Set Up For Success 5: Your website doesn’t work because it was written for your peers not your clients

Most of our websites receive very little “traffic” and many of our directory site profiles get scrolled past evey. single. time.

We all know there are weird algorithms and AI at play in the online game BUT the truth is some people manage to get people onto their website or directory site profile and booking sessions with them and others don’t.

The difference is the words.

I got sent to the headteacher at 7 years old for filling up an entire exercise book with illegible short stories on the first day of term. If I could have stopped crying to speak I would have told them that putting words onto a page makes my head quiet. Writing feels like a conversation with myself where I can figure out what I really think without the continuous interruptions of a demanding world. These days I would call it flow.

As a child I thought everyone felt that way, that everyone needed the page to structure and understand their own thinking. Of course, life has shown me that for many, my children included, the page actually veils their thoughts, forcing them to squint and sweat as they try to articulate what is perfectly formed in their minds.

Ten years ago my skills as a writer set me apart and allowed me to achieve success in marketing my practice very quickly. Thanks to AI, and I do mean that, the modern world allows you to use the skills you have as a psychologist or therapist to create website “copy” or a directory profile that speaks perfectly to your ideal client group even if writing is painful for you.

Here are the principles you need to stand out in the online crowd: 

1. Write Like You're Talking to a Client: This is the most important one. Don’t write for your peers! Imagine a real person who has come to you, asking, "How can you help me with X, Y, or Z?" Use natural language. If you struggle with this, try recording yourself explaining what you do to a potential client and then transcribe it. We therapists are great at connecting in person; sometimes it's just hard to get that onto paper so let technology be your friend. Record into chat gpt or gemini and ask the AI to tidy up yoru words.
2. Specialise, Specialise, Specialise! You cannot speak to everyone in your profile. If you try, you’ll blend into the background and sound generic. Pick one particular client group – your favourite, or the people you've worked with most successfully in the past – and speak directly to them. This is a huge focus in my Start Up Your Practice programme because it's vital for attracting your ideal clients.
3. Keep Your "Approach" Simple: Say a few confident lines about your experience and literally how you will help them. But please, for the love of all that is good, avoid jargon! Phrases like "safe space" or deep dives into your unique theoretical orientation often sound like gibberish to someone new to therapy. Stick to: "I have 25 years of experience in the NHS helping people with X, Y, and Z. I offer talking therapies like CBT and trauma-focused therapies like EMDR." That’s enough. Really.
4. Don't List Every Training Course Ever: Your core qualification is key, plus one or two other significant accreditations (like EMDR accreditation) that truly define your practice. A two-day CPD course, while valuable for you, probably doesn't need to be front and centre here.
5. Make Booking Super Easy & Explicit: Tell people exactly how to book. "Email me to book a consultation." "Phone me on X." Or, if you're using an online booking system (which I highly recommend, like Calendly, Acuity, or your PMS's system), tell them "Click this link to book your session directly." The less friction, the better!
6. Be Crystal Clear About Your Fees: This is a big one. People get incredibly anxious about fees, and rightly so. Don't make them inquire to find out, and avoid vague "sliding scale" statements. Put yourself in their shoes,  they want to know if they can afford you. It’s horrible for everyone if they get to the end of a conversation only to find they can't. Be explicit about your fee.

Use whatever tools you can find to make your life easier.

I think it is a great thing that more talented mental health professionals are able to reach the right clients thanks to modern technology. If it is new to you please don’t be afraid to use AI to help you write. My top tip is to give prompts in several steps.

A prompt for AI could look like this:

Step one: Analyse Dr Rosie’s advice on how to write a good directory site profile from this article (give link to this piece)

Step two: Analyse my CV (attach your CV or current summary of your credentials)

Step three: My ideal clients are (give a full description of your ideal client or link to your ideal client persona document if you are a coaching client of mine!). Please draft a compelling directory site profile/about page that will encourage them to choose me as their therapist following Dr Rosie’s principles.

This will not be the finished product but it can do the heavy lifting of the written word so you can focus on injecting your personality, passion and the language your ideal clients need to hear into it.

I’d love to know if this advice helps you connect more easily with your ideal clients. Let me know in the comments if you use the prompt!

Ready to turn your private practice dream into a reality?

Join my free masterclass, "Set Up Your Practice for Success”, on September 8th. I'll share my 3-part framework to help you create a practice that is professionally fulfilling and financially secure, giving you the flexibility you crave without the burnout.

https://psychologybusinessschool.mykajabi.com/offers/avzEAAiw/checkout

Links for Rosie:

Substack: substack.com/@drrosie

Rosie on Instagram:

@rosiegilderthorp

@thepregnancypsychologist