SEO stands for search engine optimisation. It’s one way in which your website gets seen online. SEO is both a science and an art, and you have to make your website stand out if you want people to find it in search results.
There are many search engines out there, but the main one that counts when it comes to SEO is Google. It owns 90% of search engine market share.
In practical terms, this means it is paramount to your therapy practice to rank as close to the top page as possible. Almost a quarter of searchers click the top search engine result. If you can’t be top you need to hit the first page of Google, 75% of searchers never scroll past the first page.
Ranking top on Google for SEO is not the same as appearing first with a paid ad. Good SEO creates organic traffic flow and domain authority and by producing solid SEO content, you can increase your chances of ranking on SERPs (search engine results pages). Having a top-ranking website helps to create trust in your business but it’s not an easy job to do. You can choose to try it yourself or hire a professional.
SEO and therapy
SEO is especially important when it comes to therapists and therapy practices. Google is the first point of inquiry when people are looking for a therapist. Many people still feel there is a stigma surrounding seeking out support from a therapist. For this reason, they prefer to turn to the internet for help and advice.
With more and more people searching google for answers, therapists need to stay competitive.
SEO is for everyone
Every business has different needs and your therapy practice is no different. The level to which you choose to invest in SEO will depend on your own business needs. Some therapists might choose to invest time in learning and running their basic SEO strategy. Others will decide to invest money on hiring a specialist.
Should you hire a specialist or DIY your SEO?
To help you decide which road to take, you should think about your budget. It’s worth bearing in mind that directories tend to rank nearer the top of google searches for therapists. To help get your business ranked closer to the top with relatively little effort, you will want to join directories.
It’s also worth noting that having a physical location listed for your practice improves SEO. Another way to make sure your website ranks is to fill it with authoritative content. Content is like oxygen for any website. Google bots will crawl your page and search for blogs/articles and quality content.
The more natural your links and content appear, the higher your domain authority. When people are searching for mental health advice for example, google brings up articles that answer their questions. For this reason, it’s a good idea to create content that allows people to help themselves. If you enjoy writing and are happy to create content, you can take this on yourself. Writing for SEO purposes is complicated, and it’s always a better idea to hire a specialist.
Analytics and keyword research
If you are doing your SEO and marketing in house, you may be wondering why you aren’t getting results. How do you measure your return on investment (ROI)?
You may not have conducted appropriate keyword research. Keywords are the terms most often typed into google and searched for surrounding your niche. There are tools you can use such as Ubersuggest or Answer the Public, that will help you find appropriate keywords. These keywords should be written into your texts and articles organically.
Another way to check your site traffic is through the use of analytics. Some domain servers have built-in analytic tools. Analytics will tell you how much traffic you have generated and which sources they’ve come from.
This will help you to keep an eye on what SEO practices are working for you. For example, is your site generating a lot of hits through one article in particular? With analytics, you can track what works and what doesn’t.
SEO is vital to any therapy website. If you choose to do it yourself or to outsource, there is no doubt that the return on investment will be well worth your time and money.
