Can Social Media Help to Promote a Therapy Practice?


Have you thought about social media as a means of promoting your practice but you don’t know where to start? It can be a bit overwhelming, there are so many choices available. And there can be so many questions about what is right for you and your practice.

With the ever increasing popularity and reach of social media, it makes sense to think about the internet as a means of promoting your practice. There are a number of ways in which you can do this, and what you choose will depend on a number of factors:Photo no (23)

  • The size and scale of practice you want to create
  • How comfortable you feel about putting yourself out there
  • How comfortable you are in engaging with technology
  • How much money you have available to invest
  • How much time you are willing to devote to it

Bear these factors in mind as we look further at the options below.

For no financial investment, you can get started on social media immediately. However, to be effective, this form of promotion for a therapy practice needs to be well thought out. You need to have a clear purpose in mind. Are you looking to attract clients directly or to raise your profile with potential referrers? What message are you trying to get across?

Social media is suitable for short and quick interactions that happen frequently. It is not so suitable for long articles or in depth discussions. However, if you are creating articles (for example on a blog or in a newsletter), social media is ideal for using small snippets of that content, and relating it back to that content. Social media can also be used by anyone who does not want to create their own content, as you can join relevant groups, and either comment on other people’s posts or add some of your own.

In my view, social media is more useful for therapists seeking to raise their professional profile with potential referrers, rather than connecting directly with potential clients. My reasoning is that social media essentially works through creating connections (whether they’re called friends, followers etc). This makes handling boundaries with potential or actual clients somewhat complicated.

Let’s have a look at the most commonly used social media:

  • LinkedIn;
  • Facebook; and
  • Twitter

Lost and Confused SignpostLinkedIn describes itself as a “business oriented social networking service.” It is social media for professionals, as professionals. People tend to connect with others they have met through work, more so than with family and friends. Job positions are posted. There are special interest groups which you can join, and comment on the discussions or articles posted by others. There are groups related to specific therapeutic approaches, for example Person Centred Counselling; groups related to particular client issues, for example, Marriage Counselling and Therapy Network; groups related to particular professional bodies, for example, the IAHIP Members’ Network; just to name a few. There are also areas devoted specifically to promotion and CPD. LinkedIn is a good place for connecting with current or former colleagues.

For therapists wanting to promote their businesses through Facebook, the fan page approach is probably best. This allows you to retain the anonymity of a personal profile and page, while having a public space for your practice. As Facebook is largely a visual medium, you need to have a supply of images or links to create an impact. In my view it is especially important on Facebook to be clear about who your target audience is, and what the purpose of your page is. It can be used very effectively to link to a website, where articles may be posted, or it can be used instead of a website. Have a look at Wicklow Counselling Service or Brid Maguire for an example of how Facebook can be used.

Twitter is the ultimate in short and sharp. With only 140 characters to get your message across, you need to be very focussed indeed. Twitter is ideal for one sentence posts, and for linking to other material such as your website or articles of relevance. Have a look at Cabra Counselling or GoodTherapy.Org for examples of how Twitter can be used to signpost links to articles, quotable quotes and relevant images.

Still unsure?

Browse the sites and see what appeals to you, or what repels you!

If you’re unsure about the best way to promote your practice, maybe I can help. Contact me here for your free 20 minute consultation, or leave your comment or question in the box below.