The Therapist's Comprehensive Checklist to Internet Marketing
General Marketing
May 10, 2022
Our checklist is meant to be a quick guide for content marketing topics to know, but we have also provided links along the way for further explanation and full dives into each topic.
As a therapist, forming a winning internet marketing strategy takes time and careful strategy. From your website to social media, to content and email marketing, it can seem like too much to manage. But, we are here to help break it down step-by-step and equip you with the resources to master it all!
Your brand is the best place to start because this will be the foundation which everything else is built upon. Here's what you should be paying attention to.
Create a logo & icon This is the one unique identifier that you have. It's worth investing in something that you're proud of because it will be shown everywhere. Have a full logo that you can use anywhere, but also an icon that stands out when space is limited, such as when you need a square profile picture.
You should have a few different versions of your logo for various situations:
Your primary logo
This version of your logo will represent your brand in most places, such as on your website, social media graphics, and large printed materials. Your primary logo should be full color and scale.
A secondary or stacked logo
Used in places where you have less space, the stacked logo tends to be condensed and less intricate. This version works well for smaller printed materials, such as business cards.
A submark logo
Typically a square or circular design, this logo fits in even smaller spaces, such as social media profile pictures or website footers.
Create a color palette Colors are a critical way to convey emotion. Consider the psychology of color and use it to inform how you want your audience to feel! Choose a small set of colors that includes the following shades: - Light - 2 options like white and light gray. - Dark - 1 option for something to be used for fonts like pure black or off-black. - Accent - 1-2 colors that will represent you and give you a pop of personality. - Complimentary - an optional secondary accent color that can complement your accent if needed.
Choose a font family Choose 1-2 different font families to use across all applications. It’s helpful to have a serif font, a sans-serif font, and a script or decorative font to use in accents.
Develop Messaging More than just visuals, a brand is also what's being communicated. Create a unified message with a tagline, mission statement, and common phrases that communicate clearly who you are and what you stand for.
Implement everywhere A brand is only as strong as you use it. Check every online presence you have to make sure it fits your branding guidelines, but don't stop there. Also check your office, print materials, etc to make sure you're consistent across the board.
This is the ultimate hub for your online marketing efforts. Everything you do potentially leads to a page on your website! It’s important to get it right so that users complete your desired call to action.
Good Design
Optimized for all devices Check out how it looks not only on your computer but also on a phone and a tablet. Have a friend or colleague look through your website to make sure the design is intuitive to anyone who may visit your website.
On-trend and up-to-date design Look at your site in comparison to other brands that you love. Does your website seem just as professional and demand a reputation like other high-value brands?
Easy to understand with only images & reading headers and buttons Someone should be able to skim through your website to easily understand and find the information they're looking for.
Capturing Leads
Call-to-action on every page Make it easy for anyone to take the next step. Whether they are on your blog or your “about us” page, that next step should be clear.
Top-of-funnel to middle-of-funnel CTA’s Have a next step for those not ready to schedule a consultation by having links to your social media, asking them to subscribe to your blog, and gated content to download in exchange for an email. Examples of this free content include e-books, lists, downloads, and how-to videos or courses. The user will receive a valuable resource, and in exchange, you receive their contact information which you can use to build an email list.
Middle-of-funnel to bottom-of-funnel CTA's Make sure it is easy for someone to schedule a consultation or contact you via a form and phone call.
Essential Pages
Homepage This page should portray the feeling of your brand without even reading, make it clear what you do and where to go next within seconds, and serve as a directory to other information.
About Us Page This is a great place to prove credibility with plenty of testimonials, credentials, certifications, and a personable and relatable narrative. Include a section on this page for each clinician at your practice to display the range of care clients can receive.
Services For those who don't know what's best for them, provide a service overview page that gives a quick summary of all you offer and links to more specific pages. Then, on those specific service pages:
Acknowledge their struggle
Describe what the struggle looks like (For example, create a header that says "Do I have an anxiety problem?" and lay out the common symptoms.)
Explain how you can help
End with a specific call to action.
Utilize over 1,500 words total on your services pages for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefit. However, have it well organized into smaller pieces so it's easy to digest.
Blog/Resource Use this to create a space to write and store additional resources and information. Think about it as a comprehensive resource library that you consistently update.
Getting Started What is all the common information someone might need before they book with you? This is the perfect place for answers about rates, insurance, what to expect, and more. Seeking therapy is a huge step for most people, so walk them through how they can get started. You can also include a “Frequently Asked Questions” section to answer common queries you receive and further put a potential client at ease with the answers they are looking for.
Contact Us Provide multiple contact channels so potential clients can reach out however they feel most comfortable.You should include:
An embedded form that forwards a message to your email (Do not simply list your email address - this adds another step for the person trying to reach you.)
Phone number
Office address
A link to the free consultation page
Free Consultation This is a classic call-to-action strategy. Ideally, directly integrate your scheduling platform so that users can quickly pick a date and time, reducing steps and making this process easy for you and the potential client.
