Many of you have contacted me to inquire about the usefulness of online directory listings. After hearing Kat Mindenhall’s experience with Good Therapy, I decided to invite her to write a guest post to share with you today.
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A Guest Post by Kat Mindenhall, LCSW
(If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.)
After signing up for four online directories six weeks ago, I began comparing how my profile shows up on each of them. I began by searching in a zip code that borders my own, and what I found on Good Therapy really surprised me.
The Issues
Zip code searches by Good Therapy take the very middle of your zip code area and use that to calculate how far you are from the very middle of another zip code. I searched in a zip code area that was 7 miles away according to Google Maps. However, my profile did not show up on Good Therapy until the seventh page. There were listings ahead of mine that were 16.83, 14.79, and 9.75 miles away. Good 
Therapy says that listings appear in order of proximity to the center of the chosen zip code, but this didn’t seem to really be the case.
If you search for a therapist by “browse location,” Good Therapy will only show profiles within that exact town, despite the fact that it says it’s looking within a radius of 25 miles. A search of a town that borders mine returned only 4 profiles followed by a statement that said, “There are a limited number of therapists in your area, but other distance therapy professionals are available to help.” Included within this list of “distance” therapists was a profile from someone in London! Instead of showing nearby towns, Good Therapy apparently thought that I paid them $269 per year to show my potential clients the profiles of therapists from other countries. I find this unacceptable.
I also found that they show all instances of a certain zip code at once. What this means is that if you are 7 miles away, and another highly populated area is also 7 miles away, they may show every one of the other zip’s profiles before yours (instead of mixing them up). This is why I was on the seventh page for a zip code that borders mine.
How I Addressed These Issues
I wrote to Good Therapy about these issues and received a form letter that did not address my specific concerns. They didn’t explain why their website doesn’t quite work the way they claim. I responded and restated my concerns. They simply replied with another form letter on why I would miss Good Therapy if I left.
Mental health professionals have a reputation of being technophobes that don’t understand how simple it actually is to create an intelligent search algorithm. We certainly don’t have a reputation as a community that looks out for each other and uses technology to our advantage to spread the word about an expensive and inferior product. Is Good Therapy capitalizing on this? They don’t seem to care that they are going to lose me as a customer, and Good Therapy’s impersonal response made me feel talked down to.
Good Therapy costs $269 per year, or $24.95 per month, second only to Psychology Today in price ($360/year). On Psychology Today, Network Therapy ($149/year), and Theravive ($197/year) I had no trouble seeing my profile within the first 1-3 pages for the same nearby cities and zip codes. Part of the premium you pay for an online directory is for their “high ranking.” I’m not convinced that Good Therapy’s ranking really makes such a difference when other directories are also on Google’s first page of search results right alongside Good Therapy.
What Does this Mean for You?
So, the question is: Is it better to take your $269 and use it to get on two other “less popular listings,” or stay on a “mega directory” even if it isn’t showing your profile?
You have to research how your profile shows up in searches to make that decision. Search for yourself in many different ways. See if your listing comes up when . . .
- you search a nearby city by name,
- you search that same city by zip, and
- how your profile is displayed for all nearby zip codes.
Compare how many locations or zip codes you can list with each directory. Track your referrals so that you can know what your return on investment is for each directory.
If you live in a suburb next to a heavily populated area, it may be difficult to show up in Good Therapy’s listing because of their search algorithm. If there is a chance that potential clients will search the city next to you for a therapist and not search for your specific town, beware. You probably won’t come up in the search. I know I didn’t.
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Kat Mindenhall, LCSW, is a therapist in private practice with 
A Peaceful Life Counseling Services LLC in Lakewood, CO. She specializes in helping parents enjoy their relationships with each other and their children by overcoming depression, anxiety, and relational issues.
Kat, thanks so much for taking time to share your experience here. I’m hopeful that other readers will add their own experiences with Good Therapy and other online directories here so that we can all make informed choices.
Now you’ve got me rethinking my own listing with Good Therapy!
Thanks for letting me share this with your readers! I’m also very interested in what others’ experiences are with this and other directories. It gives a new meaning to the phrase informed consent. 🙂
Haha! It really does, Kat, doesn’t it! All of a sudden . . . when we are on the receiving end of “informed consent,” it shed a whole new level of value on the process, doesn’t it?!
