Getting on Google’s Guest List: SEO Strategies to Be Better Seen

Imagine Google as an A-Lister putting on the party of the decade. 

The whos-who are all invited, rubbing elbows with one another amidst good food and drink. No one wants to be left out. To earn an invitation to this party, you have to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. So how do you move from fangirl to favored guest?

How do you get on Google’s Guest List?

Moving to VIP status on Google’s guest list is all about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Recognized as a valuable online strategy for businesses, SEO can feel like a foreign language that is constantly moving and changing. Its purpose is to help businesses and products be seen by community members, identifying relevant information to populate higher on the list of search results over competitors. 

Private practice therapists are working hard to be discovered online in order to serve more people in their business yet the costs alone for SEO services can feel restrictive and intimidating. You don’t have to have it all figured out, this can be a place to start! Regardless if you are an SEO expert or novice, there are some great resources available to clarify marketing strategies that can otherwise feel lost in translation. I encourage you to research SEO companies out there and hire support when identifying how your business needs to grow.

Holding ever-evolving strategies and limitations in mind, I hope the ideas here can serve as a jumping off point in your own business journey with SEO, specifically focusing on what you can do with your professional website.* 

 Ready to find your name at the top of their list? 

 As the powerhouse search engine millions of people choose to use, Google’s pages represent the guest list that every business wants to be on.

 Google makes its own rules. It sets its own algorithms and expectations for how it wants to feature the billions of data points and businesses found on the internet. Winning Google over is a strategy worth considering. So what is Google tracking in website design that you can use to your advantage to become part of the ‘in’ crowd?

 Google wants to know that your website is active and up to date. Google doesn’t like websites that have been dormant for months, instead rewarding websites that have new information added or updated in a timely fashion. Here are some specific strategies that can help your website get one step closer to being on Google’s good side.*

Strategy #1 Update Videos and Pictures

 Google loves videos and pictures listed on your website. They don’t even have to be professionally done. Consider creating and updating media monthly, adding something new or rotating out featured videos and photos to keep Google and potential visitors interested. 

Pro Tip: Embed your videos on your website with links via YouTube and other video platforms to make changing up video content a five-second task!

Strategy #2 Have a Google Map and Business Listing

Google is the A-lister who holds all the meaningful connections remember? So give it something it likes in order to earn you an invite to rub elbows with other superstars—a Google Business Listing and Google Map location of your office! Create your listing with Google Business followed by creating a Google Map Link to embed within your website. This helps potential clients find you when searching your name or the name of your business online. You may have noticed that Google Business search results populate in the top right corner of the internet browser, including customer reviews, website link, and phone number associated with your business which can come in handy for people who want the at-a-glance view of what you do.

Pro Tip: Use this written tutorial to walk you through the steps of making your custom Google Map to then embed in your website.

Strategy #3 Post Blogs Regularly

In support of Google liking new content, consider writing a blog post at least once a month that is featured on your website. You can use your blog as a space for sharing new content and announcements about your business, distributing it on your social media for further exposure and visitor interest while encouraging them to click back to your website for more content.

Pro Tip: Use an eye-catching picture when sharing your blog post on social media, including the blog link on your post so they can easily find the full content on your website and check out more that you have to offer.

Strategy #4 The Contact Page is Necessary

 Yes, I know we’ve all been spammed when listing our email or other contact info on our website. Some therapists have gone so far as to eliminate ways to contact them via their website for this reason. But to eliminate it or not feature a “contact us” page is something Google doesn’t like, meaning it could hurt your ranking as VIP when it comes to the SEO game. So consider a contact page with set form fields and a captcha if necessary, recognizing that Google is still happiest when having your business name, address, phone number, and email featured.

Pro Tip: List your address, phone and email in the footer of your website so it populates on every page a visitor views.

Strategy #5: Links to Other Websites

Google likes your connections. Consider having hyperlinks to other webpages and resources on your website, encouraging visitors to participate in further clicks and engagement on your site. The longer the visitor is on your site, the better. Which is probably why people spend so much time writing and re-writing content for their websites. 

Pro Tip: When hyperlinking outside resources and referrals, be sure to change the settings so that each link opens in a new tab or window. You want to keep visitors on your page as long as possible, so a click that takes them completely away from your site isn’t recommended.

