Site doesn't appear for a specific keyword (does contain keyword, is indexed, is Google Business)

Question

My website doesn't appear in Google for the relevant keyword. The keyword is "psychotherapy" in conjunction with the name of the town where I pracise (e.g. "psychotherapy barcelona").

Let me describe my case:

I offer psychotherapy. Where I live, all psychotherapists are legally required to offer the exact same service, and this service is payed for by health insurance (not by the patients themselves). Therefore, for patients searching for a psychotherapist, there is no competitive price difference or difference in the services that are offered. Where I live, there is also an extreme lack of psychotherapists. Patients have to wait for up to several years to find a place, depending on their circumstances. Consequently, the only relevant information that patients need is:

• that there is a psychotherapist
• the therapist's contact data
• (for some patients, a photo of the therapist)

Consequently, my website contains:

• my name and contact data
• times when I am available on the telephone to make an appointment
• an image of myself
• some legally required information

My website is registered with Google Business, has been verified, and is said to be listed on Google Maps and in Google Search. My website is also indexed and can be found in Google Search when I search for my name.

But my website does not appear in Google Search or on Google Maps when I search for the only relevant keyword ("psychotherapy"). The town I live in is small and the relevant search returns 14 pages of results. My site appears on none of these sites and not on the map, no matter how fare I zoom in. The keyword appears on my site:

• in the URL (it is part of my domain name)
• the home page title
• on the home page three times

As this would be irrelevant to my patients, my home page does not contain any longer texts. I also don't have any inbound links, but neither do most of the other therapists in my town that appear in results (I checked using "link:...").

What do I need to do to get listed under my keyword?

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And seriously, since this is a non-competitive market (where demand is disproportionately higher than supply) it is a huge disadvantage to patients if they cannot find me. Every therapist is needed. It is an absolute tragedy that Google does not offer a simple keyword related listing in health fields (the situation is similar for physicians, where patients have to wait months to get treated).

Answer 1

I would look at everything related to ways to improve a site's position, to see which can be improved. The link given by Stephen Ostermiller is a good start. What are the best ways to improve a site's position in Google?

Google is not a business directory although competes as an alternative. In this case one can say they are not good enough, as there is a need and it is not being filled.

Google does improve local search ranking based on general web search ranking. Quality of links, Authority of sites referencing your business, Phone number and address easy to find on the home page, (note below on what I'm seeing) best above the fold IE heading not footer. And with the newest algos looking at if content is moving possibly making it unusable until it stops.

Beyond general information both local search and health, "psychotherapy," are concerned with trust. Or the E-A-T algo ... there is a lot of advice all over the internet on improving one's E-A-T score.

Before E-A-T how well is the subject covered?

It ties into expert but is more inclusive. Covering the topic well in the eyes of google means touching on all subjects related to the subject.

Obviously one can give health advice over the internet. But what about advice to friends and family? One can touch on topics here without giving any health advice. You don't need to write a book, Looking for psychotherapy [city i'm in] I am seeing

Several lists, (review sites), for psychotherapy. First is psychologytoday list of psychotherapy in my city. Obviously they cover the topic in the most detail. No listing page for psychotherapy not in USA; Sadly as it would be a quality link.

Three actual businesses.

First one has 5 service areas (or treatment topics) which expands to 13 service topics, 7 categories (demographic: Couples, Teens, ...), and 6 resource pages.

Second business has 6 service areas.

Third has 5 service areas, five demographic categories and a popup blocking the page to enter your email which may or may not show up, > (I would suggest they remove that use a button to ask if I want to enter my email). Phone on top of page, address on bottom.

all using a contact button for address/map/and phone

So I don't think you need that much additional content beyond that of what would appear in a business directory.

E-A-T (Expert, Authority, and Trust)

For E-A-T you need those good quality links, Some of which are those review sites or newpaper sites.

Fill out the Google knowledge page ... photos of inside and outside.

I could go on but I would be repeating what has already in abundance.