I have been on Good Therapy for a year now. Not one c;ient has called me. Hmmm.
Brenda, thanks so much for dropping in to say so! I’m thinking this just might turn out to be a trend! Anyone else out there had the same results?
Hi Brenda!
Thanks for commenting! One thing that I find difficult is that every directory stresses that “referrals can be made directly to your website via click throughs, so clients may reach you indirectly through the service.” I always ask clients how they found me, but they can rarely recall which directory they saw me on. I did have someone from Canada call me one time – I am listed as a “distance therapist” because I offer online therapy, but strictly to residents of Colorado that I have done an in-person assessment with. So who knows, you may get a call but it may not be an appropriate referral! Best of luck and thanks for sharing your experience!
Kat, I, too, am frustrated at not being better able to track how clients find me online. They rarely remember how they found their way to my websites. I have considered including a site-specific identifier on each listing to see if I can track that better but haven’t done that yet.
And, some directories will send me my monthly stats for referrals and views. I love that and really get frustrated for those that don’t make those stats easily accessible. (That’s one of my frustrations with Good Therapy. I cannot figure out how to acceess those stats.)
Yes, that is another frustration that the stats aren’t readily accessible. However, I wonder how useful those stats really are. For example, on PT it might say that my profile has been viewed 800 times, and # many have clicked onto my website, but I wonder how many of those were me checking out my profile or repeat views by hesitant clients… I haven’t seen info on whether they track IP’s or what. So in the end I don’t know what to actually do with those stats! 😛
I know what you mean, Kat. I wonder how many of those “clicks” were other therapists and new subscribers to PT – just trying to see who else is in their area or looking for examples of other therapists’ profiles.
I am very interested in this topic. I have received one direct referral from Goodtherapy.org that actually panned out and have been on the directory for 7 months. I was also on Psychology Today for 6 months without ever getting a direct referral that panned out. However, conversations with people who scheduled an appointment through my website, indicate that at least one client was an indirect referral who first got news of me on Psychology Today. After I dropped Psychology Today on July 1, I have noticed a decrease in clients scheduling appointments with me. This decrease could either be seasonal (Summer) or could be an indication that “indirect referrals” play an important role that goes unnoticed by therapists. Have other people had similar experiences of indirect referrals? Do other people find therapist directories useful in generating business?
Hi, Rune! Welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out! I understand your frustration. The quality of online directories can vary considerably from directory to directory. Here’s a blog post I wrote on how to tell if online directories are actually worth your money.
I cannot speak for Good Therapy because I have not tried their service, but I can say that virtually every contact of any sort I’ve had in the less than a year I’ve been in private practice (in a town other than the one I have previous experience in) has come to me online. We can’t ignore online advertising even if we’d like to, in my opinion.
I was offered a special initial first year rate for Psychology Today and invested in it. There were never lots of calls, but almost all the calls I received were from there even though I’d also signed up for Find-aTherapist.com (nice to work with, but I don’t think they get “seen” as well in searches) and several other smaller directories. Maybe 3 weeks or so ago, I was notified by Psychology Today that my listing will expire in April unless I renew. I also was offered a pro-rated premium listing until then that was really not a lot of money so I decided to take it. Since that time, I’ve had 4 calls that came from Psychology Today and three have already either started therapy or made appointments. I’m looking at the idea that a premium listing on Psychology Today may really be cost effective adverting.
Hi, Susan! I completely agree! You can’t ignore your online presence . . . and you can’t start and build a thriving practice in 2012 without a strong online presence. It’s got to be part of the recipe. I appreciate you willingness to drop in to share your experiences with Psychology Today and also with Find-a-Therapist. I suspect if enough folks will take the time to share their individual experiences with online directories, we’ll get a good feel for the overall usefulness of individual directories.
Thank you for joining the conversation today!
Susan – that’s great that you have had some success with PT! I agree with Tamara that having an ongoing conversation about the usefulness of each directory for each person is really key to getting a better picture because there is SO much to choose from. And it will vary for each person depending on their location, specialty, bio, etc. The question is, since an online presence is so necessary, are we able to make the right choices for our particular needs and budget? Best of luck to you!
