A careful SEO guide for therapy websites
SEO for therapy sites is not like SEO for anything else. YMYL, E-E-A-T and ethical advertising guidance shape what works. This is the quiet, long-term version.
01 / Why therapy SEO is different
Every ranking signal has to sit within ethical guidance first
Therapy websites are a Your Money or Your Life category in Google's terms. That means the ranking algorithms place unusual weight on signals of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust. It also means the standard SEO playbook, keyword density, link volume, weekly blog cadence, is largely irrelevant. What matters is whether Google can identify a named, qualified, verifiable practitioner behind the content, and whether the content itself is written with appropriate care.
At the same time, BACP, UKCP, HCPC and NCS each publish ethical frameworks that limit how therapists can describe their work. Claims of cure, guarantees of outcome and direct client testimonials are discouraged or prohibited. Any SEO approach that conflicts with these frameworks is not worth pursuing, no matter how well it might rank in the short term. The good news is that the version of SEO that does work for therapy sites also happens to sit comfortably within every ethical framework.
This guide is that version. It is unhurried, it compounds over months rather than weeks, and it results in a site that brings steady, well-matched enquiries from people who have read enough to know the therapist might be a good fit. No tricks, no growth hacks, no shortcuts that a supervisor would raise an eyebrow at.
02 / The six signals that matter
What Google actually rewards on a therapy site
Every item here doubles as sound ethical practice. Useful, if unusual for SEO guidance.
E-E-A-T, the version that applies to therapy
Google's Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trust framework is more than a checklist for YMYL sites. For a therapy practice it means accreditation visible, training documented, supervision acknowledged, and content written by a named, verifiable practitioner. An anonymous 'our team' page is the single clearest E-E-A-T weakness on most therapy sites.
Written by a named, verifiable therapist
Every substantive page links to an author box with the therapist's name, accreditation body, registration number and link to the public register. Google's YMYL guidelines are explicit about this. It also happens to be how prospective clients read therapy content.
Content that describes, not prescribes
Write about what the work looks like. What someone might notice in themselves that brings them to therapy. What a first session tends to explore. Avoid 'we treat depression' language. 'Therapy for people struggling with low mood' sits better with ethical guidance and, in most cases, ranks at least as well.
One page per specialism and per modality
Google cannot rank a site well for ten topics crammed into a homepage. A dedicated page for CBT, for EMDR, for bereavement, for couples work, for neurodivergent adults lets each earn its own authority. The site becomes, over time, a small library rather than a brochure.
Local signals, done quietly
Town pages only if you genuinely practise there. LocalBusiness schema pointing at the single real practice location. Google Business Profile linked. Counselling Directory and BACP Directory links cross-referenced. Nothing exotic, no private blog networks, no directory link farms.
Technical basics, handled once
Fast pages, mobile-first, clean markup, accessible contrast and type, privacy-respectful analytics, HTTPS, no intrusive pop-ups on the contact page. Therapy clients often read on older phones in low moments. The site that loads in under two seconds with no cookie banner wins a share of enquiries the site that does not will lose.
03 / The year-one plan
Four steps, roughly one per quarter
Get the credibility visible
Accreditation, registration number, supervision, training and modalities on every substantive page. About page with a proper bio. Contact page with the privacy notice and crisis information. Before any content work, make sure the site reads as trustworthy on a first scroll.
Build the specialism library
A page per specialism you genuinely work with, written in plain, careful language. Include what a person might notice that brings them to therapy in this area, what the work tends to involve, and a brief evidence note where appropriate. No claims of cure.
Cover modality searches
A page per modality you practise. Short, honest descriptions of how the approach works, what your training in it is, and who it tends to suit. EMDR, IFS, ACT and schema therapy searches in particular are under-served on most therapist sites.
Let it compound
Therapy SEO is slow. Most pages take three to six months to rank properly. Add one considered page a quarter, keep the existing ones current, and resist the urge to rewrite for trends. Over two years the compounding effect is substantial and the enquiry pattern becomes predictable.
FAQ
Common questions
What does YMYL mean and why does it apply to therapy sites?
YMYL stands for 'Your Money or Your Life'. It is Google's internal category for content that could materially affect a reader's health, safety or finances. Therapy content sits firmly in the YMYL bucket, which means Google applies stricter quality standards: named authors with verifiable expertise, references where claims are made, and a conservative approach to anything resembling medical advice.
Will writing blog posts actually help me rank?
Carefully written ones, yes, but slowly. A single thoughtful 1,500-word piece on a specialism area, written by a named accredited therapist, tends to outperform dozens of short 'tips' posts. Quality and authorial identity matter disproportionately in YMYL categories. One good post a quarter is usually more productive than one mediocre post a week.
Are there topics I should avoid writing about?
Avoid anything that reads as diagnosis, anything that implies specific outcomes ('CBT will fix your anxiety'), and anything that promises to address suicidal ideation or crisis situations online. Also avoid writing about conditions you do not work with. Write about what you know, describe the work rather than prescribe it, and link to NHS or appropriate national charities for any topic that needs a broader safety net.
Does Google penalise therapy sites?
Google does not have a specific penalty for therapy sites, but the YMYL quality bar is notably higher. Sites with anonymous authors, thin content, exaggerated claims or weak accreditation signals tend to rank poorly for competitive therapy terms, not because of a penalty but because Google cannot establish enough trust to rank them. The fix is always clearer credibility signals, not keyword tricks.
Should I use schema markup?
Yes, but the right types. LocalBusiness schema for your practice location, Person schema for the therapist, and appropriate Service schema for offerings like 'online therapy' or 'couples counselling'. Avoid MedicalCondition schema or anything that implies medical treatment. If your site is built with care, this is handled automatically; if not, it is worth a one-off review.
How long does therapy SEO take to work?
For a new site with proper fundamentals, expect the first specialism-and-town rankings within six to twelve weeks and steady enquiries from organic search by month four or five. For a reworked existing site with some history, often faster. Sites without clear authorship or accreditation tend not to rank at all in competitive towns, regardless of how long they are left.
Want this built into the site from day one?
We handle the E-E-A-T fundamentals, schema, specialism pages and ongoing content for every therapy site we build. Plans from £39/mo.