Best Practices for Promoting Telehealth
Three concerns most commonly keep people from seeking mental health services: access, finances, and therapist fit. Mental health professionals are working to lessen the access issue by offering telehealth services. Almost 90% of mental health treatment centers now offer telehealth services. Private practice therapists also seem to be embracing the need for telehealth services.
If you run a treatment center or mental health practice, your clients may enjoy the option of mental health telehealth services. Telehealth offers a convenient option for current clients while helping you attract new clients outside your physical service area.
Growing your client base is possible with telehealth services, but you must follow best practices to let people know about the offering. This post reviews some marketing strategies you can use to promote telehealth services.
Understanding Therapy Telehealth for Treatment Centers
Some people are skeptical about telehealth services for mental health care. They may wonder if virtual mental health care is as effective as in-person treatment. Your goal as a mental health professional is to ease their concerns. You can do so by defining telehealth in the context of mental health and sharing its many benefits.
What is Telehealth in the Context of Mental Health?
Telehealth is a form of video conferencing. In a mental health setting, it lets professionals provide services to clients outside of an office or clinic. It’s ideal for clients who want care but prefer not to commute. It also makes involving family, teachers, and other providers in treatment easier.
Telehealth services are almost expected in modern healthcare. They allow clients options for how to meet with their healthcare professional. Some people prefer telehealth services because they live far from the treatment center, have a busy schedule, or prefer treatment from the comfort of their home.
Benefits of Mental Health Telehealth Services
There are many benefits of mental health telehealth to share with prospective clients.
Clients can receive mental health care without the need for transportation. They also won’t have to take time off work to travel to and from appointments or arrange for child care. Some clients may even attend appointments from their office during their lunch break. That flexibility makes virtual care convenient. Telehealth can also save clients money. They won’t have to pay gas, tolls, or other travel expenses to get to and from appointments. In addition, they can receive services from mental health professionals not located in their geographic area, widening their treatment options.
As for whether telehealth is as effective as in-person treatment, the answer is yes. All of the research done to date shows that telehealth is effective.
Furthermore, reports show that virtual mental health care leads to:
- Reduced length of hospitalizations
- Improved medication adherence
- Symptom reduction
Sharing the benefits of mental health telehealth helps ease the minds of potential clients and promotes your services.
The Role of Marketing in Therapy Telehealth Services
Sufficient marketing plays a significant role in telehealth services. It can attract potential clients and help you retain clients better suited for virtual treatment.
Telehealth also offers a unique selling point in marketing. It can help set your treatment center apart from competitors. It can also promote client engagement. Clients will be able to receive treatment where they feel most comfortable and, perhaps, more on their own terms.
Best Practices for Promoting Telehealth
Promoting telehealth services to current and potential clients requires the right marketing strategies. You want to advertise the benefits of telehealth services while positioning yourself and your practice as industry experts. Below are some best practices to consider.
Understand Your Target Audience
It’s necessary to define your target audience and their telehealth needs. Doing so allows you to tailor your marketing messages to address their concerns. Say your practice serves a rural market where potential clients are more spread out. You can emphasize the convenience of virtual care by telling people they don’t have to travel to receive treatment.
Develop Comprehensive Telehealth Branding
What makes your practice different or better? Create a compelling mental health brand identity for your telehealth services. It draws people in and shows your practice’s trustworthiness, knowledge, and flexibility. Hone in on your brand voice. Choose a brand identity and ensure consistency across all your marketing channels.
Optimize Your Online Presence
Build an informative website dedicated to telehealth services. Make it easy for people to contact your office. You can offer various contact options, like a contact form, email address, or phone number. It is also essential to optimize your website for search engines. Improve online visibility by incorporating relevant keywords and images throughout your site.
Create a Content Marketing Strategy
Write informative and engaging content about telehealth services. Consider creating and sharing relevant blog posts, videos, and infographics. Doing so can educate and attract clients. Quality content can also boost your website’s SEO and position you as an industry expert.
Use Social Media
More than 308 million people in the U.S. are on social media. Take advantage of that massive audience. Create profiles on platforms like Facebook and Instagram — wherever your target audience is already gathered. Then, share posts that help inform and attract them to your practice.
Posts to share include:
- Telehealth success stories
- Client testimonials
- Relevant news and information about treatment areas
Post on your practice’s social media channels daily to keep your audience engaged.
Launch Email Marketing Campaigns
Develop targeted email marketing campaigns to reach existing clients and stay close to those who have expressed interest in your services. You can share information on the many benefits of telehealth and help keep your clients in the loop about your practice.
Consider Online Advertising
Invest in online advertising channels. Google and social media ads can spread the word about your telehealth services. Use targeted keywords to reach prospects.
Provide Client Education
Provide educational materials to help clients navigate therapy and telehealth. Explain how to use telehealth platforms and how they can prepare for virtual appointments. That kind of information is helpful for clients who aren’t confident using technology.
Promote Your Mental Health Telehealth Services with Content Journey
Telehealth services are more popular than ever, and the need for these types of services isn’t likely to decline. Your treatment center or mental health practice can thrive when you use these services. With effective marketing, you can educate current and potential clients on the option of telehealth and the benefits that come with it. . Need a knowledgeable partner to help create an effective marketing strategy for your telehealth services? Content Journey is here to help. We assist mental health professionals in connecting with the people who need their services. We combine SEO best practices with meaningful content to increase your client load. To learn more, contact us today.
