It’s a strange time for all businesses right now, not to mention therapists. Those who rely on face to face interaction for their businesses are having to adapt and find new ways to communicate and run as normally as they can. With this in mind, we’ve seen online communications take over, replacing what we know as normal, and becoming the new normal for the time being.
Although there are many different platforms being used right now, here are a few reasons why Instagram is a great option for any therapist wondering how to adapt to these times. Plus, how Instagram can offer benefits for how we operate in the future, too.
Instagram Live
One of the platform’s key features’ Instagram Live is huge right now. All businesses are using this to run online classes, tutorials and more to connect with new and existing audiences from home, so why not consider it for your therapy business?
Instagram Live is best used for one to many communications – for group sessions or talks you won’t mind others listening in on. The feature means you can also have others join into the broadcast, so you can invite one or more of your clients or another therapist to do a joint session.
Why not try a live Q&A with all clients, or a lecture or group talk? This can help everyone feel more connected and together, so bring people together during this time.
Stories and Highlights
Similar to Instagram Live, Stories are short video clips (but don’t have to be broadcast directly live), which can be threaded together to make one long story.
The Stories feature has loads of unique features that live within it, such as Polls and Q&As, so you can bring your business to life, offer people help and advice on mass during this time, and do it in a fun and engaging manner, too. You can then save Stories as Highlights (seen at the top of your profile), so clients can view as they wish at any time.
IGTV
Instagram TV is where brands can publish long-form content which can be viewed at a later date. This doesn’t need to be published live, it can be filmed and uploaded whenever you like. It then sits on the channel for people to explore as they wish. You can also publish a feature of said IGTV content in-feed, a clip of up to 60s, which drives users to the full video.
You can use IGTV for pretty much anything, but a good idea would be tips and tricks for all your clients, or maybe even the results of a previous Q&A.
In-feed motivation
We all know how great Instagram is for sharing motivational quotes and all things #inspo.
So, utilise your feed as a therapist or therapy business to drive positivity and support during this time. Publish regular quotes and inspirational content, and you could even do a mini cut-down videos of top tips, especially surrounding popular topics or frequently asked questions.
Use in-feed content to promote updates about your business, as well as what you’re doing this time to keep the therapy sessions continuing. Remember to make your business profile public so people can easily share content and drive even more awareness, too!
DMs
Instagram Direct Messages can be a great tool for keeping in touch with clients and helping them out during this time.
Use in-feed content to show you’re still responding via DMs, and make sure you’re on top of all DMs you receive and are able to respond in good enough time.
Site traffic
Last but not least, utilising Instagram in the right way is key for driving traffic to your site, too.
Use the link in the bio to drive audiences to site, promote this via in-feed content, and if you have money to invest in paid marketing, use traffic driving as an objective in your paid Instagram content.
So there you have it – the guide to using Instagram in the best way possible for your therapy business, especially during this pandemic. Keep strong, stay positive, be kind, and remember your clients still need help, even if it has to be digital for the time being.
