If marketing feels harder than it used to (especially on social media), you’re not imagining it.

So what is currently working?

In this episode, I’m talking about the quieter, more sustainable strategies that are actually helping counsellors stay visible and build trust in 2026.

After nearly 20 years of doing this, I’ve seen trends rise and fall. And I’ve also seen what holds steady, what keeps working even when the platforms, algorithms, or advice all change.

Whether you’re feeling a bit jaded with social media, wondering where your time’s best spent, or just want to feel clearer about your next steps, this one’s for you.

In this episode:

1. Why social media feels harder now (and why that’s not your fault)
2. What does still work for counsellors in 2026
3. How to use strategies like blogging, Google Business Profile, and guesting effectively
4. Why consistency matters more than doing everything
5. How to make space for visibility that feels grounded, not overwhelming

Mentioned in this episode:

1. Buy me a coffee - support the show with a one-off thank-you
2. Start Here page - all free and paid resources in one place
3. Episode 230 - deep dive into Google Business Profile
4. Grow Your Private Practice Membership - ongoing support, hands-on help with blogging, and short, doable trainings
5. Framework First - monthly blogging support for £9/month
6. The Directory Revival - 1:1 support you to improve your directory listings so they lead to real client enquiries.
7. Episode 225: The Armchair Test: The One Quiet Shift That Will Transform All Your Marketing
8. Episode 226: “Would I Feel Safe With You?” How Clients Really Choose a Counsellor
9. Episode 216: Do Counsellors Really Need a Niche to Start Blogging?
10. Episode 185: Are You Getting Clients from Your Online Directory Listing?

This is about finding what's steady, sustainable, and actually gets results without the overwhelm. So let's get in there.

Hi, and welcome to the Grow Your Private Practice Show. I'm Jane Travis, and I'm here to help you get found by more of the right clients with simple doable marketing, especially blogging. Each week I'll share practical tips to help you grow your practice with clarity and with confidence. So let's dive in.

Hello, hello, hello and welcome back and if this is your first time here, I'm so glad you found us. I hope you're having a good day so far. Now then this one is landing in that funny space between Christmas and New Year, where time kind of blurs a little bit and your inbox is a little bit quieter than usual, and you might be somewhere between rest and reflection.

They say that it's between about two and 5%, and that's typical. So you know, if you had a thousand followers, you might only be reaching 20 or 30 people if that. Not because your content's not any good. Not because you are invisible, but because that's how the machine works now. It's not built for connection. It's built for dopamine, for speed, which brings us to a bigger point. You know, social media didn't always look the way it does now. At first it was all about the likes. I remember when I first started on social media, well, on Facebook, it was not long after Facebook had actually started, and all he had to do was post a pretty quote image and you would get.

And counselling content isn't often that, you know, it's not very often that counselling content is gonna be opinionated, is it? So what you write might be meaningful and reassuring. And deeply relevant, but it might not be something somebody wants to broadcast to their friends and family. And that doesn't mean it hasn't done its job. It means that the job it's doing doesn't line up neatly with what the platform's reward. So trying to judge trust-based work using entertainment metrics creates an awful lot of unnecessary self-doubt for counsellors.

And another shift that's really hard to ignore is this social media is currently built around using dopamine and getting that dopamine hit. You know, it's based on quick reactions and instant feedback, and I dunno about you, but when I'm scrolling on social media, I'm looking for things that are funny.

Things that make me laugh, things that are cute. And you get that little hit, don't you? And that's why people are stuck on social media scrolling for hours. It's so easier to do. So platforms are designed to reward. Content that keeps people on there for a long time that makes people react and keep moving on.

But you know what we share probably is, it's different. The sort of social media that counsellors share. It's more reflective. You know, you're not gonna get these big impacts of like a big spike of engagement. It's less likely to happen. So when counsellors post thoughtful content on platforms that are designed for quick stimulation, it can feel like speaking into a vacuum, not because the content's not valuable, but because it's not designed to deliver that fast hit.

And I'm not antisocial media. I'm pro reality. I've used social media for years. I still do, and I probably still will keep on doing. In the past, it absolutely had a place, not because people were scrolling Instagram to find a therapist, you know, that's just not what happens. What happens is that people who need a therapist are likely to go onto Google.

