{"id":233098,"date":"2023-11-02T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/?p=233098"},"modified":"2025-03-31T09:37:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:37:17","slug":"seo-for-coaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/seo-for-coaches\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO For Coaches: How to Get Into Top Search Results"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As a coach, you want to find the right kind of clients so you can help them improve their lives. If you don\u2019t have a good lead generation system set up, however, you could spend more time trying to <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/how-to-get-coaching-clients\/\">get clients<\/a> than working with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paid advertising, social media posts, cold outreach\u2026 There are plenty of ways coaches can promote their services to their target audience online, but most of them have this in common: once you stop investing time (and money) into them, they stop working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO for coaches &#8211; aka search engine optimization- is different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it definitely takes time to optimize your <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/life-coaching-websites\/\">coaching website<\/a> and create blog content that can rank, the results you get from those efforts are long-lasting. Once a blog post ranks, it can rank for years, and the better optimized the various parts of your site are, the more they\u2019ll lift each other and help you get found on search engines like Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we\u2019ll discuss why SEO for life coaches is important, as well as what you need to do to boost your coaching blog on the search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"glossary\">A Quick Glossary on SEO Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we dive into SEO strategies for your coaching business, let\u2019s go over a few basic terms related to search engine marketing. If you\u2019re already familiar with SEO, you can skip this section. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Search Engine Optimization:<\/strong> The combination of strategies and actions that aim to have your coaching site appear at the top of search engine results clients and potential clients are looking for something you offer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SEO keywords:<\/strong> A keyword is what people type into a search engine\u2019s search bar to get a list of web pages that provide the information they\u2019re looking for. These search terms can be one word, like \u201ccoaches\u201d, or a group of words, like \u201cSEO for coaches\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyword research:<\/strong> The process of figuring out which keywords your ideal clients use to find the information you can provide for them on your website. The goal is to find keywords related to your <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/life-coaching-services\/\">coaching services<\/a> (for example: &#8220;how to hire a life coach&#8221;) .<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyword rankings or position<\/strong>: How far down the list of search results your coaching website can be found. If you have an article targeting the keyword \u201cabundance mindset in relationships\u201d and that article is the third result from the top down when someone searches for \u201cabundance mindset in relationships\u201d, you rank in position 3 for that keyword.&nbsp;Your ranking for any given keyword can be different across search engines. You might rank #3 in Google search but #5 in Bing, for example.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search volume<\/strong>: How many people search for a specific keyword on the search engines every month.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>Building and optimizing a coaching website can feel overwhelming\u2014but it doesn&#8217;t have to be! With<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/\"><em> Paperbell<\/em><\/a><em>, you can set up a professional coaching website in minutes, not months.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"seo-for-coaches\">The Importance of SEO for Coaches<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Creating brand awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you\u2019re an internationally renowned coach like Bren\u00e9 Brown or <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/tony-robbins-madanes-certification\/\">Tony Robbins<\/a>, the majority of your ideal coaching clients probably haven\u2019t heard of you or your services yet, which means you need to put your name out there . Guest posting, networking, and <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/social-media-for-life-coaches\/\">engaging on social media<\/a> are some ways you can build brand awareness. However, you can also set up a system that puts you in front of those clients while you\u2019re doing a client call, preparing dinner, or taking a few days off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That system is your optimized coaching site, and more specifically, your coaching blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/marketing-for-life-coaches\/\">promoting your coaching business<\/a> directly, SEO allows you to understand what your audience is looking for on the search engines, so you can create relevant content that answers those questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ll go deeper into how you can find relevant keywords for your website content further down this post. For now, just keep in mind that each time someone searches for something and your coaching website provides the answer, you\u2019re introducing yourself to them in the best possible way: by helping them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Generating qualified leads<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By being selective about the kinds of topics you write about, you can control the type of readers \u2013 and thus coaching clients \u2013 you attract. If you\u2019re a life coach focused on helping successful entrepreneurs live a meaningful life, you might have a blog post about \u201cWhat to do after selling your business\u201d as many of your target clients may struggle with this question. However, you probably shouldn\u2019t publish an article about \u201cHow to know you\u2019re ready to quit your job\u201d as that appeals to a whole different crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The better you know your target audience, the better you can focus your keyword research on topics they care about, and the more likely you are to rank for articles they\u2019ll want to read from top to bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building trust<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By continuously providing valuable quality information for your target clients \u2013 and making sure they can find you when they\u2019re looking for that information \u2013 you grow their trust in you. Each time you answer a question, you build your authority, so that when they\u2019re ready to hire a coach, you\u2019ll be the first one they contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"seo-basics\">The Basics of Search Engine Optimization for Your Coaching Business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Any kind of marketing strategy works best when you have a solid plan, and that\u2019s especially true for SEO. While you can figure out some things as you go, there are certain best practices to take into account from the start.