You did it! You are one step closer to being part of Google’s exclusive guest list! We looked at five strategies to improve your website’s performance with SEO to keep you and your business on Google’s radar. Next, you may want to consider hiring a professional to work on some elements that are a little more time consuming and complex, including:

·      Attach keywords and tags to your website that fit your brand

·      Complete coding on the back end of your website when using pictures or copy so Google can read it fully while limited errors

·      List your business within other search engines to make you easier to find

SEO can be seen as ever-evolving, requiring commitment to be named a VIP on Google’s guest list. Give yourself some grace, connect with colleagues, and recognize it takes patience to tackle this learning curve! You can be successful at being seen!

*These are tips and tricks I’ve learned from various marketing and SEO professionals and are subject to change. They do not replace formal consultation with a professional and are for educational purposes only.

Brand Basics: Three Foundational Elements When Branding Your Business

Let’s keep it simple. As a therapist, YOU are your brand. That’s right, people are looking at your website, social media, and any other material they can find, trying to decide if you are relatable, competent, friendly, and approachable. They are making a snap judgement not by your credentials but by what you say you work with, and how you look, dress, and sound (if you have videos). It’s important to keep this in mind when growing your business. There are several elements of brand to consider when starting or strengthening your practice so let’s take a look at them here.

1.     Select the Name of your Business

Step 1: Identify Words that Describe You and What You Do

For many of us starting out, we get stuck on the initial piece of building a business—the name! What name will capture what you do? Who you are? The people you serve? Consider asking for key words from colleagues or current clients about how they would describe working with you. Remember that you are your brand. Therefore whatever key words they share could be a starting place for finding the name of your business.

Step 2: Focus on Future Thinking 

Also consider if you would expand or add additional services in the future of your business. You might be considering online coursework, writing a book, or adding other providers to your practice. By thinking ahead, you can avoid some of the challenges that come with having a brand or name that doesn’t capture how your business has evolved. Challenges that some colleagues have shared as 1) naming their business their first and last name, but then wanting to bring on other therapists as a group practice and 2) wishing they’d kept the business name more broad to cover other services such as ABC Counseling vs. ABC Therapeutic Services to allow visitation, case management, etc. to be added as they grew.

Step 3: Recognize Identity Confusion and Trademarks

Yes, I’ve saved the scariest for last when it comes to naming your business. Not everyone is well versed in the rules of Intellectual Property and trademarks. Start with a general search of the name you are wanting to use via Google. Does it already exist as an established company similar to yours? Next, visit the trademarks database and do a search. If someone owns the name already, you can’t use it. If you do, you’re asking for legal action around trademark infringement and a possible lawsuit. Third, visit your state’s small business site to do a search of business names registered there. Are there other companies in your state with a similar name? Would you be confused with their business, making it difficult for potential clients, customers, and Google to find you? 

As you can imagine, this is an overwhelming first step in creating a business. You may want to consult an IP attorney for further in-depth research on the name you are considering. 

One last tip? Consider making up a name or word that doesn’t yet exist! Or spelling something uniquely. It simplifies concerns of trademark infringement and copyright and could make your business easier to find in being unique when put in a google search!

2.     Build Your Brand

Congrats, you’ve successfully navigated through the name selection process! Now it’s time to build your brand with a Brand Book and logo. Were you aware of Brand Books before this blog? I didn’t know what they were until marketing and graphic design experts gave me an education. A Brand Book identifies elements of your brand including:

·      Colors

·      Fonts

·      Placement of logos on materials

·      Tone of voice

·      And more!

Why is this important? Because if you expand and/or hire marketing and social media support, for example, it will be important that they stay on-brand when creating new content for you in order to embody the essence of your business. Look at this from the lens of big businesses. Let’s take Target for example. Target uses specific fonts in their marketing. They have a particular shade of red that is recognized with their bullseye logo. And every time they release an advertisement, there is placement and tone of voice to consider. They don’t deviate from these recognizable elements of their brand. 

So in exploring what your Brand Book would include, you may start with a logo. There are affordable options for unique logo creation with freelancers through Fivver and Upwork.com. You can also hire a larger company that will do research as well as create the design, ensuring your logo isn’t too similar to other entities out there to support your unique presence in the world of business.

3.     Invest in First Impressions

You’ve created your brand foundation with a recognizable name and logo. Now it’s time to make a quality first impression on potential clients! First impressions include your website and YOU. Therefore it’s suggested that you invest in professional photos that can be used throughout your marketing strategy, including your website and social media presence. Consider photos of you speaking, moving, learning, and with props. Create photos that highlight what you do and what you offer within your business. Most importantly, invest in photos that capture your essence! 

Essence can also explain why video is becoming more popular in marketing. Consider investing in a professional video of you and your business. There are some amazing companies out there that make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience, leaving you with a quality video to post on your website and social media as you see fit.

