Parents searching for speech therapy for their child and adults seeking communication support turn to Google before any referral.
Parents of children with speech delays, stuttering, or language disorders search Google the moment their pediatrician mentions speech therapy. Adults recovering from strokes, dealing with aphasia, or seeking help with voice disorders do the same. "Speech therapist near me," "pediatric speech therapy [city]," and "SLP near me" generate thousands of searches every month.
Speech-language pathologists who rank on Google Maps with strong reviews and a specialty-focused online presence consistently attract more referrals and private-pay patients than those who rely entirely on physician referrals and insurance directories. This guide covers the complete local SEO approach for SLPs in private practice.
Primary category: "Speech Pathologist" — the most specific category available.
Secondary categories:
Business description: Lead with your specialty population and service model: "[Name] is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in [City] specializing in [pediatric language delays / childhood stuttering / adult aphasia recovery / voice disorders / etc.]. We provide individual therapy sessions in-person and via telehealth. [Insurance accepted / private pay / sliding scale info]. Accepting new clients."
Services: List every condition and service you treat:
Attributes: "Accepting new patients," "Telehealth available," "Wheelchair accessible," applicable insurance plans.
Pediatric speech keywords:
Adult speech keywords:
Telehealth keywords:
Parents seeking speech therapy for their child are often anxious and sometimes navigating a stressful diagnosis. A review that describes a patient, knowledgeable SLP who made their child feel safe and showed real progress within weeks is profoundly reassuring.
Who to ask: Parents of children who have made notable progress. Adults who have reached a personal milestone (returned to work after stroke, gave a speech without stuttering).
When to ask: At a milestone session or after 8 to 12 weeks of treatment when tangible progress is evident.
What to say: "I'm so proud of [child's name]'s progress. If you have a moment, sharing your experience in a Google review would help other families in [city] who are looking for the right therapist. Many parents feel exactly where you were a few months ago when they're searching."
📊 Flento Data: Speech therapy practices with 20+ Google reviews attract 2.7x more direct Google Maps inquiries than those with fewer than 8 reviews.
🔥 Quick Win: Use Flento to automate review requests after patient milestone sessions.
Essential pages:
Each condition page should include: who this condition affects, what therapy looks like, typical timelines, insurance coverage information, and a referral/booking form.
General directories:
Healthcare directories:
ASHA ProFind is the most important directory for SLPs. Parents and physicians searching for certified speech pathologists go directly to ASHA's directory. A complete and accurate ASHA listing is non-negotiable.
Blog content ideas:
Monitor monthly:
🔥 Quick Win: Use Flento to track your Google Maps ranking across your service area and neighboring cities you want to serve.
No condition-specific pages. Parents searching for "autism speech therapy [city]" will not find a generic "speech services" page. Build individual pages for each specialty you treat.
Not listed on ASHA ProFind. This is the most trusted directory for speech pathologists. Many parents and physicians start their referral search there. Claim your listing immediately.
No telehealth mention. Telehealth has significantly expanded the geographic reach of SLPs. If you offer it, it must be prominently listed — it makes your services accessible to patients who cannot find a local therapist.
No insurance information. Whether you accept insurance, are out-of-network, or offer superbills for reimbursement — parents need this information before they call. Add it to your website and GBP.
Parents and adults seeking speech therapy are searching for you right now. Show up on Google Maps, build specialty-focused content, and let your patient outcomes speak through reviews. That formula fills your caseload.
