence.

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How Blogging is Not Just for SEO

You’re feeling uninspired. Thinking that you’re only blogging for SEO or to boost your rankings. I know I’ve caught myself thinking I’m only writing blogs for SEO and SEO-targeted keywords. However, it’s not true! Blogs are not just for SEO. They have many different purposes and can be used in many ways at your practice! From writing about topics you’re passionate about to addressing questions you’re asked about daily in therapy, blogs can cover a lot of territory. SEO-wise and topic-wise!

Shows a woman thinking. Represents how Simplified SEO Consulting can help you with your blogging needs

Blogging About Frequent Questions From Clients

As a therapist or counselor, I’m sure you’ve noticed clients coming in and asking about the same things. Topics like “How do I know I have Anxiety?” or “How Do I Know if I’m HSP?”. Aside from answering them in therapy, wouldn’t it be cool to have something written all about what they’re asking? That’s where a blog can come in handy! You can write blogs for your clients about topics you hear about frequently. It can come from questions you’ve been asked or you can blog about struggles your clients have been going through. For example, you can write about “How to Navigate Going Back to Work Postpartum: Tips from a Therapist”. Not only can you pack in SEO keywords, but you can also write to inform your clients about topics they are currently going through or could go through in the future.

Shows a man meditating. Represents how Simplified SEO Consulting can help you start blogging about your services

Start Blogging About Your Services

This may sound cliche, but you can write about topics that connect back to your services! This way your clients or potential clients will know what your practice offers. For example, you may have a client who is already seeing you for one service. Then they read your blog about your mindfulness classes and ask to join those! Or, someone finds your blog about mindfulness. The one where you talk about how your practice offers them. Then they contact your practice to start. It can also just be a random person on the internet who appreciates the ways mindfulness can ease anxiety.

These blogs can be a great way to give insight to your clients about the services they may be taking part in. But, it can also give insight into the other services you offer. Like your approach to therapy for anxiety and depression. They can also just help others by looking for information from a reliable source. They can now do this without seeking contact with actual people. This may seem small but to a client who is looking for a therapist to trust with their mental health, this is a big win!

Write Blogs About Events Important to Your Practice

When blogging, you might think you can only write about topics you deal with inside your therapy sessions. However, you can blog about what your practice finds important outside of those, too! For example, if your practice sponsors or takes part in any runs/walks or fundraisers for any awareness campaigns. For example, the “Out of the Darkness Walks” that is organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

This can be a great blog topic to let clients know what your practice is involved in. It’s also a different way to give information about a topic. This can also let clients know how your practice is giving back to the mental health community outside of therapy. It also helps your clients find a community- if they resonate with this cause or foundation. They might enjoy getting involved and knowing that someone they trust is already there. It can also show that your practice is involved in the mental health community and trying to raise awareness about the struggles you’re working to address.

You Can Write Blogs About What You’re Going ThroughShows a family with a paper house. Represents how Simplified SEO Consulting can get you started blogging about thing you're going through

This may seem a little confusing at first because it’s not like clients come to therapy to hear about your problems. But, if you’re an anxiety therapist who also has anxiety, it can be helpful to write blogs about situations that you’ve been in. For instance, if you’re an anxiety therapist who has anxiety, you could write about times your anxiety has been triggered and what you did about it. Like when you were moving and how you coped, or how you went to a holiday party and suffer from social anxiety. Or, if you’re someone who is a highly sensitive person, which I feel not everyone talks about enough, you can talk about your experiences.

Blogging about how to cope with certain situations you’ve been through or potential situations that bring you stress will probably help some of your clients or potential clients. Maybe even random people on the internet! Also, it’s more than likely your clients have also been in these situations or will benefit from these tips in the future. Plus, it makes them feel seen knowing even their therapist has been in a situation where their anxiety was a struggle.

Are you Interested in Learning More About Blogging?

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

There are several options! So, you may be wondering what choice is best for your practice’s needs. That’s why we offer free video consultations. A member of our team would be happy to learn more about your practice and your SEO goals and 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:Lynsey, SEO Content Writer for Simplified SEO Consulting

Lynsey is an SEO Content Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. At Simplified, Lynsey enjoys writing about different content topics for clients. She also realizes how important these topics are to the client, their practice, and their clients too! Especially, if the content is being used as a resource within the mental health field. Her goal is to always create content that resonates with the client and learn as much as she can along the way. She is passionate about providing copywriting services for psychiatrists and therapists.

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

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The SEO Benefits of Writing Local Blogs for Your Therapy Website

You may wonder what a local blog is and why we would suggest writing one. Local blogs are not as hard to write as blogs about treatments or mental health struggles, but they are equally beneficial for your SEO! So, what does writing a blog about your locations and places around it do for SEO? Actually, a lot!

They Tell Google Where Your Therapy Practice Is to Boost SEO

Writing local blogs can help you to tell Google where your therapy practice is located. Writing these blogs that are centered around your location, lets Google know where you’re practicing therapy and providing services. This allows Google to use that knowledge to suggest you and your services to people in your area. Especially ones that are searching for a therapist or other related services that you provide.

