Episode 17 features an interview with Jessica Tappana, an LCSW group practice owner, and founder of Simplified SEO Consulting. The conversation focuses on the importance of SEO for therapists to attract clients, and Jessica's passion for her work in this area. Whitney and Jessica discuss the importance of having a Christian counseling page on a therapy practice's website. The speakers agree that it is a personal decision and that there are benefits to having such a page, especially for practices that are overtly Christian. It is suggested that having a separate Christian counseling page can help reach clients who are specifically looking for a Christian therapist, and from an SEO perspective, it can help a practice rank well in search results for Christian counseling.

The Benefits of Having a Christian Counseling Page

The podcast discusses the benefits of having a separate Christian counseling page on a therapy practice's website, especially for practices that are overtly Christian. The speakers suggest that having such a page can help reach clients who are specifically looking for a Christian therapist, and it can also help a practice rank well in search results for Christian counseling. They also suggest having separate pages for different types of counseling, such as marriage counseling and couples therapy.  Also mentioned is the importance of being direct in the language used on the page, and suggest having separate pages for different types of counseling, such as marriage counseling and couples therapy.

Attracting Clients with Different Backgrounds

The speakers discuss the idea that counselors who market themselves as Christian counselors may mistakenly believe they will only attract clients of the same faith. They emphasize the importance of counselors being open about their faith and targeting their ideal client while remaining open to clients of various backgrounds. Tappana explains that clients of minority faiths often struggle to find a counselor who understands their culture and that disclosing her Christian faith to clients has led to productive discussions about their differing beliefs. Owens adds that counselors who specify their religious background do not necessarily limit themselves to seeing only clients of the same faith, and they may attract clients of different Christian denominations or clients who appreciate their understanding of a particular belief system. They highlight the benefits of counselors being open about their faith and targeting their ideal client while remaining open to clients of various backgrounds.

Balancing SEO Strategy and Service Pages

Whitney added a Christian counseling page to her site and found it to be in the top 10 pages for hits at her practice. Jessica has considered adding a faith-based counseling page but is concerned it may turn off certain demographics, such as those with religious trauma or the LGBT community. They discuss the SEO benefits of having such a page and the individual decision each practice must make. Tappana mentions that they have therapists of various faiths, including Christian, Jewish, agnostic, and even atheist, and that they have instead opted for blog posts on the topic rather than a dedicated page.The speakers recommend including a subheading on the Christian counseling page that addresses common concerns such as whether one must be Christian to benefit from counseling. They also suggest having sections on working with teens or couples who have different faith systems.

Final Thoughts

The speakers emphasize the importance of considering the ideal client and being explicit about the type of counseling offered on the page. They highlight that even if two therapists have the same beliefs and interpretation of the Bible, their approaches might still differ, so their websites should reflect that uniqueness. They also stress the significance of understanding what clients are searching for and being clear about it on the website to attract the right people and improve SEO strategy.

Episode Quotes and Tips

• "It's all about honing in on that ideal client." - Whitney Owens

• "Your website should reflect that diversity of us as Christian therapists." - Whitney Owens

• "Being explicit about what you're titling the page is important." - Whitney Owens

• "The more clear you are on your website about who you are as a clinician, the more likely you are to get the calls from the right people." - Whitney Owens

• "There is a difference between Christian counseling and biblical counseling. So be clear about that on your page as well." - Jessica Tappana

• "Even if you and I had the exact same beliefs and the exact same interpretations, um, of the Bible and the exact same, um, Christian traditions still, I think how it would impact us and how it would come out in the chair would be a little bit different." - Jessica Tappana

• "It's okay for your website to have that unique feel." - Jessica Tappana

Links and Resources

• Early Bird Pricing for the Wise Practice Summit

• Simplified SEO Consulting Home Page

• Connect on Instagram with Jessica: @simplifiedseo

• Connect on Facebook with Jessica - Simplified SEO Consulting

• Special offer for Simplified SEO Courses: 25% off of any of our online courses on SEO with the code WISEPRACTICE

• Connect with the Wise Practice Community Facebook Community Group

• Whitney on Instagram

• Visit the Web Page

• Email your questions to Whitney