SEO for Therapists and Coaches: A Beginner-Friendly 10-Step Guide
Do you ever feel like your practice’s website isn't getting the attention it deserves? As a therapist, coach, or other health and wellness professional, your website is one of the powerful marketing tools to attract your ideal clients and grow your practice.
But if people can't find you online, they can't benefit from your amazing services.
That's where SEO—Search Engine Optimization—comes in. Think of SEO as a way to make your website the best-kept secret everyone can discover. And the best part? It doesn't have to be complicated!
In this high-level overview, I'm sharing 10 vital steps to improve your website's SEO and boost your visibility in search results.
1. Conduct Keyword Research
Great SEO starts with knowing what your potential clients are actually searching for. Finding the right keywords ensures your website pops up when people seek your services.
Check out free tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google's "People Also Search for" to find keywords related to your services (think "post-partum depression counseling Baton Rouge" or "wellness coach in New Orleans"). Other great free options include Ubersuggest, Answer the Public and the Keyword Surfer Chrome Extension.
Focus on long-tail keywords—those more extended, specific phrases people are likely searching for (e.g., what are the signs of anxiety,” best kind of therapy for depression”). They usually have less competition, so it's easier to rank higher.
2. Optimize Your Website's On-Page SEO
Once you have your keywords, it's time to optimize your website. On-page SEO means improving the individual pages of your site so they're more appealing to search engines and visitors alike.
Title Tags: Every website page should have a unique title that includes your primary keyword (e.g., "Online Couples Therapy in Florida").
Meta Descriptions: Write a summary (150–160 characters) for each page that includes relevant keywords. This helps attract clicks from search results.
Headings: Structure your content using clear headings (H1, H2, H3). Your main title should include your primary keyword in the H1 tag.
Content: Create engaging, valuable content that answers your potential clients' questions. Use keywords naturally throughout the text, whether it's a blog post, FAQ section, or service description.
Image Optimization: Improve load times by compressing images and using descriptive alt text with your keywords for all images. (e.g., "Senior woman doing yoga stretches on a mat during a fitness class.”).
3. Create High-Quality, Relevant Content
Great content is the backbone of SEO. It grabs your visitors' attention and shows search engines that you know your stuff. The more valuable and relevant your content is, the easier it is for people to find your site.
Start a blog or resources page to share tips, success stories, and helpful insights.
Avoid “thin content.” Aim to write at least 1,000 words, with a target closer to 2,000 for optimal depth and detail.
Answer common questions your clients might have, like "How can I reduce stress naturally?" or "What happens during a wellness coaching session?"
Use real-life examples and the latest stats to demonstrate your experience and expertise and build trust.
4. Build Backlinks to Your Website
Backlinks—links from other websites to yours—are super important because they tell search engines your content is trustworthy. The more quality backlinks you have, the more authority your site will have.
Contact local mental health and health and wellness blogs, directories, or other relevant sites and ask if they'll link to your content.
List your business on essential online directories for general and industry-specific searches (i.e., Google Business Profile, LinkedIn for Business, Psychology Today, Wellyoh, and other popular sites).
Partner with others in your industry for guest blogs, podcasts, or joint promotions to score great backlinks.
5. Optimize for Location
In-person Providers
Local SEO is perhaps the most overlooked strategy for professionals looking to attract clients nearby. Here are some tips to boost your local SEO:
Google Business Profile: Claim and optimize it! Make sure your business name, office address, phone number, website, and hours are all accurate and up to date. Provide weekly updates on your listing. Use relevant keywords and include a link to your website or a consultation booking link.
Local Keywords: Mention your city or neighborhood in your content, especially service descriptions. This helps search engines determine where you're based and who you're trying to reach.
Citations: Keeping your business info consistent across all listings can help you rank higher locally.
Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews go a long way for your local SEO. Ask clients for reviews on your Google Business Profile or other review sites if your professional ethics permit it. Otherwise, request reviews from colleagues and referral sources.
Online-Only Providers
If you’re an online-only provider offering statewide or nationwide services, the same strategies still apply—but reaching a bigger audience means putting more effort into digital marketing. Without local networks or community referrals, your online presence is more important than ever.
Focus on Broad Keywords: Use keywords that resonate with a wide audience, like “online therapy for anxiety” or “virtual wellness coaching.”
State-Specific Licensing Keywords: If your services are limited by licensing, include location-based keywords like “online therapy in Texas” to connect with clients in approved areas.
Content Marketing: Build a strong content strategy with SEO in mind. Share valuable, informative content regularly that speaks to your audience’s needs and includes relevant keywords to boost your search visibility.
Whether you’re a local provider or purely online, fine-tuning your SEO strategy to match your reach will help you connect with the right clients more effectively.
6. Improve Mobile Optimization
These days, more and more clients are searching for services on their phones. That's why having a mobile-friendly website is critical for user experience and SEO.
Make sure your website looks great and works smoothly on mobile. Test it on different devices to make sure it's easy to use and everything's accessible.
Google favors mobile-friendly sites in search rankings, a key step for boosting your SEO.
7. Set Up Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a must-have (and free!) tool that lets Google know your website exists while helping you track and improve how it performs in search results. It's a key part of any good SEO strategy, yet it's surprisingly one of the most overlooked tools by business owners.
Create a free Google Search Console account and verify your website to track performance, identify issues, and submit your sitemap to Google.
Use the Search Console to monitor keyword rankings and see which sources drive the most traffic to your website.
Regularly check for errors or crawl issues and address them to ensure Google can fully index your site.
Submit new and updated pages to the Search Console to ensure Google indexes them promptly.
8. Focus on E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google uses E-A-T to determine how trustworthy and reliable your website is. E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Focusing on these areas can give your SEO a solid boost.
Expertise: Share your knowledge by posting helpful, well-researched content your audience will find valuable.
Authoritativeness: Build your authority with backlinks from trusted sites and regularly publish high-quality content.
Trustworthiness: Ensure your website looks professional, stays secure (get that SSL certificate), and keeps info current. Sharing real-life examples, testimonials, and current statistics can help build trust with both your visitors and search engines.
9. Stay Active on Social Media
Search engines like Google pay close attention to your social media activity when ranking your website. Staying active on social platforms can boost your SEO by driving more traffic to your business website and increasing engagement.
Share your blog article and content on your social media to drive traffic and get people talking.
Keep the conversation going by replying to comments, posting updates often, and creating fun, interactive content like polls or Q&A sessions.
10. Monitor Your SEO Performance
SEO isn't something you can set and forget—it's an ongoing process. Keeping an eye on your SEO performance helps you determine what's working and what needs tweaking.
Use your website's built-in analytics tools or Google Analytics to track important metrics like traffic, user behavior, bounce rates, conversions, and interactions.
Check out keyword rankings and performance in Google Search Console to see which terms bring visitors to your site.
Use these insights to tweak and improve your SEO strategy for even better results.
Conclusion
Improving your website's SEO doesn't have to feel overwhelming! By following these 10 essential steps—like doing keyword research, optimizing your site, creating great content, and staying active on social media—you can boost your online visibility and bring in more clients for your health and wellness practice. SEO takes time, but you'll start seeing actual results with consistent effort.