Before a patient ever sits across from you, they've already met you online. They checked your stars, skimmed your profile and maybe asked ChatGPT about you. Then they decided, in seconds, whether to reach out.
I've worked with more than 2,000 patients on an inpatient psychiatric unit, side by side with psychiatrists and clinical teams. I know how much skill goes into this work. Online, almost none of it shows.
This guide fixes that. Five simple moves. Under five hours total. No marketing background needed.
What patients do before they call you
Patients now shop for care the way they shop for everything else. A 2026 rater8 survey of 992 U.S. adults shows how high the bar has gotten.
- 75%won't book with a provider rated below 4.0 stars
- 55%canceled or avoided a provider because of online reviews
- 66%say a provider's replies to reviews affect their trust
- 47%have used AI like ChatGPT to research a provider
Mental health patients also hit more dead ends than most. When Senate Finance Committee staff called mental health providers listed in insurance directories, they landed an appointment only 18% of the time.
The competition is growing too. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association now counts more psychiatric nurse practitioners than psychiatrists in the U.S.
Your clinical skill earns the second session. Your online presence earns the first one.
Move 1
Claim your Google Business Profile
The idea. When someone searches "psychiatrist near me," the box with the map, the stars and the call button is a Google Business Profile. You want yours claimed, complete and accurate.
Why it matters. Google says people are 2.7 times more likely to see a business as reputable when its profile is complete. It's also where your star rating lives.
Do this
- Search your name and city in a private browser window to see what patients see.
- Claim your profile at business.google.com and pick a clear category like Psychiatrist or Psychotherapist.
- Fill in every field, add a current headshot and turn on Online care if you offer telehealth.
Heads up. Fully virtual practices usually don't qualify, because Google requires a physical location patients can visit. If that's you, skip ahead to Move 2.
About an hour, plus a few days for Google to verify you.
Move 2
Lead with who you help
The idea. On Psychology Today, patients see only about the first 200 characters of your profile in search results. That's two or three sentences. Spend them on the patient, not your resume.
Why it matters. Fit drives results. A review of 295 studies found that a strong therapeutic alliance predicts better outcomes. The right patient finding you is where that alliance starts.
Do this
Rewrite your opening as two sentences. The first names who you help and what they're going through. The second says what you do about it.
BeforeI am a board-certified PMHNP with over 10 years of experience treating a wide range of conditions.
AfterYou're in your twenties and anxiety is costing you sleep and focus. I help young adults find a medication plan that fits their life.
BeforeI use an integrative, client-centered approach drawing on CBT, DBT and mindfulness.
AfterYou've held it together for everyone since the loss, and you're running on empty. I help adults work through grief at a pace that feels survivable.
Then paste that same opening on every profile patients compare, from Psychology Today to your own website.
Heads up. Describe the struggle, but never promise a result. "I help you feel better" is fine. "I'll cure your anxiety" is not.
About 45 minutes.
Move 3
Make it easy to reach you, then reply fast
The idea. Reaching out for help takes courage. The clinician who answers clearly and quickly earns trust before the first session.
Why it matters. In a New York City study, actors left voicemails for 320 therapists asking for an appointment. Only about 30% got a call back about one, and Black and working-class callers heard back even less. A consistent reply process fixes both problems.
Do this
- Pick one main way to contact you and use it on every profile.
- Reply to every inquiry within one business day with the same saved template.
- If you're full or not the right fit, say so kindly and share a referral.
Heads up. Keep first-contact forms short and secure, and make sure your voicemail mentions 988 for anyone in crisis.
About 30 minutes.
Move 4
Look the same everywhere
The idea. Use one name, one credential line and one photo on every site. Patients, Google and AI tools all cross-check you.
Why it matters. Mismatched details make you look less trustworthy, and AI tools repeat the mess. In rater8’s survey, two-thirds of patients who used AI to research a provider ran into wrong information.
Do this
- Write down your name, credentials, phone, website and address exactly as you want them to appear, and pick one current headshot.
- Check Google, Psychology Today, your website, LinkedIn and Healthgrades against that list and fix anything that doesn't match.
