Digital Marketing: The Power to Create Positive Impact and Practice Growth

What if you could merge practice growth with a wider impact on the greater population? Create profound benefits for thousands of people, while growing your client base? What if you could really make a difference through the information you share, even for those who are not — and will not become — clients?

Digital marketing enables you to meld prosperity and profits with the potential to transform lives. Two birds, one stone.

But before I share how this is possible — and the simple steps to achieve it — it’s important to consider why now is the perfect time for this combined approach.

In recent years, the world has undergone rapid and profound changes that have catapulted rates of mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, the pandemic has triggered a staggering 25% increase in anxiety and depression. You’ve likely seen this in practice.

An article published by the United Nations reported that “Some studies [are] showing that as many as 80 percent of Americans are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief or isolation.”

Yet, mental health care can be difficult to access. More than 50% of Americans who need support remain untreated.

This means that your expertise is desperately needed, now more than ever. Your insights, advice, and approaches can change lives. Yes, this is possible without creating more work, extracting additional time commitments, or piling on the stress.

How?

By merging digital marketing with great content creation!

A Dynamic Duo

Often therapists tell us they want to have a focus on marketing or an emphasis on client wellbeing. But, these two can go hand-in-hand. In fact, they are a powerful duo!

See, promoting mental health, mindfulness, and well-being advice through your digital marketing works in a multitude of ways. For example, it attracts potential clients, more deeply connects with your existing following, and provides valuable insights to the public at large.

The first two have obvious potential benefits from a business standpoint, including more bookings, an increased bottom line, and better-educated clients who possess a heightened level of trust. But don’t underestimate the latter…

Providing information broadly, including to those who will not become clients, brings meaningful advantages. For example, non-clients may share and comment. This can attract new eyeballs, bump your search engine rankings, and build your perceived expertise. You might even fan the flames of burgeoning celebrity, making you the “go-to” expert in your field.

So, where should you begin?

Use your digital platforms to educate, empower, and entice

First, let me ask you a question…

When you post information on your site and social media, do you think about the services you provide alone? Is your sole aim to secure more bookings? Now’s a great time for a rethink!

There’s a stark fact we need to honestly acknowledge: potential clients are not looking to help you, they are seeking to improve their lives.

Makes sense. Recall the last time you searched for an answer online. What was your motivation? You or a loved one, right?

So, start your content creation and digital marketing process by asking the following:

• What will someone gain by listening to you?
• How will the information you share positively impact their lives?
• How exactly can they implement your advice? (Step-by-step is perfect)
• What benefits exist, and are they worth the effort?

This will change what information you share on your digital platforms. Instead of peppering information about your services and what you can offer, you’ll pivot. The message will move from a “consult with me” focus to providing advice aimed at enhancing a reader’s mental health and well-being.

No extra work or stress, just a shift in approach.

This is a service, yes. But it’s more than this. You will become the trusted advisor that people turn to when they decide to seek professional care.

So … What should you talk about?

Ah, this is a great question!

I’ll provide some tips in a moment but before I do, grab a pen and paper or open up a doc on your device. Spend some time in your clients’ shoes. Write down the challenges they face, the questions they ask, the advice you share, and the insights that help. That’s a wonderful starting point!

You may also discuss universal mental health topics or concerns and offer hope and answers. Provide understandable explanations, tidbits, plans of action, coping mechanisms, compassionate quotes, and simple steps.

When research in your field breaks, share it. Use layperson’s terms to offer insight into what this means for your reader.

Depending on your niche, some topic examples to whet your appetite include:

• abuse
• addiction
• anxiety
• benefits of a certain type of therapy
• body image
• burnout
• communication
• depression
• divorce
• fear
• financial stress
• grief and loss
• imposter syndrome
• insomnia
• internal conflicts
• parenting
• perfectionism
• political and climate stress
• relationships
• setting boundaries
• sexual challenges
• shame
• transitional periods

Remain relevant and topical

It is important that, when selecting a topic of discussion, you speak to current fears, frustrations, and issues.

Our therapists tell us that crises often push people to seek support and understanding. The trigger can come through local, national, or global events or experiences.

So, show your awareness, compassion, and expertise by covering current topics that affect your readers. Current examples include the continuing impacts of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the social justice movement, climate change inaction, debt, rising inflation, and economic uncertainty.

The idea is not to raise an issue and leave it hanging in the air. Instead, speak authentically about how this might affect your reader and offer hope, inspiration, or proven approaches to help them find respite, even joy.

By talking about mental health in the now, you show your audience that you care and are in the know.

This positions you as a thought leader, builds rapport, and deepens the connection between you and both existing and potential clients. By meeting people precisely where they are and shining a light on a path forward, you become valuable, even indispensable. People will listen and share.

Which digital platforms should you use?

Content is consumed in different ways, through different mediums depending on individual preferences. So, variety is important. Deciding what you are able to complete as the consistent production of content is key. For example …

Your website blog

I cannot overstate this; if you don’t yet have a blog, you should!

A practice blog is great for search engine optimization (attracting search engine love and rankings), drawing in and building rapport with visitors, and providing shareable content. It remains under your control, is written in your voice (which gives readers insight into who you are), and provides evidence that you are the expert. Of course, when done well this translates into bookings and profits.

Because your blog will form an integral part of your digital marketing strategy, check out our article: Our 5-Step Guide for How to Write an Effective and Engaging Therapist Blog.

And, yes, blog content creation can be time-consuming. But it’s critical to your success so don’t skip this step! Instead, read this article, take good notes, and implement our advice: Out With The Old, In With The Reused: Repurposing Evergreen Content For Your Therapist Blog.

Social media

Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter might all be worth your while; others too. If you’ve not already established your social presence, hop to it.

Whether you’re a newbie or have already established your social media presence, I recommend running through our article, Best Practices for Therapist Marketing on Social Media. It’ll help you to work out what platforms are a good fit and worth investing your time on.

Get professional help!

Marketing is a powerful magnifier. It enables you to propel your message, ease mental health, and (wildly) promote your practice. But like any worthwhile skill, there is an art involved; expertise that has grown from education and experience.

At Brighter Vision, we specialize in helping therapists expand their impact and their reach.

For example, our influential, easy-to-use tool, Social Genie, makes publishing a cinch.

Not sure what to post?

We’ve got you covered with thousands of editable blog and social media posts. Point and click options, editable content, and branded images. This is an easy way to promote mental wellness, and stress-free.

As Sadie Bingham said, “I am pretty obsessed with this app! It feels like a game-changer for me.” Yes, it’s that good!

As you can see, digital marketing has the power to create positive impact and practice growth; to marry promotion with greater impact. This is an approach we would love to see all therapists take. The power to change lives and your practice is well within your reach. We look forward to helping you make this a reality!

Want the beautiful therapist website you deserve? Then you’re in the perfect place.

Brighter Vision is the ultimate marketing package for therapists, centered around the best therapist website you’ve ever had. Fill out the form below to learn more about our team of professionals who can’t wait to help your practice grow like never before 🙂

About Jocelyn Van Saun

Jocelyn is a Marketing Manager at Brighter Vision. When she's not creating and sharing content for our network of therapists, she loves spending time outdoors - rock climbing, trail running, hiking, camping, mountain biking, and skiing!