SEO for Therapists – How Can It Help Your Private Practice?

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is the process of optimising your online content so search engines will want to show it as a top result for searches of a certain keyword. A keyword, or focus keyword as some people call it, is a word that describes the content on a website page best. It’s the search term you want a certain page to rank for, so when people search for that keyword or phrase in Google or other search engines, they’ll find that page on your website. For example, I’d like people to find this page when they search for things like ‘SEO for therapists’.

Why is SEO Important for Therapists?

When you open a private practice and make your services available to people in your local area, the number one thing you need as a business owner is to be visible to any potential customers. If people can’t find your business when they’re searching for help, they won’t be able to invest in your services.

Imagine you were opening a bricks-and-mortar store in your local town or city. If your premises are on a road with high traffic, you’ll have visibility and people will find you. If you’re located on a quiet back street with no passing traffic, nobody will see you and you’ll struggle to generate sales.

When someone uses a search engine such as Google, the search engine displays the results it thinks are most relevant for the search query. The more you can do to help the search engine feel your website is relevant, the more visible your business will be.

If your private practice is already up and running, but you’re keen to work with more self-funded clients, an effective website with good SEO is essential. Becoming more visible online means you’re more likely to attract committed, motivated clients who have specifically chosen you to be their therapist. This can lead to increased income, more flexibility and less paperwork.

Where Do I Start?

There are a number of simple steps you can take to improve the visibility of your business in your local area. These are collectively part of something called Local SEO. This is the process of optimising the ability for your website (and business) to be found in the search engines.

When your business has great Local SEO in place, you’ll be more visible to customers in your local area. This means more visitors to your website, more phone calls, more enquiries, and ultimately more sales.

Get the Pocket Site Free Local SEO Guide

When someone searches for a local business, they’re usually presented with a map and three businesses at the top of the page with further details and reviews for each. If you want maximum visibility, it should be your mission to have your business appear here.

At Pocket Site, I’ve teamed up with Website Consultant Sophie Wood to share action points and tips that will help you achieve this and improve the visibility of your business in your local area. By working through the Free Local SEO Guide and following the steps we suggest, you’ll be taking immediate action that will benefit your business.

Results Take Time

It’s important to note you won’t see the results of these changes right away. That’s not how search engines work. However, the sooner you make the appropriate changes for your business, the sooner you’ll see results. Typically, we’d expect to see positive changes over a 4-8 week period.

If you’d like to dig a little deeper and make your website even more effective, Pocket Site also offers an SEO Health Check for Therapists in private practice. We’ll complete a full review of your website and see what’s working and what isn’t. You’ll be provided with a detailed, practical, jargon-free checklist of the steps you can take to boost your online presence and get more leads. It’s a great way to ensure you’re covering all the SEO basics.

Discover more resources for Therapists in private practice here.