3 Reasons why creating valuable content for your website is a MUST

The first website went live in 1991, and by the early 2000s, if you were an official business – small, corporate, or otherwise – you had a website. Websites offered credibility and prestige, and today, in 2023, websites continue to be the professional face of a company. But is “having a website” enough?

Your website functions as the online extension of you.

Whether you are Amazon, Forbes, a local restaurant, or a therapist with a private practice, if you are in business, you need a website to establish credibility, present yourself professionally, and build brand authority. But this is not new information. Justification for having a website hardly needs to be argued, and most businesses today already have a website, even if they are a small LLC or SP.

The problem is most websites are not living up to their potential and doing what they were created to do. Especially for therapists and mental health care professionals, the days of in-person or over-the-phone first impressions with prospective clients are almost non-existent. Today, the first interaction most of your future clients will have with you will be with the content on your website. …Yikes?

What impression is your current website giving your prospective clients?

If all your website is doing is saying, “Hi, I’m so-and-so. Here’s a list of my credentials and qualifications," then that doesn’t start much of a conversation, and to be honest, it’s kind of a blah first impression. If, however, the content on your website is custom curated to speak directly to your target client and their specific needs or interests, then that’s a powerful first impression. It is the kind of first impression that is going to make prospective clients want to engage with you more, because it conveys to them that you understand them, and, more importantly, that you can help them.

It is no longer enough to have a basic website to prove the credibility of your business. Now, you need a good website, and what makes a website good is the value of the content it features.

3 Reasons why therapists need to create valuable content for their websites.

1. Consistently posting valuable content on your website is one of the best ways to earn your future client's trust.

Outbound marketing is out. Inbound content marketing is in. If you want potential clients to convert and invest in the value you offer, you need to first earn their trust, and quality content can accomplish that. Connecting with your prospective client when and where they need you the most is an effective way to establish trust, and in this way, good content can build trust and establish rapport long before even the first appointment.

Tip: Reassess your bio/about section and counseling service description on your website. Make sure you are thoughtfully speaking directly to your target audience with well-curated web content. Don't just copy/paste your resume. Meet your audience where they are mentally and emotionally at.

Think of the state of mind your future clients might be in when they are searching for a mental health professional like yourself. Imagine the kind of day they possibly had, the circumstances that may have led them to browse the internet looking for a counselor. Envision the questions or concerns they likely have, and address those anxieties directly in your bio, your service description, and in your blogs. Show them that you “get it.”

2. Routinely posting good content establishes web domain authority.

The first interaction your future clients will have with you will likely be with the content on your website, but let’s take it one step back. How do they get to your website? How do the people you're trying to reach find you? The answer is: by establishing web domain authority through SEO. Consistently publishing organic, keyword-rich content is a proven way to boost your SEO and improve your domain authority.

Need a simple summary of all the SEO stuff? I got you. Read this next:

Domain authority, SEO, and the Google algorithm – A quick overview

Tip: If you are not routinely posting blogs/articles on your website, just start. Keep it simple and make it a goal to post once a week or least twice a month.

Pro tip: Give some thought to your overall blog strategy, and create a cohesive list of interconnecting topics that pertain to your target audience’s interests. Write for your readers and be intentional with what you choose to write about.

3. Consistently creating and posting good web content is how you grow your brand.

You are not just a therapist or a mental health service provider. You are a brand. You are a subject matter expert, and in many cases, you are also a business owner. To ensure your business survives slumps and slow seasons, it is wise to invest in good content and grow your brand's value proposition.

Good content is a great way to position yourself for diverse opportunities to scale your business and grow your brand. For example, when your practice slows down in the summer, what if you leveraged your brand power and web authority to score gigs as a guest speaker at association meetings, corporate lunch and learns, local events, or conferences? Quality content is proof that you and your brand are legitimate and that you know exactly what you are talking about.

Tip: Just do it. Elevate your brand by elevating your content. I'm biased of course, but I think taking the time to invest in quality content is like investing in real estate. Everyone wishes they started yesterday. My best piece of advice to any mental health professional thinking about starting a blog for their website is to not let imposter syndrome stop you. You can start small and make it manageable by writing two or three blogs a month about topics you know resonate with your target audience.

Rest assured, you are not giving away your value. You are offering your prospective clients the wisdom they need to hear in the moment they need to hear it the most, and that is so often what gets them to convert. When you offer your target audience good, relevant content, you are meeting them exactly where they are and showing them you “get it,” and that makes them want more of what you have to offer. That trust is what compels prospective clients to reach out and make an appointment.

Pro tip: Close every blog with a call to action (CTA) and a way for your website visitors to contact you.

Like this… 😉

Need help?

Good content has the power to create meaningful connections that go far beyond the internet. If you don’t have time to invest in your web content, you might consider outsourcing. I help therapists, coaches, and mental health professionals by doing what they don’t have time to do so they can focus on doing what only they can do.

The people who need the value you offer want to find you as much as you want to find them. What do you want to say to them?

Let’s talk!

Contact me and request a free project quote today.

This article was written to complement my conversation with Lisa Mustard, host of The Therapy Show podcast. For more on this topic, you can listen to the full podcast episode at the link below.
The Power of content Creation for Your Website with Rebekah Hudson