So, how long does it take for your therapy website to rank on Google? That’s the million-dollar question that almost every business asks once they have a site up and running.
The question is well justified because your site can only increase your revenue by bringing in more traffic and conversions.
There are billions of Google searches performed each day, and a decent chunk of those searches are from people looking for “therapists near me.” Therefore, you should be concerned about ranking because that’s what gets you noticed by prospective clients.
But right off the bat, we can tell you that climbing the SERPs rarely happens overnight. Let’s talk more about why ranking your therapy website takes time and how you can streamline the process.
How Long Does the Average Therapy Website Take to Start Ranking?
The truth is, most therapy websites take a while to rank. It’s difficult to provide a specific answer because the time it takes to rank depends on numerous factors, such as the strength of the SEO strategies used, site speed, user experience, competition, and more.
If you look at the therapy websites with pages hogging the #1 spot, you’ll find that most of these websites are well-established.
Therefore, a majority of the pages that you see ranking at the top are usually more than one or two years old. While it’s possible to rank sooner than that, it takes a lot of hard work, stellar SEO expertise, and possibly other secret ingredients that align with Google’s algorithm.
Sounds daunting, right? But that doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait years to access SEO benefits. Even if you can’t dominate the SERPs immediately, you can still experience a boost in traffic to your site. As your site matures, there’s plenty of potential to get even better and better results.
When it comes to ranking, patience is a virtue. Chances are, this is something you have tried to explain to patients at one point or another, to manage their expectations. For instance, when a patient needs help with their mental health, it helps to explain that they won’t just feel better after one session.
Instead, they will experience improvements along the way as long as they consistently work with you to get rid of patterns and habits that no longer serve them.
Similarly, getting your website to rank requires a substantial investment of time.
Does Ranking Faster Matter?
To backtrack a bit, some may wonder why all the fuss about ranking sooner rather than later? For starters, in today’s world, you need a solid and highly visible online presence because most of your clients now search for your services online.
When prospective clients need your help, the first thing they do is hop onto their computer or whip out their mobile device before typing out a relevant keyword or phrase.
Here’s a shortlist of some of the popular keywords that clients use to find therapists.
● Therapists near me (this is a big one)
● Counseling near me
● Psychologist near me
● Cbt therapy
● Find a therapist
● Therapy
● Psychotherapy
These keywords are not ranked in any particular order, and they are just the tip of the iceberg. By adopting a top-notch SEO strategy, you’ll be one of the first results that show up when potential clients come knocking via Google.
When more and more clients find your practice online, this can do wonders for the growth of your business, resulting in more appointments and increased revenue.
It’s a long con, but the payoff is well worth it.
Ranking Your Therapy Website Is All About Building Credibility and Authority – Which Takes Time
Ranking your therapy website takes time because Google ranks websites based on their authority and usefulness. When ranking your website, Google uses software known as web crawlers to scan and index your pages.
Since Google prioritizes relevant and authoritative websites, your site will only rank higher if you have engaging and high-quality content that matches the user’s search intent. In other words, the content on your site related to specific keywords must be able to fully answer users’ search queries.
That means you can no longer just get your website to rank through keyword stuffing. Even keyword placement and keyword saturation are no longer the top factors that determine how well you rank. It’s all about creating a positive user experience and establishing yourself as an authority in your field.
The only way to do this is by building your site’s history and creating positive SEO patterns for Google to notice and track.
As you build your reputation over time, Google will start ranking your site higher and higher since it provides more value and meets users’ needs better than competitor sites.
Four Ways To Rank Your Therapy Website Better
1. Quality Content
We have already talked about how quality and relevant content helps to establish your site’s authority, thus improving ranking, but the importance of this can’t be overstated enough. There are a wealth of mental health topics you can explore and resources you can provide to improve the quality of life for many people.
For instance, depending on your field, you can provide users with information that addresses common mental health issues such as anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders.
This is the best way to build your brand as a trusted and authoritative expert. Sure, it takes time to create content, but once Google sees you as a credible source of information, you will build more leads and improve your Google ranking.
2. High-Quality Backlinks
Besides high-quality content, you also need high-quality links that lead back to your website. These links should be from trusted sources and authoritative sites for optimum results. Backlinks usually come from blogs, social media shares, and directories and can dramatically affect how well you rank.
That’s because every trusted site that links to you is giving you a vote of confidence and vouching for your relevance and usefulness, and this is something Google never fails to notice. The easiest way to get quality backlinks is by approaching your preferred sources and convincing them to link to your site.
3. Pay Per (PPC) Click Advertising
When running a PPC campaign, you’ll have to bid on certain keywords that apply to your therapy practice. When users click on your PPC ads, they will be taken to one of your web pages, boosting your traffic. The awesome thing about PPC ads is that you only pay when someone clicks your link, and you can increase your revenue without solely relying on organic traffic.
In other words, you’re paying to rank higher, but it’s still important to use the right keywords and ensure your ads and pages are well-written. The downside is that bidding on high-competition keywords can be super expensive, and you could lose money if you don’t know what you’re doing.
4. Hire an SEO Specialist that Knows SEO for Therapist
There are many SEO specialists on the market, but it’s best to go with an SEO specialist who knows SEO for therapists. This is hands-down the quickest way for your therapy website to rank better on Google.
Developing the right SEO strategy takes time and effort that’s in short supply on your end because your patients need you. A reputable SEO agency is better equipped to handle your digital marketing needs, whether you need more backlinks, quality content, or want to run a successful PPC campaign.
Although hiring an expert is more expensive than a DIY approach, it gets you better results faster. Besides, most SEO experts offer customized plans, so you can always find SEO help that works for you and your budget.
Make Your Website Ranking Journey Smoother With JumpFire Creative
Getting your therapy website to rank takes time, but slacking on your SEO efforts is not an option if you want to boost your online traffic. You also can’t afford to fumble your SEO strategy and slow down your progress because you’re learning to be an SEO specialist while also running your practice. At JumpFire Creative, we know all about SEO for therapists.
For a smoother website ranking experience, why not check out our full suite of services designed specifically for therapists and mental health professionals? While our services may not be as life changing as the services you provide to your patients, they help people in need find you more easily.
In a nutshell, we will build, refine, and execute your digital marketing plan behind the scenes to improve your SEO game and achieve better Google ranking for your therapy website.
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