Your Website: The Cornerstone of Private Practice Marketing
As we settle into the summer lull, it’s the perfect time to focus on a crucial piece of your private practice marketing strategy: your website.
While social media and networking are important, your website is your true marketing foundation. Think of it as your digital storefront. It’s the one place where you have complete control over how potential clients first experience your practice. And this is important since 81% of consumers do online research when looking for services.
Done well, your website doesn’t just list your credentials, but it starts a meaningful conversation with your ideal clients before you even meet.
Let’s break down the bare bones basics of what your private practice website really needs.
The Bare Bones Basics: What Your Website Must Include
You don’t need a flashy site with fancy animations or dozens of tabs. What you do need is clarity and simplicity. Here’s the framework I recommend (and use on my own website):
Home Page: The All-in-One Hub
Your homepage should act like a one-stop shop for potential clients who may never click on another tab. Think of it as your storefront window: welcoming, informative, and easy to navigate.
It should include:
A simple intro statement that speaks directly to your ideal client’s problem and your solution.
A brief “about you” section.
A clear list of services you offer.
Multiple opportunities to book or contact you.
Pro tip: Don’t make people scroll too far to take action. Place buttons and contact links throughout the page.
About Page: Share Your “Why”
This is where you connect on a human level. Share what brought you into this work, what makes your approach unique, and who you love to serve. You’re building trust and relatability here.
Services Page: Get Specific
Don’t make potential clients guess whether you’re the right fit. List your services clearly, using client-centered language. Instead of technical terms, use phrases your clients might search for or say themselves.
Contact Page: Easy Does It.
Make it incredibly easy for someone to reach out. Include:
A short form (name, email, message)
Your email address
Phone (if applicable)
Location (even for virtual practices)
Don’t underestimate the importance of easy to find contact information! Up to 40% of site visitors will bounce if they can’t find contact information.
Clear CTAs (Calls to Action): Tell Them What To Do Next
Every page should include a simple call to action, such as:
“Schedule a Consultation”
“Contact Me”
“Book a Discovery Call”
Don’t assume people will know the next step! Make it obvious and easy. Did you see how many call to action buttons I have on each page?
Keep it Simple, Authentic, and Yours!
When someone lands on your homepage, they’re looking for answers, and they want them fast. Users you only have about half a second for a user to form an opinion on your website.
They’re silently asking:
Can this person help me?
Do they understand what I’m struggling with?
What should I do next?
If your website doesn’t clearly answer those questions in a conversational, approachable tone, most visitors will click away before you get a chance to connect.
Your website should feel like the first few minutes of a great consultation call: warm, informative, and reassuring. Save the clinical jargon and heavy detail for your intake session. On your website, your job is to invite, not overwhelm.
Your Website Is a Conversation, Not a Billboard
Your website copy should sound like you. You’re building connection before you ever meet, so write like you speak. Avoid dense clinical language.
Instead of: “I utilize a biopsychosocial approach to integrative trauma care.”
Try: “I help people move through overwhelming experiences so they can feel safe, connected, and at peace again.”
Own Your Website: Avoid “Borrowed Land”
Your website is your business asset. You need full control over it.
Avoid building on trendy platforms you don’t own. If you stop paying, lose access, or if the platform closes, you risk losing everything.
Here are a few platform options depending on your tech comfort level:
WordPress – Highly customizable (best if you’re tech-savvy or working with a designer).
Squarespace (my go-to!) – User-friendly, drag-and-drop, professional templates with built-in SEO tools.
Wix – Flexible and intuitive with great design options.
Google Sites – Free and simple if you just need a placeholder while you build something more robust.
Bottom Line: It’s Not About Fancy. It’s About Connection
At the end of the day, your website doesn’t need to win design awards. It just needs to:
Reflect you
Speak directly to your ideal client
Clearly invite people to reach out
A simple, well-organized site that sounds like you will serve you far better than an overly complicated site you struggle to maintain.
This summer is the perfect time to give your website a refresh… or finally build the one you’ve been putting off.
👉 Not sure where to start? This is exactly the kind of work we tackle inside the Private Practice Jumpstart Program: building your practice systems, marketing strategy, and business foundations in a way that feels aligned with your values. Whether you are just starting out, need a refresh, or just want to build a stronger foundation, this program is perfect for your and your private practice!
Because growing your private practice should never mean abandoning your voice.
Always in your corner,
Francisca
Embark on your Private Practice Business journey with Francisca Mix, LPC, BC-DMT, ACS—an experienced confidence consultant in mental health and clinical leadership. With diverse expertise as a mental health private practice consultant, educator, clinical supervisor, and trauma-informed movement therapist, Francisca guides professionals through tailored group programs and impactful one-to-one online sessions.
Her mission is clear—to empower individuals in mental health and clinical leadership by building unshakable confidence, nurturing leadership skills, and rewriting healthy life narratives. Your business confidence boost begins here.
Ready to reach new heights? Book a discovery call NOW and redefine your narrative with confidence and leadership.
