When is the Right Time to Invest in SEO?

Are you on a good platform to invest in SEO?

When considering SEO with us, we want you to think about the branding, design, and platform of your site. One of the biggest issues we try to help clients avoid is beginning the SEO investment on a platform they do not love or one that will not give them the return on investment that they need. Often we recommend people try Squarespace or WordPress. Sometimes we will work with a Wix or Weebly site, but often if you have a consult with our specialists, you will find that we will encourage a platform switch. If you’re absolutely in love with your platform and it happens to be on Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress, we are happy to work with you for our Done for You Services, but if you plan to stay on a different platform, on rare occasions we will do Weebly if a specialist is familiar and has capacity. Otherwise, our training options are the best option if you want to stay on your platform.  

Does it make financial sense to invest in SEO?

The goal of Simplified is to help you get the clients that you are best able to support. We never want finances to be a barrier to you scaling your practice. While we will usually recommend our DFY options, if you are able and willing to do the work, our training options can give you a lot of value for your needs. We have self-paced courses, group intensives, and individual training options. Additionally, if you’re unsure where to begin, you can get a beginner course with our strategy package and then meet with a specialist who can give you the support you need to figure out the next steps. With the done for you options, often people will want to do the cheapest option, but if you’re hoping to be closer to the first page within six months in a busy area on a 1 or 2 point package, you’re not going to reach this goal with the timeframe you anticipate. SEO is getting competitive and especially in areas like New York, Florida, California, and some parts of Colorado, the best way to get to the top quickly is to optimize your service pages and blogs.

Essentially, what we have found is that for Google to really begin recognizing you, you need 12-18 pages live and optimized on your site.

With SEO getting more competitive that number may begin to increase. So we need to hit the ground running. If this doesn’t sound doable for you, then you can still invest with our other options, but it may mean we need to wait till you’re more comfortable with the investment mentally. We as mental health professionals are not oblivious to the costs and investment of SEO. We know that for a practice SEO is often the biggest expense you may have, and we know that with the strategy we employ that is unique, intentional, and flexible, we can help you reach your goals if you are able to trust in our process. 

Do You Know Your Niche?

Knowing your niche matters to your success. Do you have to be one hundred percent sure of it? No. You can adapt as you understand what your community needs. If you’re in love with one niche during one season and then the next it switches, and you want to focus on couples over individuals or high functioning anxiety over trauma, you can do this. However, if you’re entering private or group practice without a semblance of who you’re trying to help. Do some soul searching before doing SEO. Why? We have found as mental health specialists that content matters for keywords. If you don’t know your clients with anxiety, you may get anxiety clients, but they may not be the ideal client you were hoping for. Additionally, you could get a lot of hits on your site indicated by Google Analytics and Google Search Console. However, if you’re getting clicks but not converts into clients, something is not connecting on your site. In order to convert, you need to know your people. Consider creating an avatar of who your ideal client is before beginning SEO with us. 

Are You Expanding Your Practice? 

Are you planning to expand your practice soon? Perhaps you’re worried about filling up your new clinicians which may tempt you to invest in Google ads over SEO. Pause and breathe. You have time. If you have a clinician onboarding in a few months, SEO is a great place to start. Here is why, if you have a desire to bring in consistent referrals for your practice, and you don’t want to have to constantly reinvest the money to get the clients into the door, SEO helps you to maintain a steady stream of people, especially when you consistently blog ( 2-3 times a month). If you’re worried about filling up your people you’re ready for SEO. We can help you strategy-wise to connect with your ideal people. 

Would You Rather Invest in SEO by Outsourcing?

This is a big one we encounter with consults. People know that they need to do SEO for the consistency of their practice and growth. They have been told it is really important and easy to learn. Here is the problem you’re an owner of a practice, a parent, have another job, are pregnant…And to be honest, you just don’t have the passion to learn, the clinical side and the business side are more your jam. That is where our done for you program will work best for you. Whether that means we are doing the work, or you are having an intern learn how to optimize through one of our training programs. You’re ready to outsource and begin SEO. 

Do You have Content and Copy You Love?

Maybe you have considered SEO before, but you just didn’t love your website and copy yet. And now, you have hired a fantastic copywriter and the website represents your values and who you hope to attract. Great! You’re ready for SEO. Well-written content equals connection.

What if I want to invest in SEO, but I do know how or love writing?

That’s ok. We offer copywriting services and we have great referrals who would be happy to hear your voice and create content that connects and aligns with your voice. If writing isn’t your thing, our team is happy to help and collaborate with you. 

Are you Ready to Blog?

Blogging is such a huge component of SEO. If you hate blog writing and refuse to write blogs, then maybe now isn’t the time for SEO. Here is the thing. Google loves content. Google has about 200+ factors you can rank your site for. If blogging isn’t for you. There are other SEO companies that can help you with off-page SEO. However, what we have found with counseling clients, having well build out service pages and blogs that talk about the heart of your practice, often gets you better results with clients and conversions. We will encourage you to blog and if that doesn’t sound like a good plan then now is not the time to invest. 

Are you planning to rebrand soon?

If you’re planning to rebrand or move to a new platform soon, now is not the time to do SEO. Here is why. Google has associated backlinks and other information with the domain you currently have. It has been live and active on Google for some time now. If you decide to take down the domain to move it to another platform, Google will look at this and not know what to do with your site. And, if you do rebrand or move your domain, change your domain, or move to another platform, Google has to reestablish trust. If you try to do SEO immediately afterward Google will not know what to do with your site. So it’s best to make the changes, publish it on the search engine, and then let it sit for 2 weeks to a month. Then begin SEO. You’ll have much better success integrating SEO. 

Do clients need to decide what their NAP information is in order to invest in SEO?

Lastly, do you know what a NAP score is? Check out this blog about local SEO and NAP. This is essentially your Name, Address, and Phone. This is necessary for consistency on the search engines and for Google my business/Local SEO. If you don’t know what you want your main name, address, and phone to be, then pause, figure it out, and then make sure you have that on your website, directories, Google My Business, and Yelp.

Begin Working with Our Team!

If you’re ready to invest in SEO, we are here to help. We can get you set up with our services and begin optimizing your website in a way that showcases your skills to potential clients soon. Our wonderful team of SEO specialists at Simplified SEO Consulting would be excited to help you on your SEO journey. To get started with our service follow these simple steps:

1. Schedule a consult with our Client Success Specialist
2. Learn more about our talented team of SEO Specialists
3. Start investing in what matters to help your clients reach you!

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, schedule a consultation with our Client Success Specialist today!  

About the Author:

 Jasmine is an SEO Specialist, and Client Success Specialist at Simplified SEO Consulting. You may be wondering where to start with your SEO journey. You’ve come to the right place. Learn how cornerstone content can help.  

Jasmine Jaquess is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University. She has been doing SEO with Simplified for the last few months. Currently, she serves as the Client Success Specialist in new client consultation with Simplified SEO Consulting and is an SEO specialist. She specializes in platforms such as Squarespace and Wix but has learned to love WordPress sites as well. She really enjoys hearing the clients’ goals for their businesses and helping them achieve them.