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The steps below don\u2019t dive deeply into the other things like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.link-assistant.com\/news\/technical-seo-guide.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technical SEO audit<\/a>. Instead, they show you the most important things to do for the highest chance of ranking your site on the first page of Google and other search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Create a content strategy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brainstorm topic ideas<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, you need a content plan. Make a list of all the possible pain points, questions, and topics your target clients could be Googling. Next, group those related topics together using <a href=\"https:\/\/hygraph.com\/blog\/content-modeling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">content modeling techniques<\/a> to ensure the structure and organization of your content meet your audience\u2019s needs effectively.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an example, imagine your target audience consists of single moms. One of your topic groups could consist of the following keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>dating as a single mom<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how to tell your date you have kids<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>when to introduce your new boyfriend to your kids<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All of these have to do with dating as a single mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another group could have the keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>is it okay to get a nanny<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>when to hire a cleaning lady<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>can I ask friends to watch my kids<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All of these have to do with seeking help as a single mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more possible blog topics you can think of at this stage, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Find rankable keywords<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, you\u2019ll want to do <a href=\"https:\/\/detailed.com\/advanced-keyword-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword research<\/a> on all of these topics. There\u2019s a wide range of tools available online to help you with this. This <a href=\"https:\/\/seranking.com\/keyword-suggestion-tool.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/seranking.com\/keyword-suggestion-tool.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keyword ideas tool<\/a>, for example, helps you find keywords by identifying less competitive and high-volume keywords and as such increasing your chances to gain high search visibility and attract more organic traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is a selection of a few of the most popular SEO tools out there. Get started with the one that best fits your needs. You can always add to your SEO tool stack as you get more experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/answerthepublic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>AnswerThePublic<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image4-1-1024x396.png\" alt=\"AnswerThePublic tool for seo for online coaches\" class=\"wp-image-241001\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image4-1-980x379.png 980w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image4-1-480x186.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>AnswerThePublic is more of a keyword idea generator than a true keyword research tool. It allows you to type in a word (or group of words) and then it spews out a bunch of related keywords. Other than generating keyword suggestions, it\u2019s fairly limited in the information it provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.com\/intl\/en_uk\/home\/tools\/keyword-planner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Google Keyword Planner<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"612\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image6-1-1024x612.png\" alt=\"Google Keywords Planner AnswerThePublic tool for seo for business coaches\" class=\"wp-image-241002\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image6-1-980x585.png 980w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image6-1-480x287.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Google\u2019s own Keyword Planner is pretty basic as it\u2019s meant to be used for Google Ads. It doesn\u2019t give you the specific search volume for a keyword, only a very broad range, and it only categorizes keywords as \u201clow\u201d, \u201cmedium\u201d, or \u201chigh\u201d in terms of competitiveness, rather than attributing a score to it, as many other keyword tools do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.keysearch.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>KeySearch<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"595\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image3-1-1024x595.png\" alt=\"KeySearch tool to find the best keywords for coaching\" class=\"wp-image-241000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image3-1-980x570.png 980w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image3-1-480x279.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>KeySearch isn\u2019t that well-known, but it\u2019s a great budget-friendly alternative for the top keyword tools mentioned below. Because of that, it\u2019s a fairly popular tool in blogging communities. It provides data on\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Search volume<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>CPC (cost-per-click)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PPC (pay-per-click)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It also suggests keywords related to the one you searched for to look at and it allows you to track your keyword rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The great thing about KeySearch is that it gives you information about the pages that are currently in Google\u2019s top 10 and gives each keyword a score that indicates how hard it will be for your own website to rank for that keyword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Ahrefs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image1-2-1024x420.png\" alt=\"seo for coaches\" class=\"wp-image-240999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image1-2-980x402.png 980w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image1-2-480x197.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahrefs is possibly the most popular SEO tool out there. Aside from keyword research, it helps you do a bunch of other stuff, and as such, it\u2019s tailored to professional SEOs. However, many site owners who depend heavily on SEO for website traffic and <a title=\"10 Essential Lead Generation Strategies for Coaches\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"462\" href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/lead-generation-coaches\/\">lead generation<\/a> use it too. While all its features may seem overwhelming, you can start by using only its keyword tool and explore from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SEMrush<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image7-1024x511.png\" alt=\"semrush tool for SEO for life coaches\" class=\"wp-image-241003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image7-980x489.png 980w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/image7-480x240.