You’re Doing SEO All Wrong for Your Private Practice — Here’s What to Do Instead
If you’ve been thinking about SEO for your private practice, there’s a good chance you’ve been approaching it the wrong way. Don’t worry — I did the exact same thing when I first started out. I spent time, energy, and money chasing strategies that didn’t really move the needle.
Eventually, I realized I needed to shift how I thought about SEO. Once I did, things finally started clicking. My practice began showing up where clients were actually searching, and new inquiries followed.
This post will help you avoid the same mistakes and show you how to focus on the kind of SEO that actually matters for therapists in private practice: LOCAL SEO.
What SEO Really Means (and What It Doesn’t)
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In plain English, it’s the work you do on and off your website (and related online profiles) to help it show up higher in Google search results.
For example, if someone types in “anxiety therapy” or “DBT therapy,” you’d love for your practice to show up at the top. More visibility usually means more clicks — and more potential clients.
But here’s the first trap many of us fall into:
Myth #1: SEO is a one-time project. You “optimize” your site once, then set it and forget it.
Reality: SEO is ongoing. It requires updating your site, adding content, and keeping things fresh to maintain your ranking (s).
And here’s the second:
Myth #2: SEO never changes.
Reality: SEO shifts constantly. Google rolls out updates, AI results are now appearing at the top of searches, and strategies that worked last year may not work today.
And here’s a third:
Myth #3: You want your pages to rank at the top of search results!
Reality: Although having your website/pages show up at the top of search results is a good thing, what moves the needle more is your Google Business Profile showing up in the map pack. This is what is put first in local search results. More on that in a bit.
If you’ve ever bought an SEO package and wondered why it didn’t deliver, it’s often because these myths were baked into the sales pitch.
The Big Shift: Stop Chasing “Page One” and Start Thinking Local
Here’s the real mindset change I wish I had made sooner: therapists don’t need national SEO we need LOCAL SEO.
Think about it: if you type “best hiking boots,” you’ll get blog/review results from L.L. Bean, North Face, or other big retailers. It doesn’t matter where they’re located — they can ship anywhere via their online store. They are competing at the national level. That’s national SEO.
But therapy is different. If someone searches “anxiety therapy”, Google usually knows they’re looking for a local service provider and displays the map pack. This is where your practice needs to show up!map_pack
That’s why local SEO matters most for private practices.
Why the Google Map Pack Is Your Best Friend
Here’s what happens when someone searches for “anxiety therapy”:
At the very top, you’ll often see an AI-generated summary.
Just below that, you’ll see the Google Map Pack — three local business listings pulled from Google Business Profiles.
Way further down are the traditional website search results.
Here’s the hard truth: most people won’t scroll all the way down to your website listing. They’ll click on the practices in the Map Pack because it’s fast, visual, and easy to contact directly.
That means your best chance of being seen isn’t necessarily ranking #1 on Google’s first page. It’s showing up in the Map Pack.
How to Show Up in the Map Pack
The Map Pack is powered by your Google Business Profile. Optimizing this profile is one of the highest-leverage things you can do for your practice’s visibility.
A few tips:
Make sure your profile is fully filled out (services, hours, contact info, photos).
Keep it consistent with your website (use the same terminology, specialties, and language).
Update it regularly so Google sees it as active.
This isn’t a one-time project either. Just like your website, your Google Business Profile benefits from ongoing attention.
What I Learned the Hard Way
For a long time, I poured resources into getting my website to rank higher. I thought that was the key. But I was missing the fact that most clients don’t scroll down that far — they’re clicking on the Map Pack.
Once I shifted to focusing on local SEO, I started showing up in the top three spots in my area. That’s when new client calls started to increase.
Want Help?
If you’re curious where your practice currently shows up in local search, I put together a free local SEO audit. It’ll give you a snapshot of how you’re ranking and what you can improve.
And if you’d rather not figure it all out on your own, I also offer done-for-you and with-you marketing services that include Google Business Profile optimization. You can book a free call to learn more.
Final Thoughts
SEO can feel overwhelming when you’re just starting out. I know it did for me. But once you understand that local SEO — not national SEO — is what really matters for therapists, things start to feel a lot clearer.
Think of it this way: clients are searching for help in their area. Your job is to make sure Google points them your way.
Start with your Google Business Profile, keep things consistent, and treat SEO as ongoing work, not a one-time task. That shift alone can make a huge difference in growing your practice.
