Several years ago, therapists in private practice relied heavily on their websites as the main way they marketing their practices online. But over the past year, that’s all changed. If you are still relying on your website to do your marketing for you, you’ve probably been pretty discouraged lately, right? The reason is Facebook. Facebook is killing traditional websites. Why?
Well, according to this great article from Convince and Convert (http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-marketing/3-ways-facebook-is-killing-your-website/), there are 3 reasons:
- Social Objects: Facebook utilizes social objects, or tiny bits of information to inform, engage and entertain. These social objects are more appealing to your psychotherapy clients than the static, long content of your traditional webpage.
- Ease of Updating: Compared to trying to update a website, updating Facebook is a breeze. And they continue to expand the functionality to make it easier and easier to provide clients with everything they need to know about you on your Facebook page, rather than having to visit your website.
- Volume of Traffic: Facebook has such an overwhelmingly large online presence that it’s fun, easy and engaging for people to use. Why fight against the tide, trying to pull people away from Facebook onto your webpage, when you can meet them where they already are?
Psychotherapists should incorporate social media marketing as part of their practice-building equation. In fact, I would put social media at the top of the list if you are trying to attract new therapy clients and build a private practice. If you are trying to decide between building a website or incorporating social media, start with social media.
And for psychologists, counselors, therapists, and social workers, the king of social media marketing for private practice success is Facebook. If you’d like learn a brain-dead simple way of using Facebook to attract new clients and market your private practice, read about it here.
