Copywriting for Therapists: How To Write Unique, Authentic Website Copy
I know writing website copy doesn’t always come naturally to therapists in private practice, so recently, I asked my Instagram community, “What’s the hardest part about writing copy for your website?” Here are some of the top answers:
“How to be concise and authentic… and creative.”
“Creating a call to action that doesn’t sound cliché.”
“Knowing what’s quality content.”
Writing copy is a skill that anyone can learn, and in fact, I believe therapists have the potential to be among the best copywriters. The problem is, we’re trained to write in a clinical way, from grad school research papers to session notes and insurance billing. When it comes to writing to connect with potential clients, most therapists freeze up.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In this blog post, I’m going to show you how to use the skills you already have to write unique, authentic copy for your website.
Step 1: Cultivate Empathy
You know how to be empathetic, right? Of course you do! You literally cultivate empathy for a living. The key to writing great website copy lies in your ability to empathize with your website visitors. Helping them feel seen, heard, and understood increases your website’s ability to attract potential clients for you.
Think about how you communicate empathy in session with clients. How do you let them know that you see them? How do you let them know that you understand?
Seriously. Stop reading and think about it for a second.
There are things you say that help your clients feel your empathy. Say those things on your website. Here’s an exercise to try:
Recall the last few sessions you had with clients. Try to remember the things you said that conveyed empathy, and write them down. If you can’t remember any of them, make a point to jot down a few empathetic phrases you use in upcoming sessions.
Using words and phrases that you actually use in your therapeutic work will help your unique voice come across in your website copy. It’ll help your copy feel more authentic and less clinical. Which leads me to my next step:
“There are things you say in session that help your clients feel your empathy. Say those things on your website.”
Step 2: Be Yourself
The quickest way to lose people is to try to be somebody else. Most of us can sense when something’s not authentic and sincere; whether it’s website copy, an apology, or a gift, if it doesn’t come from you, we can tell. And we’re not as interested.
Hiding yourself in the name of professionalism doesn’t serve anyone but you. That may sound harsh, but it’s true. I know because I worked very hard to cultivate a “professional identity” for several years as I trained and worked as a therapist. The problem was that my professional identity was completely different than my actual identity, so there was a disconnect between how I was presenting myself and how I actually related to clients in session.
Let me also say that being yourself doesn’t mean throwing your boundaries out the window. It means intentionally folding in your authenticity to your professional identity. How do you do this? Here’s an exercise to try:
Write down at least five things that your clients know about you that the general public doesn’t. These could be things related to your personality, your hobbies, your interests, or anything else. Then, talk about these things on your website!
For example, if you reference comic book characters and stories in your sessions, bring that stuff into your website copy. I talked to a private practice owner recently who told me she was obsessed with Batman, and had several Batman-themed pictures in her office. Weaving Batman references into her website copy will not only be more authentic, it will help her attract clients who align with her personality.
Writing authentic website copy is as simple as identifying what makes you unique as a therapist (and human), and talking about that as you empathize with your ideal client’s experience. Which brings me to my last step:
Step 3: Stay Hyper-Focused On Your Ideal Client
I’ve spent a lot of this post talking about you and your way of communicating, but don’t mistake this to mean that I want you to write a website full of copy about yourself. In order for website copy to be unique, authentic, and effective, it needs to stay focused on your ideal client.
When you’re in a typical session with a client, you’re going to give them your undivided attention and presence. You’re not going to be focused on what everyone else in the world is experiencing, and you’re definitely not going to be focused on talking about your credentials and background. The same needs to be applied to your website copy.
Identify a single member of your niche and write only to them. Literally imagine sitting in your office with them, and empathize with their current experience. Remember that the person that you’re writing to is searching for a therapist; what are they experiencing right before starting therapy with you? Speak to that experience.
Step 4: Start Writing
The best time to start writing your website copy is now! Whether you’re creating a new website for your practice or you need to improve the copy that’s already on your website, start now. Your website can and should be updated and improved as your practice grows, so there’s nothing wrong with tweaking old copy to increase the authenticity factor.
If you need more structured guidance, get started with my Website Copy Template Bundle. These fill-in-the-blank workbooks and templates will help you write unique, authentic copy for the three most important pages of your website - your Homepage, About Page, and Service Pages.