I feel your best “web” investment is to purchase your own domain name and have a web expert help you with the unique design of your very own site. This investment has been profitable for me. Clients can easily find me.
Kristene! I’ve missed your voice here! Welcome back. You are absolutely right! As many times as therapists hear this . . . I feel like I’m harping but . . . it does you no good at all to have a directory listing and no website to redirect them to. Your credibility begins with your home page. Just talked to a social worker yesterday who doesn’t want to invest in a website and then wonders why her other online and social media efforts aren’t paying off.
Come on, folks! You don’t have to like it but it’s still reality! Referral sources and potential clients alike check us out online before they ever pick up the phone to call us. If you don’t believe me and don’t have a website yet, start asking the few clients that do find you anyway. I’m betting money the ALL look for you online first.
If you are still confused about how to get started building that online presence or need a referral to a great web designer, let me know and I’ll be happy to help or refer you elsewhere. Don’t get stuck in the 20th century mindset and wonder why your 21st century clients aren’t calling!
YIKES! Kristene! Looks like I just tripped over my soapbox! I can always tell when my own history starts getting in the way (Remember – I just about starved to death when I went into private practice the first time. Hate to see others make the same mistakes I did.) In any case, Kristene, don’t be a stranger. Perhaps I’ll see you at the Colorado Counseling Association’s annual conference in March?
Thanks for commenting Kristene! I agree wholeheartedly with you. I think that directories drive traffic to my site, because most of my referrals found my website through either my Theravive or Network Therapy profiles. Without a site, the directory listing would likely be wasted money.
My investment in my site was an investment of time, because I did my site myself in WordPress. So you don’t have to hire anyone if you want to make even a simple site yourself, especially with great resources like Tamara’s community to help. Simple is better than nothing, right?
Hey, Kat – just wanted to say you did such a BEAUTIFUL JOB on your site, too! I think you are exactly right – simple and CLEAN is often the best way to go on a website! Wish I had had your tech-brain!
I’m really happy with my graphic designer and my web designer, too. However, how fabulous to be able to come up with that image and functionality on your own!
Why thank you so much! I would encourage anyone out there to give it a try if they don’t have a site yet. There are plenty of great online aids to help get started with WordPress. But, one MUST have is a real person you can call when you break your site, because you will! 🙂
I noticed one of my comments did not show up on Kat’s article. I am wondering if I am doing something wrong or if I have technical probelms I need to investigate. You blog is awesome!
Oh, no!!! I’ve seen nothing else come through. Want to try that again?
We would like a chance to respond to the question of whether you can really trust Good Therapy. Our organization was founded with the goal of helping people find a good therapist, first and foremost. All the work we have done and continue to do is in support of our mission, and to that end, we are open to all suggestions regarding how to improve our website.
We asked someone who had never used our search function before to give it a spin. Here is what we found out. If a person punches in his or her zip code and searches the surrounding 25-mile area, then indeed, many therapists from surrounding zip codes may show up, depending on how densely populated those areas are. However, if the search is restricted to a smaller radius, such as 3 miles, the list is shortened considerably. In either case, results were ordered by the distance from zip code.
When we punched in the zip code of Ms. Mindenhall’s office in Lakewood, there was only one page of search results, and her name was at the top of the list. For her Golden office, the zip-code search showed her as second on the list.
When people search even more broadly, such as only by city (which may include many different zip codes), then yes, there are many results for a highly populated area, and those results are shown in a random order that changes anytime a user visits the page, in order to be fair to everyone.
The experience of our person new to searching Good Therapy did point to one attribute we hope to make available to our users in the future: a map that would show where everyone falls within a zip code, with little red stars pinpointing their locations, so that people could have a visual of where therapists are located within a search area. We will be looking at ways to improve our search function in the future.
We do offer all of our members a summary of their profile statistics through the member area of our website. This feature allows them to see at a glance how many people are searching for their zip code, clicking on their profile page, out-clicking to their website, sending them emails, clicking to see their phone number, and more.
We are always looking for ways to improve, and feedback from our subscribers is most welcome. We strive to be a trusted resource for all mental health professionals, as well as their clients.