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SEMrush is similar to Ahrefs, and someone who is serious about SEO will use one or the other, or sometimes even both. I find Ahrefs to be more user-friendly, but if you also run paid ads and want a tool to research those, SEMrush is the better option.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to get started with SEO, many of these tools published their own guides on how to do keyword research. Another great place to get started is <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/keyword-research\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this article on Backlinko<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Check what your competitors are writing about<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find it hard to come up with topics to write about or you\u2019d like to expand on the list of ideas you already have, there\u2019s another way to get inspiration: by looking at what other coaches in <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/how-to-find-your-niche\/\">your coaching niche<\/a> are writing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you can simply browse through their blog, a better way to go about this is to plug their website into a more advanced <a href=\"https:\/\/outreachmonks.com\/best-link-building-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO tool<\/a> to get a list of all the keywords they\u2019re ranking for and what those rankings are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, competitor research is an important part of a well-rounded SEO strategy and ensures you create content around the topics that are proven to matter to your ideal clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Take into account competitiveness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like your coaching business has a certain authority in the eyes of your target clients, your coaching website has a certain authority in the eyes of Google and the other search engines. If your website is brand new, that authority will be pretty low. The more content you start to rank for and the more other websites start linking to you, the more that authority will grow. Especially if the sites linking to you are reputable websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going into the different factors that affect your site\u2019s authority would take us too far, but it\u2019s important to know that it plays a role in which keywords you can rank for, and so you should take it into account when researching keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To keep things simple, and assuming the keyword tool you\u2019re using gives you this data, here are a few basic things you want to look out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ideally, 3 pages currently in the top 10 on Google have a lower DA (domain authority) than your site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideally, they\u2019ll also have fewer backlinks than your site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019ll have a better chance of ranking if these \u201cweaker\u201d sites don\u2019t have the exact target keyword you\u2019re going for in their article\u2019s title, URL, and\/or meta description (the little text Google displays in the search results below the title of your article).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There should be at least a few other blogs ranking in the top 10. If all the ranking pages are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalsilk.com\/digital-trends\/how-to-start-an-ecommerce-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ecommerce sites<\/a>, for example, your coaching blog posts probably won\u2019t make it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Be realistic about your qualifications<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides the authority of your coaching website, the credibility of the author of your blog posts is also crucial when it comes to ranking in Google. The search engine pays attention to the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) of the person listed as the author of your content. So if you outsource your blog content creation, you&#8217;ll either want to hire a ghostwriter so you can publish the content under your name (and your expertise) or you&#8217;ll want to work with someone who is an expert themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure that you fill the \u201cAbout\u201d page of your website with as much information about you as you can, including any certifications or other qualifications you have as a coach. This will also come in handy for gaining the trust of your website visitors, not just the algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a health and <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/how-to-become-a-wellness-coach\/\">wellness coach<\/a> or a professional related to the legal field (e.g. adoption coach), this gets a little trickier. Since the YMYL (Your Money Your Life) update, Google prefers medical and legal professionals (M.D., Ph. D., etc.) when it comes to content related to health, money, and the law. This doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t rank wellness-related content in Google but you probably won\u2019t have much luck with articles about specific medical conditions (unless you\u2019re a doctor yourself).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply put, if it\u2019s something you\u2019d refer your client to a doctor, clinical psychologist, or legal professional with, it\u2019s probably better to let them write about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Putting it all together in a content calendar<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve decided which keywords you want to create content for, you can put together a calendar with what to write and when. This can be a simple Google spreadsheet or part of your <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/project-management-tools\/\">project management tool<\/a> like a Trello board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three main ways to decide which posts you\u2019ll tackle first:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Purely keeping in mind SEO purposes.<\/strong> In this case, you\u2019ll want to focus on the keywords with the best combination of high search volume and low competitiveness first.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Based on seasonality.<\/strong> If you plan to write articles related to certain times of the year, you want to make sure those are published at least a month before that time of the year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Based on your resources.<\/strong> Perhaps there are articles you can easily write yourself, whereas you might want to outsource others. Or maybe you already have material for some articles which would make them quicker to write.