 For example, if you’re writing a blog about “Places to Relax in Little Rock, AR for People with Anxiety”, make sure to fit “AR” and “Little Rock” in the blog as much and as naturally as you can help Google realize that you are IN FACT in Little Rock, AR. 3D illustration with the words "You are Here" on a map. This represents how blogging about local locations can help therapists boost their SEO.

Demonstrate Your Knowledge of the Area 

For local blogs, you’re also going to want to use locations that are local to your area. So, if you are writing that blog about “Places to Relax in Little Rock, AR for People with Anxiety” you can mention specific parks in parts of Little Rock that are peaceful and great to go to if you’re wanting to get away when feeling overwhelmed by your anxiety. 

Adding additional locations that are located near the places you are writing about is a great way to show clients that you know the area. It also gives them an idea of where this place is but also shows Google that you know the area because you’re located there. 

For example, you can write about the War Memorial Park in Little Rock, AR. When writing, you can mention that it’s close to highway 630 and right by the Little Rock Zoo. This demonstrates your knowledge of the area, highlights other places near there, and shows the client where this place is. This also allows Google to know where you’re talking about, as well.

Back-Up that Knowledge and Add External Links for SEO

Another benefit of writing these location blogs is that it makes it easier for you to fit in external links. Putting links to the websites of the locations you use will help boost your SEO and credibility. By linking to the location’s website, it gives the client more information about the location but shows Google verifies that the place you are talking about is located near you and that you’re someone who might be an expert on the area.

A close up of a person typing on a laptop with the term "keywords" shown nearby. Learn how Simplified can help with your keywords for SEO.

Local Blogs Help Target Keywords for Your Practice’s Therapy Services

These blogs are also great and a somewhat easy way to boost rankings for keywords you are targeting for your mental health services. You will easily be able to mention “couples” and “couples therapy” or “anxiety” and “anxiety therapy” when writing a blog about “6 Romantic Locations for Couples to Reconnect in Ontario” or “5 Calm Places in Ontario for People with Anxiety”. 

When writing about those locations, you can talk about what makes them great for couples to reconnect with each other or what makes the locations calming for people with anxiety. These are easy ways to drop keywords naturally while still stating information that is relevant. Plus, it will show Google you know something about couples and anxiety but also show that same knowledge to potential clients.

Segue Into Your Therapy Services for an SEO Boost

When wrapping up the blogs, you can always talk about the services you offer. Such as, mentioning how these locations may help them and their partner focus on themselves but if there are deeper struggles that couples therapy may be something they may consider. 

Then, of course, you include your information on how to go about setting up a consultation and starting therapy. Or, for anxiety, you can talk about how these calm places are great to reduce stimuli that can make anxiety even more overwhelming. But, adding in if it’s affecting their everyday life they may need to consider anxiety therapy in Ontario, Canada. 

Local Blogs Will Help Target Your Preferred Audience Three young therapists sitting around a computer and one therapist with an iPad. This represents how learning about local blogs can help you target the clients you want and boost your SEO.

 

Lastly, writing local blogs will show Google where you are wanting to see clients, which is a vital part of building your Local SEO presence. It will let Google know that you are practicing in Little Rock and probably would prefer clients near this area. Of course, that will be different if you are offering online therapy for the whole state or are solely offering online services, so your targeted audience may be broader. 

Being specific about locations in your area will help Google know to show your information to people searching for services or therapists in your area. This will help ensure that at least two check boxes for these clients are checked: they are located in your area and are looking for therapy or services.

Let’s Get Started Writing Your Local SEO Blogs

Are you a private practice owner looking to improve your online presence and attract more clients? At Simplified SEO Consulting, we understand how important it is to have a strong SEO strategy. That’s why we recommend incorporating local SEO blogs into your website. By writing blog posts that target your local area, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract clients in your community who are searching for therapy services. Don’t worry if you’re not a confident writer – we’re here to help! Our team is here to support you in writing SEO-friendly content that resonates with your audience. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your online presence and attract more clients to your private practice!

  1. Please apply to work with us
  2. Learn about our team
  3. Begin writing local blogs today!

Other SEO Services At Simplified SEO Consulting

If you feel as if you need more support, there are other services you can use as well! 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. These can also be helpful to find better keywords, evaluating your current SEO performance, and more. Or, if you’re ready to work with a passionate and skilled team, our Done for You Program may be a great following approach.

About the Author:Lynsey, SEO Content Writer for Simplified SEO Consulting

Lynsey is an SEO Content Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. At Simplified, Lynsey enjoys writing content that is beneficial for the clients but also writing about important topics. Especially when they are used as resources within the mental health field. Her goal is to create quality content for clients to use as resources to help potential patients and learn as much as she can along the way. She is passionate about providing copywriting services for psychiatrists and therapists.

 

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



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