Behind the Scenes: SEO
How dozens of elements work together to tell your story
SEO isn't one thing. It's not even ten things. It's dozens and dozens of elements all working together to paint a complete picture for search engines, telling them exactly what your therapy practice is about, who you serve, and why you're the right choice for potential clients.
SEO is also not a one-and-done project. It's always changing as search engines update their algorithms, and it's a zero-sum game. When you rank higher, you've bumped someone else down. If they're paying attention, they'll work to get back up—and so it goes. Success in SEO requires ongoing attention and continuous improvement.
Side note: I'm honestly sick of writing about SEO and will make a concerted effort to write about other website topics going forward. But this one needed to be covered properly.
SEO is Changing—A Lot
SEO is evolving rapidly, largely due to AI. Search engine AI has become remarkably sophisticated at understanding what our pages are actually about, which means many of the old-school SEO tactics just aren't necessary anymore. Google's AI can read between the lines, understand context, and figure out your expertise without you having to stuff keywords into every paragraph.
The reality is that Google hasn't been a "ten blue links" search engine for over a decade. Features like rich snippets (2009), knowledge graphs (2011), featured snippets (2014), and AI overviews are all part of Google's evolution toward providing direct answers rather than just links. This isn't new—it's been building for 15+ years
That said, even if some traditional SEO techniques aren't as critical as they once were, many of these elements continue to be best practices for good website setup. A well-structured site with clear headers, optimized images, and thoughtful internal linking still creates a better experience for both users and search engines. What it all comes down to ultimately, is creating the best possible experience for users.
The shift toward AI-powered search means focusing more on genuine expertise and user experience, rather than trying to game the system with outdated optimization tricks. Quality content backed by real expertise matters more than ever.
So let's break down the different types of SEO and what they actually do. No smoke and mirrors, no magic—just a clear understanding of how each piece contributes to your website's success in search results.
In this post we’ll be covering the following:
On-Page SEO
Technical SEO
Off-Page SEO
Schema Structured Data
Realistic SEO Expectations
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO is everything visitors can see on your website that helps search engines understand your content and expertise.
It's the foundation that tells Google you're a legitimate therapy practice worth showing to people searching for help.
Your page titles and headers create a clear hierarchy of information. When someone searches for "anxiety therapist," your carefully crafted title tags and H1 headers immediately signal that you specialize in anxiety treatment. Your meta descriptions become the compelling snippet that makes people choose your result over the ten others on the page.
But modern on-page SEO goes beyond keywords. Google now evaluates content based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). For therapy websites, this means demonstrating your credentials, showing your expertise through quality content, and building trust through professional presentation and clear contact information.
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The clickable headline that appears in search results and browser tabs, serving as your first impression to potential visitors.
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The brief summary text below your title in search results that convinces people to click on your website.
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The H1, H2, H3 tags that organize your content hierarchically, helping both readers and search engines understand your page structure.
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Links connecting different pages within your website, helping visitors navigate and showing search engines your most important content.
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Descriptive text explaining your images for screen readers and search engines, improving accessibility and image search visibility.
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Clean, descriptive web addresses that give users and search engines clear information about your page content.
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Creating genuinely helpful content for your ideal clients while naturally incorporating terms they search for.
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Clear identification of who wrote your content and their qualifications, establishing expertise and trustworthiness.
Your content needs to demonstrate genuine expertise and authority. Google wants to see that you're qualified to provide mental health services, that you understand your clients' struggles, and that you can communicate complex therapeutic concepts in accessible ways. This is especially important for "Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL) content like mental health information. Any pages dealing with health or finance are given extra layers of scrutiny.
Every page needs to serve both your human visitors and search engines simultaneously. The best on-page SEO feels natural to read while strategically placing the right signals throughout your content.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the behind-the-scenes foundation that makes everything else possible.
It's what ensures search engines can actually find, crawl, and understand your website. Without solid technical SEO, even the best content won't get the visibility it deserves.
Here's the good news: Squarespace abstracts most of technical SEO for us. We either have little to no control over many of these elements, or we simply don't need to think about them. Squarespace handles SSL certificates, XML sitemaps, robots.txt files, and most crawlability issues automatically. This is actually one of the platform's biggest advantages—you get enterprise-level technical infrastructure without needing to manage it yourself.
Site speed matters more than ever. When someone is in crisis or struggling with mental health issues, they're not going to wait for a slow website to load. Google knows this, which is why page speed is a direct ranking factor. We do the best we can with optimization, but Squarespace—even an empty website—is very code-heavy and won't win any speed races as a result. However, Squarespace websites rank just fine, and this hasn't been a detriment to any Squarespace website I've worked on.
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How quickly your website loads, affecting both user experience and search rankings (though Squarespace handles most optimization automatically).
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Ensuring your website works perfectly on phones and tablets, where we have full control over layout in Squarespace.
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A file listing all your pages for search engines to discover, automatically generated and updated by Squarespace.
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How easily search engines can navigate and understand your website, ensured by Squarespace's clean code structure.
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Instructions telling search engines which parts of your site to crawl, managed automatically by Squarespace.
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Controlling which pages appear in search results, with simple tools provided by Squarespace.
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The security feature making your site "https" instead of "http," automatically provided by Squarespace for visitor trust.