Sincerely,
Jenn Feldmann
Director of Web Development
GoodTherapy.org
Hi, Jenn! Thank you so much for taking time to address Kat’s concerns about Good Therapy here where she voiced them. I hope that when you decide to implement the map you reference here that you will drop back in to let us know it is up and running. I’m sure that my readers will want to know.
I also appreciate you taking time to explain how member can access their statistics concerning searches. And, I hope, at some point, that you will actually consider sending monthly emails with that same information to those of us that subscribe to Good Therapy.
Hello Jenn,
I want to second Tamara in thanking you for coming to join us here. I think that a pinpoint function would be a great idea, especially for those of us in more rural zip codes. I would add that the ability to list one or two “nearby zip codes” would be another great feature.
My Lakewood office is a new addition because I actually chose to move to a more centralized location so that the money I have invested in directories has a better chance of paying off. I’m glad that the searches for the exact zip codes returned favorable results, I just wish that searches for nearby zip codes would function more like they do on other directories.
My concern was about searching the nearby zip codes to my office, because the likelihood of someone searching your exact zip code when you border a populated area is small. The search of a zip code that borders my own was the search I referenced when saying that I appeared on the seventh page, and it is the same search that I compared to other directories where I came up in the 2nd and 3rd pages using the same criteria with other listings. It is this search that I wrote about and received the form letter reiterating what I already knew – that the zip codes were a static measurement. However, no one addressed the fact that my listing was after other listings that were farther than mine.
The cherry on the cake was what I perceived to be a lack of personalized attention to my inquiries because those dry, form letter responses did not make me feel like my concerns were being understood or addressed. I would expect to be on the first or second page for searches in my own zip code. But, for searches in a neighboring zip, why would I be on the 7th page on Good Therapy, and the 2nd or 3rd for Psychology Today, Network Therapy, or Theravive?
I would also love your comments on the rationale behind showing therapists in London when searching via the Browse Location with a radius of 25 miles for a therapist in Lakewood, Colorado. I am now in the listing for Lakewood because I literally just moved to Lakewood, but I’m sure that other Denverites who are not exactly in Lakewood expect to appear in Lakewood search results when someone browses because they may be two miles away. The response I had gotten was that results are randomized to be fair to all, but I still find this strange to include therapists from overseas.
Thank you for joining the conversation, Jenn. I’m looking forward to chatting more about this so that we can all truly understand some of the rationale behind the unique difficulties many of us are encountering with Good Therapy.
Kat
Thanks, Kat, for hanging in there on this conversation so we are all clear and can learn from you and Good Therapy!
Well, since this blog I have had two things with Good Therapy happen. First the good news – I may have a referral from them at long last. I really thing that having a zip code that is more centralized really helps. We’ll see if it pans out!
One other thing that happened was that I was charged the full yearly fee when I wanted the monthly fee. I logged in before my trial expired and it said monthly status, active 1/1/12. I wrote when I was charged by the year and sent a screenshot showing that my account SAID I was on the monthly payment plan. They replied with, “The screen shot you sent to me is for our updated payment page which automatically selects the monthly billing option and lets you fill out the information below, it is not an indication of what you signed up for. ” So they show you an OPTION with a date in red that looks like it was active. But that’s NOT what you are signed up for. To get to your actual payment plan, you must have to go through the wardrobe to Narnia. They did give me an option to call if I want to change to monthly payments. If this client pans out, I’ll give them the benefit of my business for one year.
If I have this much trouble with the usability of the site, I wonder what many of those tech-phobic professionals must feel!
Ohhhh, Kat! This sounds like you have uncovered a huge customer service problem! I would have thought that they would have flagged your account by now and be treating you like royalty! Isn’t that what we would do with a client who had felt slighted or mishandled in some way?
I am impressed though that you have decided not to “bite your nose off to spite your face” and are looking forward to your new client. I hope that pans out for you. And, given the situation, I would do exactly as you have done – keep the client and the Good Therapy account active for another year. I hope you’ll let us know how the relationship with Good Therapy works for you later this year!
