Step 1: Set Up Your Google Business Profile
If you do only one thing from this guide, make it this. A Google Business Profile (GBP) is free, takes about 20 minutes to set up, and is the single fastest way to rank your coaching website on Google for local searches.
When someone types "life coach near me" or "career coach in Denver," Google shows a map pack of three local results before any website listings. Getting into that map pack puts you above every other organic result on the page.
How to set it up:
- Go to business.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
- Click "Add your business" and enter your business name. Use the format "[Your Name] | [Niche] Coaching" (e.g., "Sarah Chen | Executive Coach").
- Choose the most relevant business category. Options include Life Coach, Business Coach, Career Counselor, and Health Coach. Pick the one that best matches your primary niche.
- Enter your service area. Even if you coach online, add the city or region you are based in. This helps Google match you with nearby searchers.
- Add your website URL, phone number, and hours.
- Write a business description that includes your niche, who you help, and the specific outcomes you deliver. Work your primary keyword in naturally. Aim for 200 to 250 words.
- Upload professional photos. Profiles with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website clicks than those without.
- Verify your listing. Google will send a postcard or let you verify by phone or video.
After setup, prioritize getting reviews. Google weighs three factors for map pack rankings: relevance (does your profile match the search?), distance (how close are you?), and prominence (how many reviews do you have?). Of these, reviews are the one you can actively control.
After every great session, send the client a direct link to leave a Google review. Ask specifically: "Would you mind leaving a quick review about our work together? It takes about two minutes and really helps other people find me." Aim for 10 or more reviews in your first three months.
Step 2: Do Basic Keyword Research
Keyword research means finding out what your ideal clients actually type into Google when they are looking for a coach like you. Getting this right before you write a single word of website copy saves you enormous time later.
The keywords that matter most for coaches
Service keywords are searched by people ready to hire. These are your priority.
- "[niche] coach" (career coach, business coach, life coach)
- "[niche] coach [city]" (executive coach Chicago, health coach Boston)
- "[niche] coaching online" (leadership coaching online, mindset coaching online)
- "[niche] coach near me"
Problem keywords are searched by people who have the problem you solve. They convert well because the searcher is actively suffering from the thing you fix.
- "how to change careers at 40"
- "how to stop procrastinating"
- "why am I burned out at work"
- "how to grow my small business"
Research keywords are searched by people learning about coaching in general. Lower intent but high volume, and great for blog content.
- "what does a life coach do"
- "is executive coaching worth it"
- "career coaching cost"
Free tools to find your keywords
Google Autocomplete. Start typing your niche in Google and see what it suggests. "Career coach" might autocomplete to "career coach for moms," "career coach for veterans," or "career coach for recent graduates." These are real searches with real volume.
Google's "People Also Ask" section. Search your main keyword and look at the expandable questions that appear. Every one of those is a potential blog post.
AnswerThePublic.com. Enter your niche and get a full list of questions, comparisons, and prepositions that real people search for.
Google Search Console. Once your site is live, this free tool from Google shows you exactly what queries people use to find you, and how high you rank for each.
How to choose your starting keywords
Do not try to rank for everything. Pick one primary keyword for your homepage (a service keyword like "executive coach San Francisco"), one to two secondary keywords for service pages, and five to ten problem keywords for blog posts.
Prefer specific keywords over broad ones. "Life coach" has tens of millions of results and almost no chance of ranking. "Life coach for women going through divorce" has far fewer competitors and converts better because it matches exactly what the searcher wants.
Step 3: Optimize Your Coaching Website Pages
On-page SEO means structuring each page of your website so Google can understand what it is about and rank it accordingly. You do not need to be a developer to do this.
Your homepage
Your homepage should answer three questions immediately: who you are, who you help, and how to work with you.
For SEO, make sure your homepage has:
- A title tag that includes your primary keyword. The title tag is what shows up as the blue clickable link in Google search results. Format: "[Niche] Coach in [City] | [Your Name]"
- A meta description of 150 to 160 characters that includes your keyword and a compelling reason to click. This is the gray text under your title in Google results.
- An H1 heading (the largest heading on the page) that includes your keyword and clearly states your value proposition.
- A natural mention of your keyword in the first 100 words of body copy.
- Clear internal links to your services pages, about page, and blog.
- A prominent call to action (book a call, view services, etc.).
Your services pages
Each coaching service deserves its own dedicated page. A page titled "Services" with three bullets is not enough. Create individual pages for each offering.
For each services page: use a specific, descriptive page title ("60-Minute Executive Leadership Coaching Session"), write 300 to 500 words explaining what the session covers and who it is for, include your target keyword naturally two to three times, show the price clearly, include two or three client testimonials, and end with a booking CTA.