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Whichever way you decide to go, it\u2019s key that you\u2019re honest about how much time you\u2019ll be able to spend creating content. It\u2019s better to publish just one piece of high-quality content per month than to feel overwhelmed because you had planned to publish once per week and you now have a backlog of 10 blog post ideas in your pipeline waiting for your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, you&#8217;ll get more bang for your buck if you focus on creating fewer pieces of valuable content than if you put out a lot of low-quality content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Write or outsource optimized content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Create a briefing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you have your keywords and your content calendar, it\u2019s time to start writing. The easiest way to make sure you write a well-optimized article is by creating a briefing. Most people think briefings are only needed when you decide to <a href=\"https:\/\/letmewritethatdownforyou.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outsource your blog content<\/a> but even if you write your own blog posts, they\u2019re crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your briefing is like a checklist that tells you how to optimize each post and that helps you make sure you haven\u2019t forgotten anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Things to include in your brief:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>main keyword<\/strong> for that post.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secondary keywords<\/strong>: These are keywords you discovered about the exact same topic that should go into the same post but that have less search volume, only cover a part of the topic, or are harder to rank for. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>desired word count<\/strong>: This is how long the article will be. Ideally, your article should be at least as long as the average length of the other relevant articles ranking for that keyword on the first page of Google.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Who the article is for<\/strong>: This is important if your audience consists of different sub-audiences. For example, if you\u2019re an abundance mindset coach, you may be working with both <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/executive-coaching-software\/\">entrepreneurs and executives.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Other <strong>articles on your site to link to<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which <strong>call-to-action<\/strong> to add: This could be a signup form for your newsletter or a note for the reader to book a free discovery call.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Make an outline<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s much easier to write a great article when you already have an outline in place than it is to get started with a blank page. To create your outline, have a look at the articles that currently rank on page one for your keyword. Make a list of the topics they address and the headings they use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your article should cover everything your competitors cover (as long as it\u2019s relevant) <em>and<\/em> add extra information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Open this SEO content checklist<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You can go very far in optimizing an article, but here are the basic key things you need to get right for every post in terms of on-page optimization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use your main keyword\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>in your article title (the one shown on your blog)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in your meta title (the one shown on Google)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in the meta description<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in the URL<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>in the first 150 words of your article text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use all of your secondary keywords at least once<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure your images have descriptive titles and alt tags<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include your main keyword in the alt text of an image, if possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resize your images, so they\u2019re not bigger than whatever space they\u2019ll take up in your article<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can copy\/paste this quick checklist to use whenever you\u2019re working on an article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tools to help you write<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to go beyond the basics, there is software that helps you analyze your competitors\u2019 pages and that gives you a report of all you need to include in your article and how you should include it. While these tools are handy, they also make the writing process considerably longer and require quite a bit of SEO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotchseo.com\/experience-google-e-e-a-t\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expertise<\/a> as their advice needs to be interpreted, rather than purely implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in taking your SEO efforts a step further, this is a selection of content software to check out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clearscope.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ClearScope<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/surferseo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Surfer SEO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usetopic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Topic<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketmuse.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MarketMuse<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pageoptimizer.pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Page Optimizer Pro<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Word on AI<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you\u2019ve been living under a rock, you\u2019ve probably heard about the AI talk spreading on the internet like wildfire. If you\u2019re wondering whether AI is useful for producing SEO content, here\u2019s what you need to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/top-ai-tools-that-coaches-should-start-using\/\">AI tools like ChatGPT<\/a> are great when it comes to brainstorming keywords and content ideas. If you\u2019re looking for general information that isn\u2019t time-sensitive, AI can give you some great input for your content calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What AI falls short on is quality writing. Although some tools provide content for free, they won\u2019t be able to think critically or add the human experience you as a coach can add. Consequently, your site visitors will also leave your site more quickly, thus increasing your bounce rate which, over time, will harm your search engine rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to build credibility and make sure your SEO stays healthy, it\u2019s better to post articles on your coaching website written (or rewritten) by a human being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Create internal links&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Linking your blog posts to one another is key as it helps search engines better understand the structure of your site <em>and<\/em> it helps readers find more valuable information. It also keeps them on your site for longer, which in turn increases your authority in the eyes of Google and increases the chance that they\u2019ll subscribe to your email list or take another action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When creating internal links (links within your website), you want to follow these guidelines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>only link between posts that are related to each other topic-wise.