Why Your Private Therapy Practice Needs a Website to Attract More Clients
You’re a therapist in private practice. Maybe you’ve been in the field for decades, or maybe you’re just starting out. Either way, you’ve done 20+ years of school to learn the skills you need to be an excellent therapist.
But none of your classes taught you how to…
Make a good website
Write for SEO
Produce a consistent blog with useful content
So you put up a website just to have something Googleable. It might even look like it’s left over from the dial-up days of the internet Stone Age. But does your web presence really matter if you’re a good therapist?
Let me explain.
How Do I Know if My Private Practice Has a Good Website?
Your private practice website should accomplish three goals. And they all involve helping clients. You have a good website if:
It helps clients get to know who you are as a therapist.
And I don’t mean just listing all of your credentials. Clients want to know you’re trustworthy and helpful. Use your “About Me” page as an opportunity to tell them what your therapeutic orientation is, why you got into the field in the first place (if it’s relevant to your practice’s values and principles,) and showcase your passion for helping others. Your picture should be warm and reflect authenticity. First impressions really do matter.
2. It helps clients understand how you’re going to help them.
For someone who’s considering therapy for the first time, it can seem daunting and even a bit scary. Not everyone understands how therapy even works. (A 50-minute hour? Whoever heard of such a thing? And why would I tell a stranger all my deepest darkest secrets anyway?) Assuage clients’ fears and anxieties by explaining what it is you do and how they can find relief in seeking your services.
3. It helps clients feel connected to you.
By the time they’re done reading your website, clients should feel inspired to book an appointment with you. You accomplish this call to action in three ways:
You speak to your ideal client.
You put yourself in their shoes.
You don’t sacrifice your authenticity or empathy.
Let me ask you this:
Which bio sounds more empathetic to you?
Version 1:
I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with fifteen years of experience treating adolescent depression and anxiety. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to treat social anxiety, test anxiety, depression, and help clients navigate difficult emotions so they can make behavioral changes.
Version 2:
Are you asking yourself: does my teenager need therapy?
If you are, you’re not alone.
I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in teen therapy. For over fifteen years I’ve helped teens develop healthy self-esteem, cope with intense emotions, and overcome anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. I foster a safe environment where teens feel heard and understood — not judged.
Version 2 sounds way better, right?
It all comes down to the copy.
Version 1 is OK… that person sounds qualified… but they also sound stuffy. Clinical. And difficult to connect with.
The person in Version 2 still sounds qualified. But they also sound approachable. Compassionate. Kind.
Who would you rather hire as your teen’s therapist?
So what is copy?
Simply put, copy is writing that encourages people to take action. As a therapist, you’re selling a valuable service — the therapy that so many people desperately want and need (especially after two years of a global pandemic!) But if they can’t find you on the internet, or they can’t connect with the person you’re portraying on your website — you can’t help them. That’s why you need search engine optimized copy on your website and a copywriter who makes you shine.
The words on your website represent you — a real human — to your potential clients. Hire a copywriter to write mental health website copy in your authentic voice so you feel accurately represented.
Your niche should be clear — do you offer Christian counseling services? Do you specialize in family therapy? And good copy uses the right keywords in your niche so you are easy to find amongst a sea of other private practice practitioners.
Your private practice website should also be clean and easy to navigate. There are several great website-building tools out there: Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and WordPress, to name a few. While a copywriter won’t build your website for you, they can make sure the words on every page of your site are strategically placed.
3 Things Not to Do on Your Private Practice Website
Here are 3 common mistakes therapists make on private practice websites.
Your website copy sounds like an academic paper.
Your clients don’t want to read your master’s thesis. They aren’t interested in the newest journal publication you have under your belt. They want to know they’re signing up to talk to a real human who gets them.
I know you got into this field for a reason. I bet it’s because you like making people feel seen, valued, accepted, and heard.
Your website should reflect that.
2. You Ignore SEO.
I get it — SEO is a PITA. But if you want to be discoverable on Google, you have to care about SEO.
Your private practice therapy website will bring in organic traffic if it’s search engine optimized. This means that people will find you on Google if you’re using the right keywords.
If you have a blog, that’s even better. Not only will you provide valuable content to current or prospective clients and establish yourself as an authority in your field, but you’ll also drive people to your site and services.
3. You don’t speak to (or identify) your ideal client.
If you can’t identify who your target audience is, how can you speak directly to them?
With good copywriting, your website speaks directly to the pain points your ideal client is facing and addresses how you offer the solution. You may not solve their problems, but you’re ready to walk with them as they work through their sh*t.
Are you ready to take the next step to improve your private practice website?
You don’t have to walk this journey alone!
I use a collaborative process that involves a Zoom call where we’ll go over:
Your project goals
Your ideal client/audience
Your pain points
Once I write a draft of whatever it is you’re seeking — whether that’s an “About Me” page, a blog, or copy for your entire website — YOU will provide an edit to ensure the writing sounds authentic to YOU.
Are you ready to take your private practice to the next level by investing in a mental health copywriter? Contact me today to set up a call! I’d love to help you out.
