Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing a website’s visibility in search engine results. The goal of SEO is to improve a website’s relevance to specific search inquiries, which drives organic, unpaid traffic to a website.
SimplePractice Professional Websites and Therapy Finder profiles are already optimized for SEO. However, you can customize both to further boost SEO, allowing new clients to find your practice more easily.
In this guide, we'll cover:
- Understanding SEO
- Optimizing SEO for your Professional Website
- Improving your Therapy Finder profile SEO
- FAQs
Understanding SEO
SEO works by optimizing a web page with relevant information so search engines can store and reference it. This process is called indexing, during which search engines crawl web pages to analyze their content.
For Professional Websites and Therapy Finder profiles, this includes details about your practice such as the services you offer, treatment approaches, payment methods, and location.
Search engines like Google automatically index new and updated pages on a rolling basis. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Once indexed, your pages can appear in keyword-based and location-based search results.
Optimizing SEO for your Professional Website
Many factors can impact the SEO of your Professional Website. While SimplePractice Professional Websites are already optimized for mobile and desktop experiences, you can customize certain elements to improve how your site ranks in search results.
Search engines rank websites based on how relevant their content is to user searches. You can customize your page title and description to better align with common search terms.
To customize your page title and description:
- Navigate to Marketing > Website and domain
- Click Edit website
- In the Professional Website builder, select Edit Website in the upper right corner
- Click Online Discoverability (SEO)
- Enter a Page Title
- Use complete phrases to fill out the Page Description
- Tip: Search engines evaluate sentence structure and may rank pages lower if descriptions contain only a string of keywords
- Click Save Changes
The following strategies can also help increase your Professional Website’s search ranking:
- Include your practice information on online business directories such as Yelp and LinkedIn
- Listings increase visibility and improve SEO ranking
- Each external mention acts as an endorsement for search engines
- Keep your Professional Website up to date
- Your site pulls public information from Marketing > Profile, including Contact options, Associated Identities, Insurance and Fees, and Social Media
- For more information, see Customizing your profile for the Directory and Professional Website
- Collect testimonials
- Testimonials can be added to the Testimonials section of your Professional Website
- Testimonials require a signed Testimonial Release Form, available in Settings > Documentation > Template library > Pre-built templates
- Display your social media links
- Social media links help build traffic across your online presence and improve search rankings
- To add this in the Professional Website builder, click Edit Website > Social Media > Save Changes
- Manage your introduction’s word count
- Update Your Introduction in Marketing > Profile
- Keeping your introduction between 700–750 words helps search engines assess content quality
- Include a Practice Logo
- Upload a logo in Settings > Practice > Practice details
- Name the image file using relevant keywords, such as “anxietytherapist.jpg”
- Relevant images can improve search engine rankings and drive traffic
For more information, see Setting up your Professional Website.
Improving your Therapy Finder profile SEO
SimplePractice uses an aggressive SEO strategy for the Therapy Finder Directory. While traffic is driven to the directory overall, individual profiles surface based on search parameters and filters.
Your Therapy Finder profile may appear in search results when users search for your name, practice name, location, or specific services—particularly in less populated regions or for less common specialties.
Within Therapy Finder, profiles are ranked based on applied search criteria and internal ranking factors. For more information, see Building a rich Therapy Finder profile and Getting started with Therapy Finder.
FAQs
When will my Professional Website and/or Therapy Finder profile appear in search results?
Your Professional Website and Therapy Finder profile won’t appear immediately after publishing. Indexing can take a few days to a few weeks before pages begin appearing in search results.
Why is my Professional Website and/or Therapy Finder profile appearing so low in search results?
Competition varies by location and specialty. Generic searches in densely populated areas often return many results. Highlighting unique services or approaches can improve visibility.
Why is my Professional Website and/or Therapy Finder Profile displaying outdated information?
Updates made in your Marketing Profile and Professional Website builder publish immediately, but search engines may take time to reflect those changes.
Why am I not appearing in search results on Therapy Finder for my area?
To appear in location-based Therapy Finder searches, you must have an appointment at that office location within the last 3 months.
If needed, you can schedule a recurring placeholder appointment using the Jamie Appleseed demo client.
To create a placeholder appointment:
- Navigate to your Calendar
- Click the + icon > Schedule appointment
- Select Jamie Appleseed
- Update the Location
- Enable Recurring and select Every 3 months
- Click Done