SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a clever way of ensuring that your website ranks well in Google and other search engines. SEO is a determinant of the higher ranking of sites that deal with matters people are searching for.
The idea behind SEO is simple—make your website easier for people and search engines to understand. However, doing it well requires time, practice, and a solid understanding of what works. When done right, SEO can bring more visitors to your site, grow your business, and help people find you online without paying for ads.
For example, every month, around 7,100 people search for “anxiety therapy.” Others search for terms like “depression therapist” or “couples counselor.” In this guide, you will learn how to utilize SEO for therapists, ensuring your website appears on top when someone searches for the support you offer.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving your website’s ranking on search engines, so people searching for your services can easily find you. This helps bring more visitors to your site and can lead to new clients. For therapists, SEO is an essential tool to connect with potential clients who are actively looking for mental health support.
Below are some of the key components of SEO-
Google wants to deliver the best search result possible for a user’s query. It uses advanced systems to search its index and quickly deliver the most relevant results. The search engine processes and ranks pages based on relevancy and authority. This process of building trust with Google is even more important in industries that fall under the YMYL category, which stands for “your money your life.
If you search “therapist near me”, the reason why the #1 result shows up is that Google scanned that website and determined that it was optimized enough to belong at #1.
Usually, any word or phrase is a keyword. However, people often use similar terms when searching for the same type of results. In SEO, “keyword” usually means words or phrases that people commonly search for.
Therapists and counselors should focus on local keywords rather than national ones. Local keywords bring up results specific to a location. This means Google’s algorithm believes the searcher is looking for something nearby within their zip code, like a restaurant, grocery store, barber shop, or therapist.
What about national keywords?
National keywords, on the other hand, show results from across the country (or the world, depending on the keyword). These are less specific to any one location.
How to tell if a keyword is local?
A simple way to check if a keyword is local is to see if it shows in Google My Business Profile listings in the results.
For example, if you search “therapist near me,” you will almost always see local results, no matter where you are. Google Business Profile listings only show up for local keywords. As a therapist, your goal isn’t just to appear in the top 10 search results for a local keyword you also want your website to show up in the Google Business Profile section.
To achieve this, you need a well-optimized website that focuses on local keywords and a properly set up Google Business Profile. Not targeting long-tail keywords is only one mistake you can make while doing keyword research.
Check out our post on five mistakes you are making with keywords to learn more about common errors in the keyword research process.
When it comes to SEO for therapists, keyword research is essential. So, what keywords should you choose for your website?
Every service you offer should have its own dedicated page on your website, which we call a Specialty Page. For example, if you provide therapy for anxiety, create a page called “Anxiety Therapy” or something similar, using the keywords that potential clients are most likely to search for, like “Anxiety Counseling.”
This main keyword is called a primary keyword, and it’s the core focus of that page.
Secondary keywords are related terms that support the primary keyword and help expand on it.
To explain simply, think of the primary keyword as the trunk of a tree and the secondary keywords as the branches. Both are important for SEO, and together they make the page more relevant and complete.
Let’s say a therapist specializes in depression treatment. They will want to focus on the primary keyword “depression treatment” and also use secondary keywords that expand on this topic.
Here’s an example of secondary keywords for depression treatment-
A great way to find these keywords is by using a keyword research tool, such as Ahrefs. These keywords will guide you in creating a Specialty Page focused on depression treatment and its various aspects.
Based on our experience, certain keywords tend to perform well for therapy-related specialties. These keywords usually have a high search volume, but keep in mind that it can vary based on your location. Here’s a list of common keywords for therapist specialties-
Creating high-quality, engaging, and relevant content is an essential aspect of SEO in order to attract more potential clients and boost your website’s search engine rankings. If you want to rank higher, your content needs to be the absolute best for your chosen keyword. We recommend posting high-quality content to your website at least once per month. You can do that by blogging.
With a strategic approach to content creation, you can offer valuable information and resources that meet the needs and concerns of your audience. Here are some practical tips to help you create content that connects with your ideal clients and boosts your online presence.
Focus on your audience’s needs: Understand the concerns, questions, and interests of your target clients. Tailor your content to address these topics and offer practical, actionable advice they can use in their daily lives.
Track user engagement: Utilize your website’s analytics to see which content performs best with your audience. Use this information to refine your content marketing strategy and create more of the content types that drive the most engagement.
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your own website, and they play a major role in SEO for therapists. They act as trust signals for search engines—the more quality backlinks you have, the more Google trusts your website.
Why does this matter?
Backlinks are like recommendations. Just as you trust a friend’s suggestion for a good restaurant, Google trusts backlinks from credible sources to determine the value of your site. However, not all links are created equally. Focus on building the:
Topical links: Get links from therapy-related sites, like therapy directories.
Local links: Links from local directories or organizations can confirm your business location.
Authoritative links: Links from well-established websites or domains like .edu or .org carry more weight.
