Why Facebook Ads For Counslors



Over time I’ve started to prefer Facebook ads to any other form of marketing. The reasons for this are threefold. 1) They’re affordable at just a dollar a day, 2) you choose to whom you market and 3) you become incredibly accessible to your audience.

When entrepreneurs start a business, they have a grand opening. When restaurants open, they mail out coupons. The point is, usually when we have something to offer, we let people know. For some reason, though, when have a counseling service, we hide our name on Psychology Today or a brand-new website and…wait.

We wait for “them” to scour the internet looking for a therapist who is in their price range, takes their insurance, meets their needs, and will vibe with their personality. We expect them to find this magical-rainbow-unicorn while they are not at their best. We expect it of them while their brain is sick. While they are distressed and not thinking clearly. Something is wrong with this picture. We are in the business of helping people. Let’s help them find us.

Go Where the People Are

We need to advertise where “they” are. Facebook is a rich environment teeming with people who would benefit from therapy. Getting into the nitty gritty details of what happens in the brain when we humans look at social media is beyond the scope of this post. However, when I glanced at the research, it was clear higher levels of depression correlated with higher social media use, which increased levels of depression, and increased social media use (Tandoc & Goh, 2023)!

I decided I want to be where these depressed people are hanging out, handing out fliers. If you choose to join me, your ad may be the impetus they want to thrust them into action after they have been contemplating change for a few months, or years (Prochaska, Norcross, & Diclemente, 1994).

Ads as Reducing Barriers to Treatment

Even more important than extending an invitation, we reduce barriers to our service by advertising on social media. A research study identifying barriers to counseling found people often avoid coming when they can’t find a good fit therapist (Kalkbrenner & Neukrug, 2018). With Facebook Ads you design an ad specifically for your niche and only show it to people who fit your specialty. You then become even better at your job and can offer even better therapy to the next person you invite. By continuing to advertise and work this way, you continue to help people find their best-fit therapist.

Furthermore, other barriers are reduced when running Facebook Ads. By going to them, you tear down two barriers to treatment: 1) having to find a therapist 2) having to find a therapist who meets their specific need. If you only show your ad within a 5-mile radius of your office, you reduce another barrier which is 3) finding a therapist within appropriate driving distance. And let’s not forget the obvious one: 4) finding a therapist with availability. 5) Lastly, when you provide a way for people to schedule online through your website, you are reducing even more barriers. Your schedule will be full in no time with people you know how to help. All for just a dollar a day.

Conclusion

Now I know we want to let THEM win the battle for initiative. I want to reassure you there is still room for that with Facebook ads. It’s still up to them to stop scrolling long enough to read your ad. It’s their job to click the link to go to your website. They will need to make time to read your services. The impetus is on them to schedule. All we are doing is emerging from our weird corner of the internet, which likely feels foreign to outsiders, with an extended hand to say, “Do you want to take my hand? I’m here for you when are ready.”

Want to buy my new step-by-step e-book, complete with screen shots? I'll teach you how to customize your Facebook Ads to your specialty.



References

Kalkbrenner, M. T., & Neukrug, E. S. (2018). Identifying barriers to attendance in counseling among adults in the united states: Confirming the factor structure of the revised fit, stigma, & value scale. The Professional Counselor, 8(4), 299–313. doi:10.15241/mtk.8.4.299

Prochaska, J. O., Norcross, J. C., & DiClemente, C. C. (2007). Changing for good: The revolutionary program that explains the six stages of change and teaches you how to free yourself from bad habits. Quill.

Tandoc Jr, E.C., & Goh, Z. H., (2023). Is facebooking really depressing? Revisiting the relationships among social media use, envy, and depression. Information, Communication & Society, 26:3, 551-567, DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2021.1954975

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