Website Copywriting for Therapists in 5 Simple, Easy-to-Follow Steps
If you would have asked me a few years ago if I knew how to create and write copy for a website, I would have laughed in your face. Truthfully.
But thank God for growth and learning… and for the internet, am I right?!?!
Seriously, I went to school to become a social worker – a therapist. I took out a lot of student loans to learn to be a counselor. Not to be a website copywriter. Sure, we had to write many essays and research papers throughout graduate school, but we did not write casually.
Most things we wrote were academic-based papers with tons of references, statistics, and reporting. (Just a fun fact, my graduate thesis was on the impact of positive behavior strategies in middle schools)
Besides my long history with academic writing, I have always loved to journal. I guess I’d have to say writing is my way of processing… Writing helps me get out of my head, process my emotions, and get motivated to action. I’ll have to write a blog on the benefits of journaling soon; what do you think?
I digress... Back to the point. As therapists, we were not taught this in school.
That’s why I’m here. I’m going to lead you through a few basic steps to writing the copy for your website. You can do it. [or hire me to ;)]
But even if you do decide to hire me to help you with your website, I believe it is essential for you, as a business owner and professional, to understand the basics of website copywriting – as the saying goes “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” That’s the saying, right?!
Step 1
Brainstorming and Preparation
Take a few minutes to think about the answers to these questions. Write down your thoughts on a sticky note.
Who is your target audience?
Who is your ideal client?
When you think of a specific person that you are passionate about working with, what are their demographics?
What are their qualities?
What is their personality like?
What do they like?
What do they dislike?
What is the type of presenting problem that motivates you to go to work in the morning?
What are the typical struggles of your clients?
How do you help your clients solve this problem?
What are sessions with you like?
What skills do your clients leave sessions with?
How do people feel after their time with you?
What is your clinical personality? Are you funny, serious, quiet, or a storyteller?
Once you have come up with the answers to these questions, congrats! You now have a basic outline of your website copywriting.
Step 2
Keyword Research
If someone was going to conduct a Google search and find you, what would they search for?
This will be your set of keywords.
For example, if you are an online women’s therapist in Florida, you might have keywords such as:
“Therapist in Florida”
“Online counseling in Florida”
“Therapist for women in Florida”
“Women’s therapy in Florida”
Use Google keywords to plug in your search terms, find related words, and come up with 1 main keyword and 2 long-tail keywords (a longer phrase keyword). You can determine what keywords might be best to target by comparing the competition and frequency of searched keywords.
Step 3
Outline and Write!
Begin with an outline of the sections that you want in your website – introduction, about me, services, frequently asked questions, and resources.
Once your outline is complete, start writing! Even if you do not feel prepared, begin. Do not worry about spelling or grammar, just get words onto the paper (or screen). You might be surprised at how much comes to mind since you have already done the hard part in step 1!
Writing tips:
Write directly to your ideal client. Create an avatar of your ideal client that you created during your brainstorming session. Give her a name. And write to her.
Use the word “YOU”. Make sure that your website is primarily about your client.
People remember the way you make them feel. If your reader and potential client feels seen and heard from how you talk to them on your website, they will not forget you. They will forget (or not even read) about your most recent training and webinars, but they will not forget how you made them feel.
In your about section, write in first person. Avoid saying “Ashley is a LCSW…”. Rather, introduce yourself. Say, “Hi, I’m Ashley, and I am a LCSW and mental health copywriter..”
Always end with a clear call to action. After reading your site, what should they do? Should they call you to schedule an appointment? Should they click this link where they can schedule a consult? Make it clear. Make the steps understandable and easy to follow.
Step 4
Review and Edit
Now is the time to review and edit your work. Read your writing aloud to see how it sounds. Use tools like Grammarly and Hemingway editor to check for errors. Aim for writing that is conversational, easy to read and understand, and about a reading grade level 6.
Write with ethical persuasion and empathy. Avoid passive voice. And use the oxford comma (I know…. controversial issue, but I’m team oxford comma)
Step 5
Optimize for search engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of refining your copy and website so that Google and other search engines will crawl, rank, and index your website. So, when people search your keywords, Google will list your site on one of the first few pages of search results.
Many components can contribute to SEO, but here are a few key points when it comes to your writing:
Length of page: aim for about 1,000+ words per page
Headers: include keywords in your H1s and H2s
Keywords: strategically place keywords throughout your copy - aim for about 2-3% keyword ratio
Include Alt-text for images
Organization and copywriting that is mobile-friendly.
Check out my blog for more details on SEO and why you should care about it.
Now that you are a website copywriting pro, I hope you have the confidence to go and do.the.darn.thing!
May the website force be with you!
XOXO,
Ashley, LCSW
If this all seems too much or you simply don’t have the time to DIY, let me help. Schedule a free consult today!