You did it! You’ve navigated the three foundational elements of creating your brand! Once you have these three items crossed off, it becomes easier to build your brand presence within your community. Knowing that there are a ton of resources out there but I’m asked frequently who I’ve used and valued, I’ll leave you with some local professionals that have been helpful to the building of my three businesses here in Denver, CO for your consideration.*

Colorado Resources*

Photos of You and Your Brand: Jessica Christie Photography, Denver, CO https://jessicanchristie.com

Printed Marketing Materials including flyers and business cards: Smudge Pot Creative, Arvada, CO http://www.smudgepotcreative.com

Website Design with SEO Elements: Liv’N Design, Boulder, CO http://www.livndesign.com

Intellectual Property Consultation: Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti Law Firm, Denver, CO https://bhgrlaw.com

*I do not receive incentives for naming these businesses and they do not represent an exhaustive list of professionals in Colorado. Please research and select your services independently and accordingly.

Streamlining Your Business Process: 7 Tips for Private Practice

A new year has begun! For many mental health professionals, we are resuming our schedules after holiday travel and hoping to start the year off right! What are your goals for the year? Perhaps you want to streamline your paperwork process to maximize time with clients? Or maybe you want to explore a billing support business to stay on top of your insurance claims and expenses? Perhaps you want to transition to only taking private-pay clients so you aren’t required to identify a diagnosis and can work with clients from a different lens? So how do we stay on top of our thriving practice addressing client needs and interventions while still remaining compliant with the more mundane and time-consuming processes of paperwork and billing?  Below are some tips and tricks to consider in maintaining a balance of both organization and time management!

Tip #1: Go Paperless

In today’s day and age, technology continues to enhance our processes of organization and time management. Consider going paperless with your client note system to complete paperwork in less time. Companies like SimplePractice, TherapyPartner, and TherapyNotes offer encrypted, protected and thus confidential note systems that can support your client files electronically as well as connect clients to appointment reminder texts and emails and offer billing services to streamline claims submissions and payment.

Tip #2: Set a Schedule

When trying to balance your time with clients and stay on top of paperwork demands, it can help to set a schedule.  Setting aside some time daily or weekly to submit your billing not only helps you complete it when the content is fresh in your mind and getting paid in a timely manner, but can assist you with leaving work truly at work, representing a transition ritual from work to home.

Tip #3: Use a List

This may seem strange when we’ve just discussed the benefit of going paperless bur having a to-do list where items can be crossed off when completed can be very satisfying. Consider using a planner or notebook that’s with you at all times. For others, consider using your to-do list in your phone where you can set reminders and due dates for completion. In our busy world, it can be hard to keep track of everything so a list that’s accessible from anywhere at any time can help record thoughts and ideas that come up in our daily living.

Tip #4: Creating Connections

Staying on top of trainings, webinars, books and other materials can help you streamline your niche and business practices. There any many great materials out there but we especially love Simon Sinek’s Start with Why in discovering what drives us as helping professionals and business owners. Joining an online community for mental health professionals can also be helpful in asking in-the-moment questions about business practices.  We suggest checking out The Private Practice Startup and Building Brilliance as two online communities that offer tips, tricks, and offer access to a community of like-minded individuals.

Tip #5: Have a Business Plan

Working as hard as you do, it helps to have a business plan to create a sense of direction. Is your goal to have 20 clients per week consistently? Do you want to expand to include other insurance panels to serve more clients? Perhaps you want to identify a stream of secondary income? By creating and reviewing your business plan on a regular basis, you can check in on both short and long-term goals of being your own business. Templates for creating a business plan can be found online.

Tip #6: Have an Accountability Buddy

Even with a business plan, life can sometimes get in the way of tracking where we are headed. Combine that with how private practice can feel isolating at times and we can find ourselves procrastinating or drowning in the details. Connecting with a colleague and identifying one another as our accountability buddy can help hold us to our goals as well as remain connected within our community. Engaging your accountability buddy can help inspire your process, define your goals, brainstorm strategies to achieve those goals, and celebrate your successes along the way.

Tip #7: Take Time Off

Being a business owner can take a lot of our time and energy. Don’t forget to take time off to prevent burnout and allow creativity to flow from s different headspace in another environment. We know that being our own business means we can potentially work 24/7 not only in serving clients but the behind-the-scenes responsibilities. Time off can support us in being grounded, compassionate clinicians as well as focused, driven business owners who can enjoy the results of our hard work and remain inspired to continue to serve the populations we value most.