And look for a therapist there. But the reason I used to recommend to people using social media is because people would come across your post, they'd resonate with it and think, wow, this person really understands this person really gets me. And then they'd follow you. And then when the time was right, they would reach out and they'd keep seeing the stuff that you put out, but really not so much anymore. And that's the familiarity step and it worked.

The difference now is the reliability of that strategy has changed. You can do everything right. You can write a perfect social media caption, and a perfect image might be, you know, perfect and it might still only reach a handful of your followers. So if your entire visibility strategies built on social media, then the truth is it's probably carrying too much weight and maybe you need to have a think about what works currently.

So what does work currently? Well, let's talk about this. What is actually working now? And these are the things that don't really rely on the trends or, you know, going viral or anything like that. So Google Business Profile is still one of the most effective tools around, and the brilliance of it is it meets people where they are actively looking, you know, when they're looking on Google, because they need some help. They're not scrolling through social media. They're actually looking to find a c.

Now this is great. Whether you are like an online counsellor or a face-to-face counsellor, or somebody works in the local area, it's very practical. It doesn't require performance, and when it's looked after, well, it quietly brings in the people who are already looking to find some support. And also one of the better things is it's absolutely free.

So definitely, definitely start with that if you're not already and if you are already using Google My Business. Or Google business profile, it's changed its name. I keep, I keep saying the previous one, just 'cause I'm used to it. But if you already have a Google Business profile page, then go and have a look at it, tart it up a little bit and get it updated.

And of course I'm gonna say blogging. You know how much I love blogging. Blogging is one of those things that's absolutely, it is perfect for counsellors because it's one of those slow burn, high return tools. You know, it answers the real questions in real language that people are already typing into Google.

So it helps somebody to get a sense of how you think, how you work, who you work with, and whether you feel like somebody they'd want to talk to. It builds trust before you ever speak. And to learn a little bit more about that, I've done a, a podcast about the armchair test, and I'll put that in the show notes as well.

And it's going to give you content to repurpose. So a blog can become a, a post for social media. So if you are still gonna use social media, then it's gonna help you with that. Or it could become an email if you do email marketing or a resource, a free resource to give away, or a prompt for a talk. You know, it means that you are not starting from scratch every time you sit down to write.

And also, if you've just written a blog post about something, then that knowledge is gonna be stored in your own brain as well. It's not fast, but it's cumulative and that's the point. If you are writing blog posts, they just grow and it adds to each other, and it's like a snowball. You write one or two and before you know it, you've written 50, and that becomes a really, really powerful marketing tool. And of course, we can't forget your website, so social media.

The beauty of social media is it might introduce somebody to you, but your website is where they're going to decide whether they want to go with you or anybody else. And it's the same with Google Business Profile. It's the same with directories. They might find you there, but the chances are they'll click through and check out your website.

So that's where they'll take their time. That's where they'll read properly. That's where they'll come back probably more than once. So on your website, clear language matters more than clever design. If your website feels like a steady, safe place to land, that's really going to make a difference. So let's talk a little bit about directors. Now, there are very few counsellors that don't have a directory these days, and there's a reason for that. Directors can be really good, but they're not a magic fix, and it can work out a very expensive way to get clients. You know, with so many counsellors listed, what matters is how clearly you speak to the people you want to reach, and whether your profile reflects how you actually work.

So again, if you've not checked your directory entry for a while, that's definitely something I would recommend you do. Tweak your directory so that it reaches the people that you want to. And again, if you need some help with that, I have something called the Directory Revival, which is a one-to-one call, and I'll pop all these details in the show notes, something else.

That sometimes gets overlooked is networking. Now, if you are an extrovert, you are gonna love networking. It's gonna be right up your street. You know, it's a chance for you to get out there and be around people. But look, if you are not an extrovert, so if you are an introvert like me. Don't overlook networking 'cause it's still good.

Even if you're an introvert, this can often work faster and more naturally than anything online. 'cause people talk to you, they get to know you, they get a feel for you, and they start to trust you. And you know, this is a great thing to do, whether it's a local networking group or it could be an online.

Group that you are in, maybe you're in an online Facebook group. There are loads and loads of different types of networking that you can do, but it's a chance for people to get to know you, even if it's a loose connection. And like I say, that builds trust really fast and people refer to people that they know.

