How to Write the Words on Your Therapy Website Homepage
If you’re feeling lost about what to write on your therapy website, you’re not alone. Almost every therapist I work with has a hard time with this, and for good reason! The words on your website are meant to market your services, and how much did you learn about marketing in grad school? Not much? Same here.
It’s not your fault if you have no clue how to write the words on your therapy website, but it is your responsibility to learn how to write good copy. Because the words on our websites have the power to connect or repel. The words on your website may mean the difference in a fully booked practice and a practice where you’re constantly hustling to have enough clients.
Sidenote: I’m going to be using the word “copy” in this post. Website copy is the written material on your website, and is written with intention to guide and inform your visitors. “Copywriting” is the act of writing copy (not to be confused with “Copyright” which is the term used to signify intellectual property).
Before I walk you through how to write your website copy, I’m going to highlight two common mistakes I see therapists make in writing their copy so that you can avoid them.
Mistake #1: Using your homepage as a cover letter.
Before starting a private practice, the only scenario in which most therapists have had to “sell” themselves is for employment opportunities. In a cover letter, you talk about your qualifications, past experience, and why you’re qualified to take on the job at hand. Why would your website be any different?
Because your potential clients are not your employer.
Sure, they’re paying you for your services, but they’re looking for support and healing. They’re looking for someone to hold their unique situation. And they have no idea if you can do that if you only tell them your qualifications and past experience.
Mistake #2: Copying other therapist’s websites.
Writing a website that sounds good is hard. I get it. And even though it might be tempting to “take inspiration from” other therapy websites, DON’T. Not only is this straight-up copyright infringement, it’s just not cool.
The other person likely worked really hard to create copy that was written specifically for their ideal client - not yours. Plus, you have no idea if their copy is actually working! Meaning, without looking at their website analytics and conversion rates, you don’t know if the words on their website are even helping them get clients. And if they’re not, you’re definitely not doing yourself any favors by copying them.
How to write your own therapy website copy
Now that we’ve established what common mistakes to avoid, let’s talk about how to write your own copy.
Step 1: Identify who you’re talking to.
Even though it feels like everyone in the whole world will be viewing your website, they won’t. So you shouldn’t try to write to everyone in the whole world. Instead, identify one person, and write to them.
Who should this one person be? Your ideal client. The person you’d be thrilled to sit in session with, week after week. If you haven’t pinpointed your ideal client yet, take this free, 3-day email training.
Step 2: Consider your ideal client’s experience as they’re searching for a therapist.
Before you can write copy that connects with your ideal client and holds their experience, you have to know what they’re experiencing. Think about how this person is feeling right before scheduling an initial session with you. Really step into their shoes and think about the struggles, frustrations, and circumstances they’ve been dealing with. Then, answer these questions:
How is [insert ideal client’s name] feeling right now, in general?
How is [insert ideal client’s name] feeling about going to therapy?
What are [insert ideal client’s name]’s frustrations with the therapy search process?
How does [insert ideal client’s name] want to feel (both in life and in therapy)?
Step 3: Write with empathy.
The key to great website copy is empathy. If you communicate that you understand your ideal client’s experience, and can sit with it, your copy will help get you clients.
Start by empathizing with how your ideal client is feeling when they first land on your website. This person probably wants to know, more than anything, if they’re in the right place. How can you let them know that without saying, “You’re in the right place”? Think about how website visitors will move through your website, and use your copy to empathize throughout.
Your website should guide your ideal client from a place of uncertainty to certainty. It should connect with this person so much that it makes them think, “Yes! This is everything I’ve been looking for.”
Step 4: Edit, edit, edit!
Wordy websites are a no-go in my book. Considering most people are viewing the internet from their phones these days, nobody wants to read through paragraphs of text to find out what you do and if you can help them (unless they’re reading an article, in which case they’re primed and ready to read).
If you’re wondering how much content is too much content on your homepage, service pages, or about page, remember that less is more. Edit down redundant or wordy paragraphs, and ask yourself, “What’s the essence of what I’m trying to say?” If you’ve edited down as much as possible and you still have multiple paragraphs, utilize your website design to visually break up areas of text.
Need more help?
The words on your homepage are arguably the most important words on your whole website, so if you need more guidance on writing the right words to attract the best clients for you, download my Homepage Copy Template. In it, I’ll walk you through writing your homepage copy, step-by-step, with mad-lib style exercises and tangible examples to help you along.
