How to improve domain authority – 5 Link building strategies for therapists

If you have been exploring the world of SEO for any amount of time then chances are you have come across the terms, backlink and domain authority. But what do these terms even mean, and how are they relevant to SEO? In this overview, we discuss how to acquire quality backlinks and improve your domain authority.

This article will answer the following questions:

• What is domain authority?

• What are backlinks?

• Why do backlinks matter?

• How do you get backlinks?

What is domain authority?

Domain authority is a websites’ overall status or rank in comparison to competitor websites. The more your website shows up on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), the more competitive your website is and the better authority your domain/website has. Websites with high domain authority include websites like Psychology Today, Forbes, New York Times (online), etc. Websites with high domain authority earned their status by continuously and successfully providing high quality, reliable, and original content for relevant search queries.

What is a backlink?

A backlink is a link on another website that links back to your website. If a website with good domain authority links back to your website, that backlink can act as a vote of confidence between websites. Backlinks are the most important form of off-page SEO.

Why do backlinks matter?

Link building is the acquisition of backlinks, and it is how you earn the trust and favor of search engines like Google. The primary reasons why backlinks are so important to your overall SEO strategy is because backlinks can help drive traffic to your website and improve your domain authority. The higher domain authority your website has, the better your website's chances are for ranking higher on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). For instance, top ranking websites on Google have nearly 4x more backlinks than leading competitor websites. Ultimately, link building is an effective way to prove to search engines like Google that your website is a valid, accurate, original, and reliable place for queries to be answered.

How do you get backlinks?

Link building can be tricky, and not all backlinks are equally powerful. Quantity of backlinks does not always equate to quality, and a backlink from a less-than-reputable website could hurt your domain authority.

Developing and implementing a good link building strategy can take time and routine effort, and SEO specialists typically recommend site owners focus on their on-page SEO strategy first before diving into off-page SEO techniques like link building.

5 Ways to acquire quality backlinks and improve your domain authority

1. Be a guest on a podcast.

If you are a therapist, one of the best ways you can promote your private practice is by being a guest on a podcast – especially podcasts catering to your target audience. Guest appearing on podcasts is a great way to link build, because podcasts typically get linked out across many different domains, including (but not limited to), Apple, Spotify, the podcast host’s website, YouTube, social media, etc. Thus, having your business featured on one podcast can earn you several good backlinks along with some great publicity.

2. Answer questions as a subject matter expert on Quora.

Quora.com enjoys excellent domain authority and around 10 million visitors per day – which is a LOT of web traffic! If you are a private practitioner with a website and a blog, create a Quora account and start answering questions. Specifically, answer the questions pertaining to psychological topics that you’ve blogged about on your website. That way, when you legitimately answer appropriate questions as a true subject matter expert, you can include a relevant hyperlink to the topically related blog on your website for readers to learn more.

3. Include your website URL in your social media bio.

Linking your website URL in your social media bio is a perfectly acceptable backlink, however, keep in mind that social media tactics rarely drive significant or high-quality website traffic unless your website is entertainment based or ecommerce based. (This is why therapist’s social media profiles rarely get impressive engagement.) Social media algorithms tend to favor trending entertainment or product content over informational content from service-based businesses.

4. Guest post or become an online publication contributor.

Many online content portals such as Medium and Psychology Today allow guest posts and guest contributors. For private practitioners keen to grow their private practice, having an article feature on Psychology Today can not only earn you some quality publicity, but it will earn you an impressive backlink thanks to Psychology Today’s strong domain authority.

That said, the rules, best practices, and timelines of guest posting are ultimately up to the individual online publication you are submitting to, and there is no 100% guarantee that your article will be selected and posted. Whether or not your article gets published is always subject to the publication’s content standards, but if you meet those standards, you could score some incredible online clout and a topnotch backlink.

5. Have a profile on top tier directories.

Being listed on directories is a must for therapists and private practitioners, namely because it boosts your credibility. Consumers and prospective clients today are savvy, and they want service providers who have established, certifiable, online authority. People are researching your business and googling your name before they contact you, and the more places they can find you online, the more credible you and your business will appear. Plus, most directories offer therapists a place to link out to their website, and that is a terrific backlink.

That said, not every online therapist directory is worth the backlink, and your online presence must be kept manageable and easily updatable. There is no need to create a profile for your practice on every online therapist directory. At least five is a good starting point, and around 10-15 is a sweet spot.

Develop a successful link building strategy

Developing a successful link building strategy takes time and some expertise. If you still have questions or would like help creating a unique link building strategy for your private practice, please contact me. I offer marketing consultations for therapists and companies in the mental health and wellness industry, and I’d be happy to work with you to help you market your practice and improve your website’s SEO.

On-Page SEO vs Off-Page SEO - what’s the difference?

- On-Page SEO: Website techniques and strategies for “on-page” optimization.
- Off-Page SEO: External sources and techniques that help drive traffic to your website and boost your website’s online presence and authority.

Learn more:
On-Page vs Off-Page SEO