Clients like finding us on the internet
I love seeing therapists get excited about getting found on the internet. It’s astounding to me how many clients find me that way. It used to be that if people found me on the “yellow pages” (remember those?) the client connection was often not strong initially, and they seemed different than direct referrals or clients who had seen me speak. I think that those clients often had a feeling that they had just picked someone “out of the blue”, and often they didn’t show up for a first appointment. Or if they did, some didn’t return for a second appointment, which was a very rare even indeed with more direct referrals.
But these days clients who find me on the internet seem to come in feeling fairly connected. I think the ability to see a picture, read about us, and even more importantly, read things we write, gives them a chance to feel that they know us. And it helps them in selecting a therapist whom they feel is a good match for their particular situation. It really makes a difference.
This is why I think that a full website with your own blog on it is so very important for therapists. It’s not only that it helps you get found on the internet (although that is very true, because a blog keeps your content fresh). It’s also that reading your blog posts and other pages on your site helps your client get to know you, and make an affirmative decision that you may be the right therapist for them.
Happy blogging!