A therapist website doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be clear, trustworthy, and searchable.

Below is a practical SEO checklist with examples of what to actually include.

Clear Homepage Messaging

Your homepage should say exactly who you help and how.

Example:
“Anxiety therapy for adults in Sacramento, CA”
“Virtual therapy for postpartum mothers in California”

Straightforward Services Page

List your services using the words people actually search for.

Example services:
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Trauma Therapy
Virtual Therapy Sessions

Avoid vague language like “support” or “healing work” without context.

Trust-Building About Page

Keep this professional and grounded.

Include:
A photo of you
Your license and credentials (LCSW, LMFT, PsyD, etc.)
Years in practice (for example: “10+ years of experience”)

Simple Contact Page

Make it easy to reach you.

Include:
A short contact form (name, email, message)
Expected response time (for example: “I respond within 24–48 hours”)
Location or service area

Example:
“Serving clients in San Diego, CA and throughout California via telehealth”

Clear Calls to Action

Each page should have one main action.

Examples:
“Request an Appointment”
“Get in Touch”
“Contact Me”

Avoid multiple competing buttons on the same page.

Mobile-Friendly Design

Your site should be easy to use on a phone. MOST people will find you on their mobile device.

Benchmarks:
Text large enough to read without zooming
Buttons easy to tap
Pages loading in under 3 seconds

Basic On-Page SEO

Focus on simple structure.

Examples:
Page title: “Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles | [Practice Name]”
URL: yoursite.com/trauma-therapy-los-angeles
Headings that clearly describe the page content

Blog or Resources Page (Optional)

A blog can support SEO, but it’s not required.

Good blog examples:
“How Anxiety Therapy Works”
“What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session”

One post per month is enough to be helpful.

Fast Load Times

Slow sites lose visitors!

Guidelines:
Images under 500KB
Avoid unnecessary plugins
Clean layouts with minimal animation