Have you Googled yourself or your private practice? If you’re having trouble being found online, it may be time to try some Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to help bump your site to the top of search results. This makes it easier for new clients to connect with your private practice.

Here are 9 Private Practice SEO Tips to Help Your Business Get Found Online:

1. Create a Google My Business account

Ever wondered how businesses show up on the righthand side of the Google search page? (Like the image pictured right.) Your private practice can be found this way too by creating a Google My Business Account. This easy free addition to Google takes only a few minutes to set up and can make a world of difference in getting found by new clients. Add your business address, phone number, hours, and website to make your practice easily found. Encouraging reviews (in this case, testimonials) will help bump your private practice up to the top of the list.

2. Have A Mobile-Friendly Website

Nowadays, most people search on their phone. If your website is not mobile friendly, you could easily be losing out on making that fast connection due to the slightest inconvenience. Website hosts such as Wix often will have a mobile display feature, so be sure to check out how your website looks both on the computer and mobile, and rearrange accordingly. Most website design platforms will allow you to easily navigate between both views, your desktop and mobile views. Be sure to switch between the two views frequently, to ensure you’re optimizing your site for mobile.

3. Play Around With Screaming Frog SEO Spider Tool

Screaming Frog can help you figure out what on your private practice website is hindering it from appearing in search results. This tool will analyze your website to see where there might be problems such as broken links, errors, or redirects. It analyzes page titles and will aid in figuring out what is holding your website back from being found online. Screaming Frog has a free version available for download that lasts for 500 URLs.

4. Use Highly Specific Keywords

Using keywords in article or page names, title tags, title attributes, and meta descriptions will help make your website more findable on the internet. Taking the time to implement these SEO strategies can greatly impact the searchability of your site. Keywords can range from “Nutritional Counseling” to “Low Carb Diets.” The more specific you get, the more likely the right kind of person looking for a private practice like yours will find you online.

Implementing keywords can seem a little tricky. Overall, page titles are the easiest way to use keywords for SEO, but far from the only option.

5. Claim Your Business Address On Google Maps

When setting up your Google My Business account, claim your business address by entering it in and allowing Google to verify it. They will mail a postcard to the address with instructions to finish the verification process.

6. Encourage Testimonials and Reviews

Your private practice is a business. When a hesitant new client is looking for nutritional counseling, your testimonials can work wonders in winning them over.

If you have testimonials already, encourage clients to post them in places you’d like to be found, such as on Google Review, Angie’s List, or Yelp.

7. Start Blogging

Google tends to favor websites with many pages. Rise to the top of the list by blogging. Every article is a new page on your site, and when it’s updated regularly, you will have new content to be found by search engines.

Blogging can be helpful beyond just SEOs. Think of it as not only a platform to share your experience and knowledge, but your personality and livelihood. Including content such as infographics, ebooks, and additional resources will also elevate your website and give potential clients reasons to keep coming back.

8. Set Up Google Analytics

Integrate your website with Google Analytics. This free resource allows you to track and monitor how many people are reaching your website as well as how they are reaching your website. This is a tool for strategy. While Google Analytics will not solve any problems or provide you a solution, it will allow you to be mindful of how people are finding you online.

9. Don’t Be Deterred

Building up an audience and an online brand name for your private practice takes time and energy. Putting in the time to work on your SEO is worth the effort, but doesn’t have an obvious impact right away. This is subtle work that will help your site become more visible online in the long run. With better online ranking, more clients will be able to find your website, and you, growing your client leads in time.