The Best Digital Marketing for Therapists

0 Shares

In recent years, “how to maintain mental health” has become one of Google’s most searched health-related phrases. People rely on the internet more than ever for answers to their mental health questions. However, not everyone who posts wellness information online is reliable or has your level of expertise.

Establishing a strong online presence for your therapy practice allows you to provide credible information – plus access to treatment options – people need and deserve.

You may already have a website or have dipped your toes into social media. But how can you take your digital marketing strategy a step further and stand out online?

Content Journey can help. We specialize in digital marketing for therapists and have a knack for cutting through the noise. Below are some of our tried-and-true methods that will assist you in amplifying your practice’s digital marketing efforts.

Optimize Your Professional Therapy Website

If your therapy practice has a website, kudos! Your mission to expand your online reach and support potential clients with dependable mental health resources is off to a good start. Take it up a notch by ensuring your website has a user-friendly design.

Similar to “I will always place the mission first” in the Soldier’s Creed, your intended audiences’ preferences are a priority over your own on your website. You might love your site’s current layout, but if a potential client struggles to find information about your qualifications, therapy services offered, or contact information, they will take their search somewhere else. Present an effortless user experience (and boost your search rankings) by implementing these must-haves across your website.

Essential elements of an optimized therapy website:

Mobile Friendly Design. In today’s hyper-digital society, more than half of all internet usage is on mobile. Avoid alienating this vast demographic by ensuring your site is mobile responsive with simple navigation and quick load times.
“About You” Page. How can you specifically meet the needs of a potential client? Can you be trusted with their sensitive medical care? Do you have a relevant academic background or a unique take on therapy? Answer your potential client’s questions before they click “book appointment” with a winning about page.
Service Pages. It’s easy to get lost in a general therapist search. Yet, your practice’s website can be highly noticeable with separate service pages. If someone is googling for a distinct service you happen to offer – such as couples therapy or therapy with a holistic approach – your website has a greater chance of ranking in their search.
Multiple Calls-to-Action. Like walking a dog, sometimes you need to lead your audience where you want them to go. When you add CTAs to every web page, potential clients don’t have to scour your website to contact your practice, schedule sessions, or subscribe to your email newsletter.
Contact Information. Similar to CTAs, display your contact information in some shape or form on every web page. Make it as easy as possible for your potential clients to reach your practice. After all, the whole point of being visible online is to get more leads offline. Some placement ideas include your website footer, CTA buttons that direct to a “contact us” landing page, or widgets with contact forms.
High-Quality Images and Videos. In a world of mental health stigma, starting therapy can be intimidating. A potential client is sharing intimate aspects of their life with a stranger. Talk about a leap of faith! Providing a peek into your practice’s space, previous client video testimonials, or simply a photo of someone who resembles them talking with you can ease stress and confirm why therapy is a worthwhile endeavor. You want a new client to view your website and think, “If someone like me can do this and trust this person, I can too.”
Blog Posts. Another way to showcase your therapy expertise while simultaneously boosting your online visibility is by adding a blog section to your website. Writing consistent blog posts allows you to answer any frequently asked mental health questions and share in-depth knowledge regarding your therapy approaches. Blogs are cross-functional – they can easily be shared on social media or act as a funnel between email newsletters and your therapy website.
Relevant Keywords. To quote the great Ricky Bobby, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” The same rings true for search engine rankings (SERPs) – only 10% of people click beyond the first page of search results. Strategically scattering keywords throughout your website and blog posts (aka those health-related phrases your potential clients are asking Google) can land it on the top of Page 1.

Devote Time to Content Creation

Briefly mentioned above, blog posts (one aspect of content marketing) are essential to overall digital marketing success. Content marketing produces 54% more leads than traditional marketing methods. Why? People feel heard and valued when content is geared toward their wants and needs rather than advertisements with an upfront money agenda.

Also, digital content resonates with numerous audiences. A blog post can gain the attention of someone debating seeking help, a family member learning how to best support their loved one in therapy, or a previous client who has graduated from your therapy program.

Even if a person stumbles upon your therapy content and doesn’t book an appointment, you have created an opportunity to combat mental health stigma and spread general brand awareness about your practice. Who knows? Their future self might need to seek a therapist, and your practice will be top of mind.

Some engaging content ideas include:

Answers to frequently asked mental health questions
Self-care ideas to implement outside of therapy sessions
Helpful resources such as books, apps, or podcasts
Mental health myth-busters
Symptoms of common mental health issues
New mental health research paired with your professional stance or opinion

Take Advantage of Social Media

Another key trait of strong digital marketing is an active social media presence. Social media’s benefits are endless, such as the ability to connect with broad audiences. In fact, 90% of American adults use social media.

But you shouldn’t spread yourself thin across every social media platform for the sake of reach. Each platform – Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, etc. – caters to unique audiences. Use this to your advantage! Is your specialization in teen counseling? TikTok or Instagram is your best bet to reach this demographic. Yet, if you want to grab their parents or grandparents’ attention, Facebook is the way to go.

Also, don’t forget to consider the content medium you’ll be publishing. Facebook, X, and LinkedIn lend better to articles and written content, whereas Instagram and TikTok thrive on photo and short-form video sharing. Think of crafting content for specific platforms in shopping terms. You wouldn’t expect to find milk in a clothing boutique. Likewise, it’s highly unlikely you’ll come across the latest fashions in the dairy aisle at Sprout’s.

Implement Email Marketing

The implementation of email marketing is another notable digital marketing tactic. Think: Email is the only marketing tactic that needs a hard “yes” before someone can view your content. People generally don’t subscribe to email newsletters unless they are interested in the business.

For therapists, email newsletters are a great opportunity to strengthen patient-provider relationships. By building and segmenting email lists, you can gear content featured in these newsletters toward each client’s specific mental health journey.

You can easily start compiling your email list by using lead magnets — online freebies that potential clients download in exchange for giving your therapy practice their email address. Some lead magnet ideas include mental health self-assessment quizzes or a free video therapy consultation.

Host Webinars

Lastly, hosting webinars is worth the time and effort if you’re searching for a unique tactic to add to your digital marketing tool belt. Webinars establish your credibility as a therapist by showcasing your mental health expertise.

The strategy behind planning and marketing a webinar is quite similar to choosing which social media platforms best suit your therapy practice’s goals. Match your topic choice with what your target audience needs to hear. Navigating stressors like bullying in a high school setting isn’t beneficial if you focus on couples counseling.

Additional tips for planning and marketing webinars:

Partner with another expert therapist in your niche to increase reach
Add interactive elements throughout your presentation
Appeal to various learning styles, such as visual, auditory, or reading and writing

Digital Marketing for Therapists is Our Specialty

Growing your digital marketing presence is one of the best avenues to convert potential clients and establish your authority as a therapist. Yet, we recognize you might not have enough time in your day to tackle these tasks alongside your regular caseload.

Insert Content Journey. Our trained mental health marketers can lead the charge to boost your online footprint, so you can focus on serving new clients that increased digital marketing efforts send your way. Contact us today to get started!