The truth about why your quality therapy Instagram and social content isn’t growing your case load.

You’ve got interesting therapy content with targeted copy, an eye-popping aesthetic, and a decent-sized following. You should be good to go, right?

Well, you’ve been posting a few times a week for a couple of months and the only activity in your auto consult scheduler is the sound of crickets. The link in your bio is gathering cobwebs and now you’re wondering if all of that time and or money you’ve spent to create Instagram content is worth it. 

Is Instagram a realistic way to get clients as a therapist in 2024? Or is it an oversaturated platform with too many therapists all saying the same thing? 

Before you decide to throw the algorithm to the wind and go back to praying to the Psych Today gods, read this.

Here’s the truth: Instagram can fill your caseload in 2024. 

Instagram is a tried and true marketing tool for therapists and other wellness professionals. Is it fickle? Yes. Does it like to keep us on our toes? Yes. Will it send us to the brink and then pull us back in? For sure. But at the end of the day, Instagram can put you directly in front of the people who need the services you offer. This is a very good thing.

Here’s another truth: A  return on your Instagram marketing investment, whether you’re putting in  time or money, is not going to happen overnight and it’s definitely not going to happen just because you have really good content. It’s not 2019.

I know this might not be what you want to hear -  especially since there is no better feeling than seeing the client inquiries rolling in as a direct result of your marketing efforts, but if your content isn’t reaching the people who can actually become your clients,  it’s not doing what it needs to. 

You couldn’t post the Meta Mona Lisa and it wouldn’t matter if you’re not telling the algorithm who you are, what you do, and who needs to see your content. 

So how do you show Instagram what’s up and convince it to get you in all of the right corners of the internet?  Engagement.

I know what you’re thinking. “Okay, cool, but I have no idea what that is beyond replying to comments on my posts, and I barely get any right now!”

The thing is, NO ONE talks about outbound engagement, which is the secret sauce for all new accounts and for businesses that need to market to specific areas - meaning therapists who can only see clients in certain states.

And don’t worry, it won’t take more than 15 minutes per day and involves scrolling on your phone…you can do this.

First, figure out who actually needs to see your content.

You’re going to start with an “ideal client” profile. No, the one you made for that brand designer three years ago won’t cut it. 

This is more than just surface-level demographics; you need to get completely clear on who your ideal client is, what they care about, and how they spend their time. Go WAY beyond just considering what they might need from you. 
You want to know what’s going on in your ideal client’s life, what experiences they are having that are keeping them stuck, and of course, why they are considering therapy.

Write down each and every one of these characteristics, starting with the basic demographics like age range and location and then move into the nitty gritty details like, where are they buying their morning coffee.  Now when I say get into the nitty gritty… I mean the nittiest of grittiest details. 

For example:

• Client has the sudden urge to rewatch Gilmore Girls the first brisk day in September.  They have incredibly strong opinions on which of Rory’s BF’s was the best and their choice tends to say a lot about their own relationships/issues. 

• Has gotten into making food from scratch as much as possible and is heavily influenced by all the dreamy aesthetic kitchens that look straight out of an Anthro catalog on Instagram. They will post their own aesthetic pictures every time they make something new. 

• They have a full multi-step skincare routine and are willing to substantially spend on skincare and make up. They likely have a minimal “natural girl/clean girl” makeup routine using products such as Ilia, La Mer, Drunk Elephant, Glossier, and Merit.

• They engage in creative hobbies such as painting, pottery, knitting, stain glass making, candle making. Maybe they turned  this hobby into their side hustle with an Etsy shop or vending at local markets.

• Likely a “plant” person or does a weekly “flower haul” as part of their self care routine. They will discuss their love of plants and flowers at length and frequently post photos of them on socials.

You instantly know who this person is, right? Hell, you (or who am i kidding, I) might even be this person. (It’s Jess, BTW.)

While it might seem silly, these little details shape how your client engages online and the type of content that resonates with them. 

Once you’ve outlined your ideal client, it’s time to warm up those scrolling thumbs for some research. The goal is to find and follow  accounts this client is already following.  These could be local businesses like neighborhood cafés, bookstores, or clothing shops, or larger accounts focused on causes they care about, such as LGBTQ+ rights or environmental activism. If you are restricted to seeing clients in certain states, focus heavily on businesses specific to your areas, and national accounts that are of interest to people from your population. 

Now that you’ve found these accounts, it’s time to start engaging. And by engaging I don’t mean just mindlessly liking every post. The Instagram police don’t like that, and might even flag your account. 

Set aside time, ideally five days a week, to genuinely interact with these accounts, and always be on the lookout for new accounts to follow. Leave thoughtful, funny, or insightful comments- nothing too long, because let’s be real, absolutely no one’s reading essays in the comments section. Make sure to re-share posts in your stories if they resonate with your audience and be sure to like posts consistently, but not excessively.

The more you engage like your ideal client, the more likely they are to start engaging with you. It really is all about working with the  algorithm to create connections and get in front of the people who matter.

There are millions of people out there, and your niche corner of the internet is waiting to find you. But it takes more than just great content… you’ve got to get strategic with how you show up online.