Ideally, you would “earn” backlinks naturally over time by being a trusted and active professional. However, the internet doesn’t always work that way. To speed up the process, you can build backlinks yourself or you can hire someone like us for our best SEO services.
Here are some types of backlinks we help our clients get through our SEO services or coaching program.
There are plenty of link-building strategies, but this is a great starting point for therapists.
To rank well on Google, your website needs to be technically good. This is called technical SEO. Your site should have no errors like 404 pages, be searchable on Google, use HTTPS for security, and more. A website isn’t just an online business card it’s a tool that needs regular updates and optimization. Not all website designers understand technical SEO, so let Websterztech help you create the best website for you.
Site Speed
If your website is slow, visitors might leave before exploring it—and that’s bad for both your business and your Google rankings.
Google tracks how users interact with your site. If visitors stay longer, it shows your content is helpful. If the visitors visit your website and then leave your website right after landing on it without exploring further, it affects the bounce rate. If your site has a high bounce rate, Google may think it’s not useful for searchers, which can hurt your rankings.
To check your site speed, use tools like GT Metrix, or the Google Lighthouse Chrome extension for a detailed performance report.
Broken Links
We have all come across a “404” error page. That’s a broken link, and it’s frustrating for visitors who visit your sites.
The good news is, it’s easy to fix! Simply set up a 301 redirect, which tells search engines to send visitors to another page instead of the broken one.
To find broken links on your site, you can use Ahrefs’ free broken link checker tool.
Local SEO is like regular SEO, but it helps your practice show up in local Google results, especially when someone nearby searches for services like yours, which makes local SEO important. The most powerful tool for this is your Google Business Profile, which is completely free. If you have not claimed yours yet, it is a great first step to help more people find you.
For therapists who meet clients in person, it is much easier to set up and verify your listing with Google. But if you are a virtual-only therapist, it can be a bit tricky because Google wants the location to be where you actually meet clients. Some folks find creative ways around this, but it is not always guaranteed to work.
Once your profile is live, make sure to fill it out fully—add your business hours, services, a great description, and photos of your office. If possible, include a short video walkthrough that starts from the front door—this helps demonstrate that your space is real and trustworthy, which aligns with Google’s guidelines and builds confidence in potential clients.
SEO is always evolving, and two major factors are shaping its future. AI and Google’s Helpful Content Update. Effective SEO strategies help build a successful in-person or online therapy practice by attracting more website visits, which can convert into client inquiries and emotional security.
AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the digital landscape, and we are seeing more structured data in search results. In the future, Google may start showing search results in a more conversational way, similar to AI tools, and pull information directly from websites to save users time.
While it’s unclear how this will impact SEO, one thing is certain: understanding search intent is more important than ever.
Search intent is the reason behind a search. For example, if someone searches for an anxiety therapist near me, they probably want to find a local therapist who can help with anxiety not general information about anxiety. Google’s goal is to show results that match exactly what the user is looking for.
As AI improves, Google will focus even more on search intent. Websites that deliver clear, accurate content that matches what users are looking for will rank higher. Understanding the intent means creating content that directly answers users’ questions.
Our team constantly monitors these algorithm updates and experiments with AI and SEO. We will try to keep you updated as much as possible on our blog.
If you are ready to optimize your SEO, we can help with SEO services specifically tailored for therapists. Let’s work together to increase your reach on search engines!
Websterz Technologies is a leading digital marketing agency that offers various services such as designing websites, and comprehensive SEO services for therapists, including keyword research, on-page optimization, and quality content creation. We focus on improving site structure, building local citations, and enhancing mobile friendliness.
Ranking on the first page of Google is a major advantage, It means your practice will continue to appear in front of potential clients long after you have invested in SEO. This long-term visibility reduces the need for ongoing advertising and helps to attract clients organically over time.
Google uses over 200 ranking factors in its algorithm to determine how web pages rank for specific search queries. These factors include site-level signals, page-level elements like internal links, page load speed, and user engagement. All of these contribute to how your website is ranked and how it is visible to potential clients.
Websterz Technologies Has Delighted Customers in 20+ Countries Worldwide
info@websterztech.com
1148 Lublin Ave., Windsor, ON N8P 1X3, Canada
Plot no, C98-B, Ground Floor Phase 7, Industrial Area, Sector 74, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab 160071
We hired Websterz Technologies in 2023 to build our new website. We had to transition to a new website very quickly and Manoj and his team were very professional, quick to respond, and understood our needs. They exceeded our expectations in every way. They were attentive to our needs, provided valuable insights, and delivered a stunning website at very short notice.
Since working with them, we have seen a significant increase in our online rankings. They took the time to understand our business model and goals and tailored an SEO strategy that worked for us. They provided clear guidance, actionable strategies, and regular reports to track our progress. Their SEO strategy and ongoing support have driven more traffic to our site and increased our client conversion rate.
— Dr. Shilpa Kapoor, President/Owner at Mind-Body Care)
