Market brief / Therapy and counseling practices in South DakotaPage 1 of 1
ABottom line
A lower-half market with bid estimates 18% below the typical state.
Short answer
South Dakota is in the lower half of 51 markets (the states and DC with data) for breadth of therapy and counseling practices search demand, with 19 distinct search terms at 100 or more searches a month. The median top-of-page bid is $12.93, 18% below the typical state ($15.73). Advertisers bid less here than in most states.
BTop searches
What people in South Dakota search for
The most-searched therapy and counseling practices terms in South Dakota, ranked by Google's monthly search range and then by bid. Close variants (the same words in a different order) are shown once, and brand, retailer and DIY searches are left out.
| Search term | Monthly searches in South Dakota | Top-of-page bid |
|---|---|---|
| mental counseling | 100-1K | $22.27 |
| counseling | 100-1K | $21.52 |
| couples counseling | 100-1K | $20.60 |
| couples therapy | 100-1K | $18.83 |
| couples therapy therapist | 100-1K | $18.83 |
| therapist near meNear me | 100-1K | $14.59 |
| marriage counselor | 100-1K | $12.93 |
| marital counseling | 100-1K | $12.93 |
| marriage and relationship counseling | 100-1K | $12.93 |
| marriage and couples counseling | 100-1K | $12.93 |
| marital relationship counseling | 100-1K | $12.93 |
| marriage and counseling | 100-1K | $12.93 |
Google Ads Keyword Planner, South Dakota, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026. Bids are Google's high-range top-of-page estimates, not cost per lead. Urgent and Near me tags are matched from the words in each term. Method.
CWhat it means
What this means for a therapy practice in South Dakota
- C1 Bids run below the typical state.A $12.93 median bid estimate is 18% under the typical state. Bid estimates are not what a lead costs.What to doTest any paid campaign on cost per booked job before scaling it.
- C2 For the top 10% of terms, Google's top-of-page bid estimate (high range) is $21.52 or more.Those are usually the high-intent searches.What to doRank organically for them: that is where the biggest savings sit.
- C3 Total demand is modest.Each lead carries more weight, so tracking every one to a booked job matters more than chasing volume.What to doOne well-built site with strong service pages can often cover the whole state.
- C4 Search demand per resident is below the national average.Index 52, where 100 is the US average.What to doPlan targets on the state’s own numbers, not national averages.
DHow South Dakota compares
South Dakota against its nearest markets
| Rank | State | Distinct terms | Median bid estimate | Per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | Rhode Island | 22 | $12.72 | 70 |
| 46 | Montana | 21 | $21.81 | 47 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 19 | $12.93 | 52 |
| 48 | Vermont | 19 | $13.77 | 74 |
| 49 | Alaska | 18 | $18.52 | 61 |
| Typical state (median) | $15.73 | 100 |
Google's ranges are wide, so states close together should be treated as similar. Method.
EWhere to start
Where to start
The full playbook for therapy practices, including job values, channels and a 90-day plan, is in How can a therapy practice get more clients?. For the channels behind the numbers above:
FIndex
Other industries in South Dakota
Google Ads Keyword Planner, South Dakota, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026Methodology