I’ve had the best luck with Psychology Today, representing 1/3rd of my referrals. I’ve tried Goodtherapy and Theravive and have had little success with them. Essentially, I want to be on the directories that are within the top five search results. Goodtherapy is rarely there, and Theravive is at the bottom. The only two clients referred to me from Theravive were from over an hour away because they didn’t pay attention to my location – no therapists in their area so Theravive serves up the next closest therapist which could be 100 miles away. I asked Theravive about this and asked to cancel my free trial. Not surprisingly, I haven’t heard anything from them.
Thanks so much, Andrew! I do appreciate you taking time to drop in here to share you experiences. Hopefully more will add their experiences along the way!
I have to say that I have tried GoodTherapy, Psychology Today, Network Therapy, Therapy Tribe, and Theravive. I had little to no luck with Good Therapy. I had no contacts from them. They directed little traffic to my website. I will say that Good Therapy has seemed to benefit from Google’s algo changes, but I don’t think I will rejoin at this time. There are less expensive link building techniques to use, if that is all they are good for.
I have had a few referrals from Theravive. Many people don’t take the time to fill out the niche marketing sections.
I haven’t been on the other two very long. To be honest, I only keep PT because it also is a good way to get people to know I am out there. I have personally found Google Adwords to be a more expensive, but much more effective use of money.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sharing your experience on here. I think it’s great to get feedback from many folks on how things are working for them, because all of these directories can add up. I agree that the Theravive process is long, but I have also gotten several referrals from them. I would be interested to know where your name comes up in listings for your city and then your zip, and likewise for nearby cities and zips. I wonder if you would have the same rude awakening that I did, or not!
Kat
Hey, Kat! So glad that you are still following this thread! (I’ve missed hearing your voice hear and elsewhere.) I hope Michael does drop back in with the results! I, too, am curious.
Certainly! I’m still around, just trying to balance everything! Your notices are practically the only ones I don’t ignore!
Thanks, Kat!:) Guess I’ve just missed you!
Kat, thanks for your post regarding Good Therapy! It confirms my decision to not list myself on their directory! I began the registration process when I received a 3 months free code at the ACA Conference and when they asked for my credit card info – I put it in – and then decided that I didn’t like the idea of them having it for the free trial. I didn’t complete the registration process and yet 3 months later – they charged my card $269! I was able to get it refunded but the experience turned me away from them. It surprised me that I received no confirmation of my 3 month free trial or that I hadn’t completed my profile – yet they didn’t hesitate to charge me 3 months later even though I never authorized the transaction by completing the set-up process.
That being said, I agree with other posts that an online presence is essential. In addition to my own website, I have profile listings on Psychology Today, Network Therapy, and The Eating Disorder Foundation. I also utilize social media sites – Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In. The majority of my caseload has come from my online presence – mainly my website and Network Therapy. I have also had success with Psychology Today, although it has been limited compared to Network Therapy. Personally, I believe that if I get at least one client from an online source per year – it is worth the investment!
Hi, Catherine! Welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out! How did you find us here?
I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with Good Therapy and also letting us know other online venues that have worked (and not worked) well for you. That helps us all!
I’m looking forward to tracking you down on your website and also on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, Catherine. And, I hope you’ll be back here often to join the conversations. I am happy to help you build your practice and looking forward to learning from you, too!
Hey Catherine! Great comments – yes it is very frustrating when bad customer service creates a headache for you! I was recently offered an “opportunity” to have a free listing if I would give feedback on a new directory, but they want my credit card info and I’m hesitant for that very reason! I agree that one client per year makes a directory worth it!
You should check out Tamara’s latest post about naming private practice because I know you have a nice name for your practice and as someone who doesn’t have their personal name as the name for their practice it would be great to hear how you came up with yours!
Hello, I saw this post and it made me think of all the mental health directories I’ve tried over the years….Psychology Today, Good Therapy, Theravive & countless others. Other than Psychology Today, I think all the others are over-hyped and under-perform for the money they charge therapists.
Best Regards,
Rich Schlauch, MSW, LISW-CP, LCSW
http://www.palmettocounselingconsulting.com
Hi, Rich! And, welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out!
Thank you for taking time to share your experiences with these. I have not had experience with all of these but have found that Psychology Today is most useful to me, too. I think that, in part, it is because it is apparently better optimized for the search engines.