And there's more to it than marketing actually, because what you're doing is you're making connections with other people in your local area, and it can be local area, it can be online as well. I've made loads of friends in my local area that have gone on to become actual friends, and I have made friends online that have gone on to become.

Actual online friends. So there's a lot to this that's gonna be helpful because I know there are so many counsellors that feel very alone, very isolated. So this is a great way to make more friends, and those relationships can often turn into referrals in a way that feels really natural and grounded and not forced at all. So whether you work fully online or in your local area, this sort of networking and visibility, it still matters. So find out what there is going on in your area. Now the next thing I recommend, I can almost imagine you thinking, oh crikey, I don't think I could ever do that, but just bear with me 'cause it's a really good thing. And that is being a guest on podcasts or radio or somewhere. Where somebody's already got an audience. It's a really smart move. So what you do is go onto somebody's, let's say, podcast, somebody that's got a similar sort of niche or interest to you, so you could talk on a podcast.

That's to do with mental health. Or the, the sort of people that you work with or something about self care or communication or all sorts of different things. And you'll go and you'll just have a chat. You'll have a have a a topic and you'll have a chat with somebody about that. And then what happens is that everybody in that person's audience has then been introduced to you, and this is a great way of just getting found, just having people find out who you are. So, you know, this is something I really do recommend that you do. It's gonna be something again that's free, and it's definitely, definitely worth a try.

I also, you know, Denise Tofield Thomas, who's the Money Mindset coach. I talk about her a lot and for ages. She did this. She was on everybody's podcast, everybody's, and that was her big marketing push to be on everybody else's podcast. So if it's good enough for her and look how successful she is, then it's definitely good for us.

Now then underneath all of this, you need to know your people. So not in a nichey label kind of a way, but I mean really understand them. You know, what is it that they're worried about? What is it that they're up and Googling in the middle of the night? What would really help them? What sort of tips and ideas do you have?

What sort of problems do they have? And what's gonna help them to feel okay enough to reach out and make contact. What is it that they would like to happen in counselling? Like what? At the end of counselling, if it all goes brilliantly, what would be different in their lives? So these are the sorts of things that you need to think about and learn because when you understand these things, everything becomes easier.

Blogs become more relevant. SEO becomes more natural. Conversations will feel more useful, and your content starts to do its job. Okay, so here's the thing that goes through all of this, and that is, and you probably know what I'm gonna say, that's going to be consistency. Every single strategy that I've mentioned works, but only if you stick with it. And I mean this, not in a hussy sort of way, not in a, oh, you've got to post every day sort of way.

I'm talking about posting a, you know, posting a blog just once a month that's going to make a difference. It's about consistency that fits you in a way that's sustainable. Again, I've just done a podcast with Sarah Dosing, who's the binge eating therapist, and we both produced regular content every week, and we talk about consistency and how it fits with us, so definitely go and check that out.

And more importantly. Things that fit the kind of steady, more thoughtful work that you already do. So whether that's blogging, Google My Business or Google business profile, or guesting, or networking or showing up in some way consistently and regularly. These aren't quick fatty winds. These are reliable ones.

Now, you don't have to do it all. Just choose a few things. Stick with them for long enough for people to notice and trust that it's going to all add up. And look, if you've followed me for a while, some of this is not gonna sound at all new. And that's kind of the point. You know, after 20 years doing this, I've seen trends flying through.

I've seen advice change every 10 minutes, and yet blogging and connection. And consistency. And clarity, they're still standing. So this isn't about jumping into the next thing. It's about choosing what actually helps. Because as you know, action is the antidote to fear. It just needs a direction to go. And if you want any help with any of this, I've got loads of options that you might be interested in. No pressure. But if these might help you, then go and check them out. We have episode two, three oh, which was last week's blog, and well. Blog and podcast, which is all about Google Business Profile, and I now have a quick win training in the Grow Your Private Practice membership.

That's about Google Business Profile. And in January there's another one landing about Google Business Profile about how to keep your profile up to date. And if Blogging's on your mind. Check out the Framework First Blogging Method. It's only nine pounds a month for you to write a blog a month, and it lands straight in your inbox.

And to check out all of my free or paid resources, go and check out the Start Here page. Again, it's all in the show notes. And one last thing. If you have found this episode helpful and you'd like to support the show, you can always buy me a coffee. It's a simple one-off way to say thanks, and I'd just be dead chuffed.