Your about page
Your about page is often the second most visited page on a coaching website. Write it with SEO in mind. Include your credentials and certifications, your coaching niche and methodology, the specific problems you solve and outcomes clients achieve, your story and why you coach, your location (helps with local SEO), and a CTA to book a discovery call.
Naturally weave in your target keywords. Not forced. Not stuffed. Just written the way you would naturally describe yourself.
Step 4: Use Your Talkspresso Profile as an SEO Asset
If you use Talkspresso for your bookings, your profile is already built for search engine visibility. Every Talkspresso profile includes JSON-LD structured data that tells Google exactly what you do, what services you offer, your pricing, and your reviews. It also includes FAQ schema that can display directly in search results as expandable answers, optimized meta tags, fast page load speeds that meet Google's Core Web Vitals, and a mobile-responsive design.
Structured data (schema markup) is particularly valuable because it gives your profile the potential to appear with rich snippets in search results. Pages with star ratings displayed in search results see 20 to 30% higher click-through rates than those without.
To maximize your Talkspresso profile's SEO value:
- Write a keyword-rich bio. Go specific. "Career transition coach helping tech professionals move into leadership roles" is better than "I help people find their purpose."
- Use descriptive service titles. "60-Minute Resume and LinkedIn Strategy Session" is more searchable than "Session."
- Fill out every field. Categories, specialties, your about section, FAQ. Every field is additional indexed text.
- Collect reviews through the platform. Talkspresso requests are easy for clients to complete, and approved reviews appear on your profile with schema markup.
Step 5: Start a Blog
Content marketing through blogging is the highest-leverage SEO activity for coaches. Here is why: you already know the 10 questions your clients ask most often. Each of those is a blog post that real people are searching for on Google.
Blogging creates multiple entry points to your website. Your homepage might rank for "executive coach in Nashville." But a blog post titled "How to Know If You're Ready for a Career Change" can rank for that question independently and send you a different stream of traffic. The more quality content you publish, the more ways Google has to find you and send visitors your site.
What to write about
Start with the most common questions you hear from clients:
- "Is it too late to change careers at 50?"
- "How do I know if I need a business coach?"
- "What should I expect from my first coaching session?"
- "How do I set better boundaries at work?"
- "What is the difference between a life coach and a therapist?"
Every one of these is a real Google search. If you answer it well in a blog post, Google will send people searching for that answer to your website.
How to write blog posts that rank
Use your target keyword in the post title. If you are writing about that career change question, your title might be "Is It Too Late to Change Careers at 50? What a Career Coach Wants You to Know."
Open with the answer. Do not make the reader scroll to find the point. State your answer or main takeaway in the first two paragraphs. Then expand on it. Google tracks how long people stay on your page. If they leave immediately, Google assumes the content was not helpful.
Use clear headings. Break your post into sections with H2 and H3 headings. Google reads these to understand your content structure. Include related keywords naturally in your headings.
Write at least 1,000 words. Longer, more comprehensive posts tend to rank better because they signal depth of coverage. Aim for 1,500 to 2,500 words on competitive topics.
End with a clear CTA. Every post should guide the reader to a next step: book a discovery call, explore your services, or sign up for your newsletter.
Publish consistently. One thorough post per week beats five thin ones. Two posts per month is a realistic minimum. Consistency signals to Google that your site is active and being maintained.
Step 6: Build Backlinks
A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Backlinks are one of Google's most important ranking signals because they function as votes of trust. When reputable websites link to your coaching website, Google interprets that as evidence that your content is credible and worth ranking.
You do not need hundreds of backlinks to start seeing results. Ten high-quality links from relevant, reputable websites will outperform a hundred links from random directories.
Beginner-friendly backlink strategies for coaches
Guest posting. Write articles for coaching publications, business blogs, or niche-specific websites in exchange for a link in your author bio. Search for "[your niche] write for us" or "[your niche] guest post" to find opportunities.
Podcast appearances. Podcast show notes almost always include a link to the guest's website. Appearing on even small podcasts in your niche earns you a backlink plus exposure to a warm, relevant audience.
Coaching directories. Get listed on Noomii, ICF (International Coaching Federation), Coach Foundation, and other directories. These are authoritative websites and the links count.
Partner with complementary professionals. A career coach and a resume writer. A business coach and a CPA. A health coach and a personal trainer. Cross-link to each other's websites and cross-promote to your respective audiences.
Create something linkable. Publish a free resource, a research-based guide, or a tool that other websites will naturally want to reference and link to.
What not to do: Never buy backlinks. Never participate in link exchanges with unrelated websites. Google has been penalizing these practices for years and the risk is not worth it.