- Look yourself up in the NPI Registry and update anything out of date.
Heads up. If you take insurance, send corrections to your plans too. Plans must verify directory info every 90 days and can drop providers they can't verify.
About an hour for the first pass.
Move 5
Tell patients what to expect
The idea. Retention starts before the first session. Patients who know what's coming are more likely to show up and stay.
Why it matters. About one in five therapy patients drop out early. A 2023 review of 17 studies found that explaining how treatment works up front reduces early dropout.
Do this
- Write a short "What to expect" page that covers the first visit, how often you'll meet and what it costs.
- Send it with every appointment confirmation.
- If you prescribe, add how follow-ups and refills work.
Heads up. If you see self-pay patients, post the required Good Faith Estimate notice on your website. The American Psychiatric Association explains the rules.
About an hour.
Three rules that keep it ethical
Mental health marketing has stricter rules than most fields. Keep these three in mind as you go.
-
Never confirm someone is your patient in a review reply.
A New Jersey psychiatric practice paid $30,000 to settle with HHS after its review replies revealed patients' diagnoses. Still reply, since 66% of patients say replies affect their trust. Just keep every reply generic, like this one.
"Thank you for sharing this. Privacy rules keep us from discussing anyone's care online, but we take all feedback seriously. Please call our office so we can talk directly."
-
Don't ask current clients for testimonials.
Ethics codes for psychologists, counselors, social workers and family therapists prohibit it. Ask colleagues for LinkedIn recommendations instead.
-
Keep patient stories out of your marketing.
In a small community, a few details can identify someone. Share what you know, not who you treat.
Your five-day plan
One move a day fits around a normal clinical week.
- Mon60 minClaim and complete your Google Business Profile.
- Tue45 minRewrite the first two sentences of your profile.
- Wed30 minSet one contact path and save a reply template.
- Thu60 minMake your details match everywhere.
- Fri60 minWrite your "What to expect" page.
Your expertise deserves to be found
You don't need a new website, an ad budget or a posting schedule. You need a few focused hours and a willingness to see yourself the way a patient does.
Somewhere tonight, someone is searching for help after a hard day. By Friday, they can find a clinician who looks credible, sounds like they understand and is easy to reach. That clinician should be you.
When you want a second set of eyes on all of it, that is what we do at CBG Health. Our Clarity Audit looks at your presence the way patients, Google and AI tools see it, so you know exactly what to fix next.
Not sure yet? Start here
Clarity Audit
A 45-minute session plus a written action plan
- Full presence review. Website, social, Google Business Profile, and provider listings like Alma and Headway.
- Competitor best practices. How 3 to 5 similar providers do it, and what to borrow.
- Strategic roadmap for your goals. Sorted into Fix Now, Build Next, and Explore Later.
Credited in full. Your $497 goes toward The Presence Protocol if you continue within 60 days.
You leave with a clear plan either way.
Thinking bigger than an audit? Take the 3-minute Fit Assessment to see if The Presence Protocol is right for your practice.
Sources
- 2026 Patient Choice Report, rater8, June 2026
- Wyden Releases Secret Shopper Study on Ghost Networks, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, May 2023
- 2025 State of the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Workforce, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, October 2025
- Complete your Business Profile on Google, Google Business Profile Help
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help
- Business Profile features for healthcare providers, Google Business Profile Help
- How to write your therapist directory profile, SimplePractice
- The Alliance in Adult Psychotherapy, A Meta-Analytic Synthesis, Flückiger and colleagues, 2018
- Study suggests racial bias in access to mental health care, Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, June 2016, summarizing Kugelmass in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior
- Provider directory requirements under the No Surprises Act, Claritev
- Premature Discontinuation in Adult Psychotherapy, A Meta-Analysis, Swift and Greenberg, 2012
- Role Induction, Swift and colleagues, in Psychotherapy Skills and Methods That Work, 2023
- No Surprises Act Implementation, American Psychiatric Association
- $30,000 Penalty for Disclosing PHI Online in Response to Negative Reviews, HIPAA Journal, 2023
- Testimonials and Reviews in Mental Health Practice, Person Centered Tech