Thank you everyone for your comments and opinions, it has been a really helpful perspective as someone who is still green at learning internet marketing for therapy.
I have read several interesting articles online about online directories and because of an extremely limited budget, have been trying to weigh out how to use the money i have for advertising.
I was really considering using good therapy before reading this, but now Im pretty sure im going with google adwords and maybe Network therapy. Network therapy seems to be the only consistent directory that comes up with all search words- therapist, counselor, trauma, etc, etc. Even PT misses this mark at times.
I have to say that I was not impressed with GT’s response post, even with Good therapies response on this board, it felt cold, calculated, and to me, I did not hear them take responsibility for anything Kat experienced as a customer. It seemed as if they did not even read her previous posts. This in and of itself gives me the impression that I no longer want to list with them.
I also want to say that I am enjoying the information on this blog and find it very helpful and idea provoking. I really appreciate the work you do an share with us Tamara.
Thank you for commenting Robert! I think that since this article was published I’ve learned that marketing is not a fix it and forget it kind of thing. Once you have a directory that you like, make a point to go back every three months and keep seeing if your bio still speaks to you, your ideal clients, and gets you referrals. I was on Network therapy and dropped it because I never got a client, but maybe my bio stunk! I’m glad you found this article helpful, and we look forward to hearing how things are going for you in the future!
Hi, Robert! Welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out! I’m so glad you’re taking advantage of the opinions and info shared here and look forward to having your voice in the mix, too!
Kat’s right, of course, successful marketing is fluid and will need to be monitored and tweaked as you go. Your impression of Good Therapy’s response was in line with my own. I was actually thinking “Who in the world would want Good Therapy in any way responsible for the marketing of their private practice when they can’t even represent their own interests in an effective way?!” It was a less than ideal response on their part.
If you are going to use Google Adwords, I would encourage you to be vigilant in monitoring its effectiveness. I’ve seen way too many therapists give up their hard earned money with little or no positive results. There are many ways to market and grow a private practice that do not require investing large sums of money or putting other people in charge of those efforts. If you do choose to use Google Adwords, I recommend that you proceed cautiously and only after you have educated yourself or sought the counsel of someone who has a proven track record for using Adwords effectively.
And, either way, I hope you’ll drop back in often to join the conversations here to network with us, let us know how we can help, and share what you know, too!
Totally – and I just want to add that I’m using Adwords, and I’m doing it on my own. Saving money that way, but it’s a huge investment in time to do it yourself. So be very careful because both hiring someone and doing it yourself can really drain the bank! I’ve spent many many hours on it!
Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that response was a little bit lame…
Good luck Robert!
So, Kat – I know you’ve had some success with Adwords. I wonder if you have any interest in writing up a guest post on some tips related to using Adwords? I’m not holding you out to be an expert but would welcome any tips you might want to share in a guest post.
I’ve seen so many therapists in the last 5 years either (1) try – and fail – to successfully use Adwords on their own or (2) hire some bragadocious Google Adwords “specialist” who just rips them off and leaves them spinning in the wind that it drives me CRAZY!!!!
But, I also know that there are ways to minimize those risks and you have found some ways to make it work for yourself. How long have you been using Adwords and do you care to share more?
Exactly, which is why I’ve opted to go it alone and own the ability to succeed without dependence on anyone. I’ve been doing it for a few months and it’s going quite well, I could totally guest post on it but it would probably have to be multi-part, such as what you get from AdWords besides ads, the pros and cons of going alone or with a company, and how to set yourself up… IF you want…. wink wink….
Go for it, Kat! And, let me know when you’re ready! Here’s a link to my Guest Posting Guidelines for you and anyone else who’s interested!
Thank you both for your responses;
I appreciate your advice. I have been doing utube tutorials on how to use adwords as their are many. It seems relatively simple and there are some really good tutorials but I am interested to hear whats Kats experiences are as well. With so many marketing for therapists websites coming out and so many different mediums it sometimes feels overwhelming for therapists, i think to work out which one is best.takes time.
For me thier seem to be 4 best, cost effective strategies right now,
1-Adwords on google
2-online directories
3-writing a blog
4-doing a utube channel about what you know.