Step 7: Get Technical SEO Right
You do not need to be a developer to cover technical SEO basics. But ignoring these fundamentals limits how well everything else in this guide can work.
Page speed. Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. Test your site at PageSpeed Insights. If your score is below 70, your hosting plan, image sizes, or page builder may be slowing you down. Compress images before uploading, choose a fast web host, and use a lightweight website theme.
Mobile-friendliness. Over 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices. Your site must look and function well on a phone. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily evaluates the mobile version of your site when determining rankings.
SSL certificate. Your site URL should start with "https://" not "http://". If it does not, Google marks your site as not secure, which both hurts rankings and drives visitors away. Most hosting providers include free SSL certificates through Let's Encrypt.
Clean URL structure. Use readable URLs. "yoursite.com/services/executive-coaching" is better than "yoursite.com/page?id=2847". Clear URLs help Google and visitors understand what a page is about before clicking.
Submit your sitemap to Google. A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website. Submit it through Google Search Console so Google can crawl and index your pages faster. Most website builders generate a sitemap automatically.
How Long Does It Take to Rank Your Coaching Website?
This is the question every coach asks, and the honest answer is that it depends on your niche, your competition, and how consistently you execute.
As a general guide:
| Timeframe | What to Expect |
|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | Google indexes your pages. No traffic yet. |
| Months 2 to 3 | You begin appearing for long-tail, low-competition keywords. |
| Months 3 to 6 | Rankings improve. First leads arrive from Google. |
| Months 6 to 12 | Consistent organic traffic. Ranking for competitive terms. |
| Year 1 and beyond | Compounding returns. Steady lead flow without ongoing effort. |
Most coaches who give up do so around month two, right before results start to appear. The ones who stay consistent for six to twelve months typically see transformative results.
Tracking Your Progress
SEO without measurement is guesswork. Set up two free tools when you start.
Google Analytics tracks your website traffic, where visitors come from, which pages they visit, and how long they stay. The metric to watch is organic search traffic. This is the number of visitors who found your site through Google.
Google Search Console shows you exactly which queries your site appears for, how high you rank for each, and how many people click through. Look at the "Search Results" report to find keywords where you are ranking on pages two and three. These are your best opportunities to move to page one with some targeted optimization.
Check both tools once a week. Look for upward trends in organic traffic, new keywords your site is appearing for, and which pages drive the most clicks.
Ask new clients how they found you. "I found you on Google" tells you your SEO is working. It also tells you which combination of tactics is converting.
Your First 30 Days: A Simple Action Plan
Here is a concrete plan to start ranking your coaching website on Google without getting overwhelmed.
Week 1
- Claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile
- Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console
- Create or optimize your Talkspresso profile with keyword-rich descriptions (start here)
- Research and write down your 10 target keywords
Week 2
- Optimize your homepage title tag, meta description, and H1 heading
- Optimize your services pages with descriptive titles and copy
- Optimize your about page with niche, location, and credentials
- Run a speed test and fix any major issues
Week 3
- Write and publish your first blog post targeting a problem keyword
- Share the post on your social channels
- Plan your next four blog post topics
Week 4
- Ask five satisfied clients for a Google review and send them a direct link
- Submit your website to three to five coaching directories
- Pitch yourself to one podcast in your niche
- Request testimonials through your Talkspresso profile
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Going too broad with keywords. "Coach" is impossible to rank for. "Executive communication coach for senior leaders" is winnable.
Writing thin content. A 200-word services page tells Google almost nothing. Write detailed, useful copy on every page.
Ignoring local SEO. Even online-only coaches benefit from local visibility. Claim your GBP and target your city.
Skipping testimonials. Reviews are both a conversion tool and an SEO signal. Get them on your website, your Google Business Profile, and your Talkspresso profile.
Not building internal links. When you publish a blog post about career change, link to your career coaching services page. Internal links help Google understand your site structure and pass authority between pages.
Expecting overnight results. SEO is a marathon. The coaches who treat it as a long-term investment win. The ones who expect results in 30 days always quit too early.
Start Today
Ranking your coaching website on Google does not require a marketing budget or a technical background. It requires consistent action on a clear plan.
Claim your Google Business Profile. Optimize your pages. Write helpful content. Build a few good backlinks. Measure your progress. Repeat.
The coaches who do these things consistently for six to twelve months end up with a steady stream of high-intent clients finding them on Google every single day, while everyone else is grinding away at social media hoping the algorithm cooperates.
Your potential clients are searching for you right now. Make sure they can find you.
See the full feature breakdown on Talkspresso for Coaches, or read our step-by-step guide for creators selling paid video calls.
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