Marketing – it’s essential for any therapist working online, as it’s how your clients will find you. But it’s also something few of us had any training in, despite all the years we spent studying to become mental health professionals. So you’re not alone if you feel awkward putting yourself out there and selling your services. Plus, as a therapist and business owner, you’re probably pretty short on time.
In this blog post, we’ll share a few simple tips that have maximum impact, helping you work smarter in your marketing, not harder.
If you’re starting from scratch and want to create a detailed marketing strategy for your business, read our guide here.
7 Tips to Help You Work Smarter in your Marketing
These tips will help you to focus your marketing efforts and make the most impact with your limited time and energy.
1. Start with clarity about who you help
One of the most effective ways to improve your marketing is to know who you’re talking to and ensure that your message is clear.
Many therapists describe their work in broad terms, for example, “supporting adults with anxiety, stress, and life transitions.” While this is accurate, it can make it harder for potential clients to recognise themselves in your description.
Instead, focus on clearly communicating:
- Who you work with
- The situations they’re facing
- How you support them
For therapists working online across borders, this clarity can be especially helpful. Clients may already be navigating language barriers, cultural differences, or relocation challenges. When your message reflects their specific experience, they are much more likely to reach out.
Often, refining your messaging can have a bigger impact than posting more often. This is why knowing and understanding your ideal client is so crucial. If you want to explore this further, read our blog post on the ideal client here.
2. Choose where you’ll focus your marketing
The next step is to figure out where you’ll focus your marketing time and attention. A common mistake made by therapists working online is thinking they need to be on every platform. But there are so many, each with its own algorithms, and if you try to keep up with them all, you may end up burning out.
Instead, sustainable marketing often means focusing on just a few channels that suit your strengths. So, use what you know about your ideal client to guide your decisions:
- Where do they spend their time online?
- What kinds of content do they consume?
- What will resonate most with them?
Knowing this will help you to make strategic choices. For example, should you be making short videos for platforms like Instagram and YouTube? Or does your ideal client prefer long-form content, like newsletters?
When you focus on fewer channels, you can approach them more consistently without adding unnecessary stress to your workload. If you want to explore your options and figure out what’s best suited to your business, read our blog post here.
3. Batch your content to save time and energy
Another way to work smarter in your marketing is to batch your content creation in specific time slots. It can be tempting to create content whenever you have an idea or a moment of inspiration. But in practice, this often leads to inconsistency and can take up more time and mental energy than necessary.
Instead, consider setting aside dedicated time to create content in batches. For example:
- Recording several videos in one session if you’re focusing on platforms like Instagram or TikTok
- Planning and writing your newsletters or blog posts for the coming weeks or month in one sitting
Working this way allows you to get into a focused flow, reduces the need to constantly switch between tasks, and can make your marketing feel much more manageable. It can also help you be more strategic about what you create, rather than deciding on the spot what to post next.
4. Optimise what you have before creating more content
But also, don’t assume that you need to constantly churn out new content. If you’re short on time, the most effective use of your time may be to improve what already exists – especially if you focus on what has the most long-term impact.
For example, your website acts as your digital office. Making it easier to navigate and understand is one of the most valuable marketing steps you can take.
You could start by:
- Updating the headline on your homepage, or your bio on your social media – the first thing people see when they find you online
- Making your “How to Work With Me” section clearer
- Improving the structure of your services page
- Revisiting your most popular blog posts and ensuring they’re up to date
Another idea is to look at what’s already working and see how you can leverage it. If you know that your top three blog posts bring a lot of traffic to your website, make sure you keep them up to date. Check the content regularly and make sure there are no broken links. While those people are on your website, you want to keep them there, so add links to more relevant content and/or include a call to action for your offer, if it makes sense.
Small changes like these can allow you to make the most of your existing content and improve the user experience. In this way, you make it clear who you are and what you offer.
5. Make it easy for people to take the next step
Even when potential clients resonate with your work, they may not reach out if there’s anything they’re unclear about. The more steps to the process, the more likely they are not to follow through. So, the simpler it is to navigate your website and online presence, the better.
Take a moment to review how easy it is for someone to:
- Contact you
- Understand your availability – are you currently accepting clients, or do you have a waiting list?
- Find out how much you charge
- Book an initial consultation
Clear calls to action, simple contact options, and transparent information reduce uncertainty for potential clients. This is particularly important when working with international clients who may already be navigating time zones, different healthcare systems, or unfamiliar processes.
When reaching out feels simple and predictable, people are more likely to take that first step..
6. Don’t overlook the power of networking and referrals
Marketing doesn’t always have to mean creating content. Building connections with other colleagues or professionals can also be part of your marketing strategy. For therapists, referrals from colleagues remain one of the most powerful ways to grow a practice.
This might involve:
- Connecting with therapists who work with a different niche
- Joining professional communities (we suggest the LIT Community, of course – but there are many others too)
- Attending trainings where you meet peers with similar interests
- Reaching out to other professionals or organisations who might recommend your services
Marketing can feel much more natural when it grows out of professional relationships rather than constant self-promotion. And word of mouth is still one of the most trusted sources for clients to find trusted professionals, with a higher follow-through rate than most other forms of promotion.
7. Prioritise content with lasting impact
When you have time for content creation, think about its impact and longevity. Some forms of content stick around for much longer and continue to pay off, even years down the line. For example, our blog post on navigating regulations as a location independent therapist is always among our most popular posts, even though it was published a few years ago.
Blog posts, recorded talks (such as podcasts or YouTube videos) and freebies/lead magnets can continue helping people discover your work long after you’ve created them. Especially when they address some of your clients’ biggest concerns and challenges, or provide solutions to common problems.
For example, that might be…
- a blog post answering common client questions
- an article about adjusting to life abroad
- a guide to navigating cross-cultural relationships
Content like this not only supports potential clients but also helps search engines understand what your practice is about. Over time, this can bring new enquiries without requiring daily marketing effort.
Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming
Marketing is often framed as requiring constant visibility and effort. But for many therapists, learning how to work smarter in your marketing is worth it. A simpler and more intentional approach can be far more effective and save you from the overwhelm of doing all the things.
Clear messaging, a well-structured website, a few consistent marketing channels, and supportive professional relationships can go a long way in helping the right clients find you.
When you learn how to work smarter in your marketing and focus on the actions that create the biggest impact, marketing becomes less about doing more and more about doing the right things. And that leaves you with more energy to focus on the work that matters most.
Want more guidance on how to market your online practice? Check out our free resources hub here.
Looking for even more tailored support, resources, and connection with like-minded colleagues? Start your free trial of the LIT Community here!