I am working on all of these and wondering if either of you have any additional feedback about this?
Robert, my advice is to choose one and do it well for 3-6 months before adding another one. Too many therapists are gung ho in the beginning of their efforts to blog or use Adwords or create YouTube videos and then end up doing nothing. The same is true for other social media tools. Find the 2-3 tools (You do not need to use them all) that you can and will maintain on a regular basis and then work them as you would any other part of your work day. If after 3-6 months you still have time and the inclination to do so, add another. It’s better to do one really well than it is to do 24 of them poorly.
In case you didn’t know, the Psychology Today directory is based in the Caymen Islands (and is separate from their magazine). Ever see a foreign charge on your credit card from them? I find it really disappointing that a magazine based in the US (NYC) that is supposed to be upstanding in business and politics would then turn around and dodge taxes by taking their cash cow website and basing it on some remote island. Think about upwards of 40,000 therapists paying 30 dollars per month to a “company” that doesn’t even have the integrity to pay their proper taxes. http://sussexdirectories.com/ It is a real dilemma to list on that site. On one hand you need the referrals, but on the other hand, you are feeding money to something you really feel doesn’t deserve any of your business at all. So I would take GT, Theravive, Therapytribe…anyone over PT…at least in principle. A lack of integrity in business doesn’t really deserve your business, does it?
Hi, Darrel! Thanks for dropping in to share this information! Where are you and what is it you do?
You may not realize that our online community here actually includes mental health professionals from 161 different countries. While I am based in the United States as are a large percentage of those who participate in this blog, there are even more counselors, psychologists, and social workers hanging out here from the United Kingdom and Australia. (Once I realized that we were generating interest from around the world, I added a language translation tool = Google Traslate – up in the top left corner by the search bar so that anyone can find this information and join in the conversations here.
Darrel, I look forward to finding your voice in the mix here at Private Practice from the Inside Out!
Hi everyone.
I just completed reading every single post in this thread all at once, as I found it quite captivating and useful.
I am a Registered Clinicak Counsellor from BC Canada very close to Vancouver in a busy city. I have been on theravive and counsellingbc (local directory) now for almost 3 months. I have received a solid referral from theravive that comes every week. I actually received the most inquiries and referrals from the local, provincial directory (at least 10). Maybe this is due to the geographical algorithms that google employs or the site’s reputation in our province. I have been experimenting with facebook marketing, especially their new local business campaign and have found this to be easy and quite effective.
I have nevet taken the PT plunge but have always been curious. There are over 600 therapists on PT in BC alone which to me seems very saturated. Everyone I talk to here has not received any results from PT so I have not yet gave it a try. For whatever reason, it does not seem to work in Canada (at least in our part of it). That is contrary to what I have read here.
I have always wanted to try Good Therapy, but am resistant after hearing Kat’s experience. On that note, would you be willing to provide us an update on how your adwords campaign turned out and also how Good Therapy is going?
Hi, Ofir! Thanks for stopping in to say “hello” and let me know that you found this discussion to be useful to you! I do have other clients in Canada that have found Psychology Today to be useful but I can’t remember where they are in the country.
Thanks again, Kat, for staying engaged with this discussion! I so appreciate it!
Hi Ofir,
Thanks for commenting! I did drop Good Therapy quite a while ago, but I’ve been doing adwords for about a year. I’ve learned a lot, and I can say that I do think that Google likes it when you play their game because my organic search results are better when I’m using adwords. But, it’s expensive, and you have to have a clear cut way to turn those clicks into clients (clear landing pages, call to action, initial client contact that streamlines them into becoming clients). One of my goals in the next 3 months is to try to see if I can spend less on Adwords, so right now I’m not exactly the model you should follow.
Kat, once you perfect the Adwords thing-y, I hope you’ll be sharing your favorite resources to catch the rest of us up. There are so many scammy “professionals” out there offering these services that I shy away from ALL of them. Happy to learn from you!
Kat, once you perfect the Adwords thing-y, I hope you’ll be sharing your favorite resources to catch the rest of us up. There are so many scammy “professionals” out there offering these services that I shy away from ALL of them. Happy to learn from you!