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Google's user experience metrics measuring loading, interactivity, and visual stability, largely handled by Squarespace's infrastructure.
Mobile optimization isn't optional anymore—it's essential. More people search for therapists on their phones than on computers. The great news is we do have full control over mobile layout in Squarespace, which is ultimately the most important thing. Your website needs to work flawlessly on every device, with easy-to-tap buttons, readable text, and forms that work perfectly on small screens.
Security is crucial for therapy websites. An SSL certificate doesn't just protect your visitors' information—it's also a ranking signal. Google prioritizes secure websites, especially for sensitive topics like mental health where privacy and trust are paramount. Again, Squarespace provides the SSL for us.
Technical SEO creates the reliable foundation that lets all your other optimization efforts shine. With Squarespace handling most of the heavy lifting, we can focus on the elements that truly matter for your therapy practice.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO encompasses everything that happens outside your website but still influences your search rankings.
While you can't directly control these factors, you can influence them through strategic relationship building and creating content that naturally attracts attention.
Links from other websites remain one of the strongest ranking signals. When a reputable mental health organization, local business directory, or psychology blog links to your website, it's like a vote of confidence in your expertise. However, quality matters far more than quantity—one link from a respected source is worth more than dozens from questionable websites.
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Links from other reputable websites to yours, acting like votes of confidence in your expertise and authority.
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Client feedback on Google, Psychology Today, and other platforms that build your credibility and local search presence.
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Your activity and engagement on social platforms, contributing to your overall online authority and brand recognition.
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Consistent mentions of your practice name, address, and phone number across online directories and platforms.
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Your profiles on Psychology Today, TherapyDen, and other therapist directories that boost local visibility.
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Articles or content you create for other websites, blogs, or publications, establishing expertise beyond your own site.
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Local events, speaking engagements, and partnerships that naturally generate mentions and recognition.
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References to your practice name online, even without links, that help establish your reputation and authority.
Your online reputation extends beyond your website. Reviews on Google, Psychology Today, and other platforms contribute to your overall authority. Consistent information across all online directories and platforms helps search engines understand your legitimacy and location.
Building relationships with other local businesses, mental health professionals, and community organizations can naturally lead to mentions and links. Speaking at events, writing guest articles, or participating in community initiatives creates opportunities for others to reference your expertise.
Off-page SEO is about building genuine relationships and demonstrating expertise beyond your website. It's not something you can force, but rather something that develops as you establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field.
Schema Structured Data
Schema structured data is like giving search engines a detailed roadmap of who you are, what you do, and how all your online presence connects together. It's the secret language that helps Google understand you're not just any website—you're a licensed mental health professional with specific expertise, credentials, and services.
When you implement schema markup, you're telling search engines exactly what each piece of information on your website means. Your name isn't just text—it's the name of a healthcare provider. Your address isn't just an address—it's where a legitimate therapy practice operates. Your phone number isn't just digits—it's how people can reach out for professional help.
Schema connects all your online dots:
Your website connects to your Google Business Profile
Your credentials and licenses are properly identified
Your specialties and treatment approaches are categorized
Your contact information is verified across platforms
Your reviews and ratings are properly attributed
Your location serves specific geographic areas
Your services are clearly defined and categorized
This structured data helps you appear in rich snippets, local pack results, and knowledge panels. When someone searches for "EMDR therapist near me," schema helps Google confidently show your practice because it knows you're a verified mental health provider who offers EMDR therapy in their area.
Schema also helps with voice search optimization. When someone asks their phone "Who's a good therapist for anxiety nearby?", structured data gives voice assistants the detailed information they need to recommend your practice with confidence.
Schema structured data transforms your website from a collection of web pages into a comprehensive, connected profile that search engines can fully understand and confidently recommend to people seeking your expertise.
SEO Expectations: What Success Really Looks Like
Let's be realistic about what SEO can and cannot do for your therapy practice.
SEO success doesn't mean a flood of people rushing to your website overnight. What it does mean is giving your site a much better chance at showing up when potential clients are searching for the help you provide.
Good SEO creates steady, sustainable growth in visibility. You might see gradual increases in search impressions, more people finding specific pages about your specialties, and occasional spikes when you rank well for particular searches. The charts below from Google Search Console show typical SEO progress—modest but meaningful improvements that compound over time.
This chart shows a steady build of impressions (showing up on a search page) from work done in January 2025.
This dramatic spike demonstrates is from adding a lot of good content to a therapy service page, with almost instant results.
This chart was from a specific blog post that was optimized to be more informative and complete, resulting a tripling of impressions over three months.
SEO is about being found by the right people at the right time, not about driving massive traffic volumes. For therapists, quality matters more than quantity—you want people who are genuinely seeking your specific expertise.
Realistic expectations include: ranking better for searches related to your specific specialties, showing up in local search results when people look for therapists in your area, having your Google Business Profile appear more frequently, and seeing gradual increases in website visitors who are actually interested in therapy services.
Remember, SEO is a long-term strategy that works alongside your other marketing efforts.
The goal isn't to replace referrals or other client sources, but to ensure you're visible to people who are actively searching for exactly what you offer.
Ready to Optimize Your Full SEO Picture?
Let's work together to implement these SEO elements across your therapy website. From on-page optimization to technical improvements to comprehensive schema markup—we'll make sure search engines understand exactly what makes your practice special.