Website Footer A footer helps with the navigation of your site, so users don’t get stuck on one page and exit. Include your Phone Number, call-to-action, social media profile links, and links to all pages on your site.
Other Include any other information that is relevant to you and how you serve your clients. This could include Telehealth information, COVID updates, etc.
SEO & Analytics
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques help the pages on your website rank higher in search results. When someone in your area searches for your service, you want your website to be in the first results so that the chances of them visiting your site increase. Analytics can be used to examine how your web pages are performing and how they can be improved.
Title tags are exactly how they sound - they are tags that allow you to give each web page a title. They’re displayed in the large line of text describing your page in search results. Your title tag should be less than 50-60 characters long, use keywords, and briefly explain what is on that page. Each page on your website should have a unique title tag. Some website hosts allow you to edit your title tag in a field labeled “SEO title,” but others automatically use the name you gave the page for navigation purposes.
Meta descriptions appear underneath title tags in search results, summarizing the contents of the page. For best results, keep meta descriptions under 150 characters, use your primary keyword, and avoid passive voice.
Integrate Google Analytics & Google Search Console
These are free tools offered by Google to give you a better understanding of how your website is performing, how users behave on specific pages, and what keywords to use. To install each of these tools, create a Google Analytics account (or use an existing account), and follow these instructions.
Content is the main driver for everything regarding organic internet marketing. It's how Google knows to display your page for searchers, how to provide value through social media and email, and how to show your expertise and value to clients. It's vital to have a strategy.
Create a content calendar Write down your strengths and the types of clients you want to have, determine the audience that you want to speak to, then lay out a list of the topics you want to write over the next year. Create those documents in advance and stick to a schedule of writing and creating.
Plan your content web After you write your content, how will you be reformatting and reusing it? Group pieces of content and turn them into a larger e-book. Take a topic and develop a podcast, video, email campaign, or social media posts around it.
Create useful content Think practically about what content could be helpful to someone, whether it's a blog answering a common question, a worksheet that you can use for clients and repurpose online, or a checklist that anyone could use in their life.
Even if you don't personally use or love social media, it's an integral part of the online experience and as a business, you need to have a plan for how you'll handle it.
Getting Started
Create a business profile This should stay 100% separate from any personal presence you have on social media.
Plan a Posting Strategy Avoid posting for the "sell" but instead, strategize on what type of interesting and valuable content you can put out in the world. Think of various topics you want to post about, the different audiences you want to speak to, and the formats you want to create. Video can be a great format to consider for some posts. Here's how to do it easily on your own. Create a schedule and a plan to save you time and brain space. Here's some suggestions for building a calendar.
Choose a social scheduling platform A social schedule will save you brain power and allow you to focus on clients, not remembering when to share your next post. Schedule weeks or a month ahead of time if you'd like. Later and Hootsuite are scheduling platforms with free options.
Platforms You Can Utilize
There are many popular social media platforms you can utilize. Here are our top 4 favorites and what you should plan to do for each. If you'd like to learn more about the differences, check this out.
Instagram
Profile Built Out (profile photo, description)
Link in Bio
Aesthetically consistent grid
Utilize Highlights
Posting 3-14 times a week
Create a Strategic Posting Strategy
Utilize Instagram Stories and Reels
Facebook
Profile Built Out (profile, cover, contact information, etc.)
Second only to text messaging, email marketing is the best way to have direct access to someone's attention. Here's how to utilize it.
Build an email list Don't buy a list. Build one with actual potential clients. Collect emails through an exchange of value. In exchange for people's emails, you can offer:
E-books or workbooks
Webinars
Video content
Lists
Email series'
Free consultations
Plan a Strategy Where is your content going to come from? Blogs you write? Videos you create? Then, how often will you be sending out emails? Create a consistent plan and stick to it. Here are some types of emails you can utilize.
There are other places online people can be talking about you. And these online listing platforms could be monumental in someone's decision as they choose a therapist.
Review all listing sites There are hundreds of other sites that might be listing you without you knowing it. Do you know what people see when they go there? Platforms like Bing, Yahoo, YellowPages, Yelp, etc. all list information about businesses. Make sure yours is correct and monitor any reviews you receive.
Monitor reviews Reviews are critical for potential clients. Track your online presence to make sure you're spoken of well, you aren’t getting spam reviews, and you can make it right with anyone who has had a negative experience.
Are you looking to invest more into your marketing budget to get more leads in less time? Then paid advertising could be a strategy for you.
What's the most you're willing to pay for a lead? Determine the lifetime value of a new client and that should be the most you pay for a converted lead. If you are getting results for less than this, keep moving forward.
Dedicate time to learn? Or pay someone to manage? If you want to learn the skill on your own, it will take time. You can do that through Google here or Facebook here. But, if you want to focus your efforts on clients we suggest hiring a professional.
What types of clients are you interested in? Your paid advertising manager will need to know who to target. With a few audience options, they can test and optimize looking for the best deal on leads.
Need More Support With Marketing?
We know how hard it can be to figure out the best strategy for you. Whether you want us to manage some of this for you or simply want some free advice, contact us or schedule a call.
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