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>if you have a main page about a topic (say, dating for single moms) and then a few posts about subtopics (introducing your boyfriend to your kids, what if your kids don\u2019t like your new partner), always link from the main article to the sub-posts and vice versa.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Build external links to your content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I already mentioned before that your site\u2019s authority increases as other websites link to it. That can happen organically, or you can speed up the process by writing guest posts for relevant websites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifecoachmagazine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Life Coach Magazine<\/a>, or by giving podcast interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An easy way to get a backlink is to list on a <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/life-coach-directory\/\">coaching directory<\/a> that allows links back to your site, like <a href=\"https:\/\/coachcompare.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CoachCompare<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just make sure to be intentional and create quality backlinks from reputable sites that are relevant to your coaching business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Share Your Content on Social Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another way to spread the word about your new posts is by sharing them on <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/life-coaching-hashtags\/\">social media<\/a>. Driving traffic to your website from social media can expose your content to a whole new set of audiences who might be interested in your services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you run a local coaching business and want to <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/pricing-page-template\/\" title=\"Pricing Page Templates to Attract More Coaching Clients\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"760\">attract coaching clients<\/a> for in-person sessions, there\u2019s another way social media can help. Get your business on Google Maps and ask your clients to leave positive reviews for you. This will increase your authority both in the eyes of potential coaching clients and Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Get your website in top technical shape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you come from an IT background, this last step is one you\u2019ll want to outsource. A pretty car isn\u2019t going anywhere when its engine isn\u2019t working, and the same applies to your website. The slower it is and the more technical and structural errors you have, the harder it will be for your content to rank.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are SEO agencies that focus on technical SEO, but in my experience, it\u2019s more cost-effective to learn a bit about what needs to be done, and then hire a developer to do it. Especially a developer who focuses on the platform your site is built on will be able to help make sure it loads quickly, is mobile-friendly, has is in an overall better state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tracking\">Tracking Your SEO Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The only way to know whether your SEO efforts are paying off is by tracking them. Easy and free tools for this are Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools. The former gives you information about your website visitors, their behavior on their site, and how many visits your site gets. The latter gives you data on the specific keywords you rank for and any structural problems search engines may see when crawling (basically, visiting) your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more extensive tracking, I recommend signing up for Ahrefs. The cool thing about Ahrefs is that it runs frequent audits for your site, giving you a detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/blog\/consulting-report-example\/\">report<\/a> of what needs to be fixed. This is helpful for improving your website&#8217;s technical SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also leverage an exclusive keyword <a href=\"https:\/\/zutrix.com\/rank-tracker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rank tracking tool <\/a>such as Zutrix to know the real-time performance of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dont-neglect-seo\">Don\u2019t Neglect Your SEO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is like planting seeds in your coaching business garden\u2014it takes time to grow, but keeps producing results even when you&#8217;re not actively tending to it. When life gets busy or your client calendar fills up, good SEO continues to bring potential clients to your website without additional effort. Just take it step by step using the strategies we&#8217;ve covered, and if you get stuck, it&#8217;s perfectly okay to bring in an SEO expert to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you&#8217;re removing tech hassles from your coaching business, why not streamline your client management too? <a href=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/\">Paperbell handles<\/a> your scheduling, payments, contracts, and client admin all in one simple system, giving you more time to focus on what you do best\u2014coaching your clients to transformation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/seo-for-coaches-pin.jpg\" alt=\"SEO for coaches\" class=\"wp-image-233101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/seo-for-coaches-pin.jpg 500w, https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/seo-for-coaches-pin-480x720.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 500px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Editor\u2019s Note: This blog post was originally published in April 2021 and has since been updated for accuracy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a coach, you want to find the right kind of clients so you can help them improve their lives. If you don\u2019t have a good lead generation system set up, however, you could spend more time trying to get clients than working with them. Paid advertising, social media posts, cold outreach\u2026 There are plenty [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":233102,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-233098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-marketing-for-coaches","category-marketing-for-coaches"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=233098"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":247824,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/233098\/revisions\/247824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/233102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=233098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=233098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperbell.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=233098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}