Marketing with Google Ads
Jun 02, 2026
Most therapists did not go into private practice because they love marketing dashboards, keyword targeting, or conversion tracking. Instead they chose that vocation because they want to help people.
But somewhere along the way, many practice owners have to pick up another job title: marketer.
And that works for a while! A few referrals come in. Word of mouth spreads. Maybe Psychology Today sends a handful of inquiries each month. For a time, the practice stays comfortably full.
Then something stops working.
The phones slow down. New client inquiries become less consistent. A therapist you recently hired still has empty spots on their schedule six weeks later. Clients start asking if you take insurance. People hesitate before booking.
That is the backdrop of a recent conversation we had with Google Ads specialist John Sanders on the Scaling Therapist Podcast.
And honestly, the conversation felt less like a discussion about advertising and more like a discussion about how therapists spend their time.
Something important that was said is this: “You don't have to do everything yourself.”
That might seem simple. Even obvious. And yet it’s still hard for a lot of business owners to believe.
The Hidden Cost of Doing Everything Yourself
Therapists are often incredibly capable people, since they are used to handling hard things. Graduate school trained them to hold responsibility carefully and to take problems seriously.
But private practice can slowly turn into a trap where every task feels like something you should figure out on your own.
You build the website yourself, design the logo yourself, and troubleshoot the email system at 11 p.m, all by yourself.
And then one afternoon you find yourself staring at Google Ads settings with 14 browser tabs open and a YouTube tutorial paused halfway through.
Well, that’s a situation Sanders found himself in, and he compared it to trying to do your own taxes or legal work. Sure, technically you can. But should you?
That question matters more during uncertain economic periods.
Right now many therapists are noticing a shift. More people are becoming price sensitive and many clients are asking about insurance.
Practices that grew quickly over the past few years are suddenly trying to fill openings again.
And now marketing becomes, unfortunately, impossible to ignore.
Why Google Ads Work Differently
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was Sanders explaining why Google Ads tend to outperform social media ads for therapy practices.
The reason is extremely human. People on Instagram are not looking for therapy, even if they might need it. They’re watching cooking videos, checking messages, or zoning out after work.
But someone typing “couples therapist near me” into Google is in a completely different mental state. They already know they need help. They are actively searching for it.
And that difference is what makes it important on where you advertise.
Sanders described himself as a “numbers-based marketer,” focused less on likes and followers and more on actual consultations booked.
That distinction matters because therapists are constantly sold marketing advice built around visibility instead of results.
Having impressions, engagement, and followers do not automatically fill up your appointments with the business you need.
A therapist with 300 Instagram likes and no new clients still has a marketing problem.
Most Therapy Websites Have the Same Problem
Sanders pointed out something that is hard to unsee once you notice it.
Many therapy websites have one generic services page with a long list of specialties:
- Anxiety
- Trauma
- Couples counseling
- ADHD
- Grief
- Depression
He jokingly called them “the dreaded bullet point pages.”
The problem is that generic pages do not help potential clients feel understood.
Imagine someone searching for marriage counseling after a painful fight with their partner. They click an ad and land on a page that briefly mentions couples therapy before moving on to six other “specialties.”
That page feels vague. Cold. Interchangeable.
Now compare that to landing on a page written specifically for couples in crisis. A page that describes communication breakdown, resentment, emotional distance, and rebuilding trust.
That feels personal.
Good marketing is usually not about being louder. It is about being more specific.
Google Makes It Look Easy
One thing the interview captured well is how deceptively simple Google Ads appear at first.
Google constantly encourages business owners to “boost” traffic or launch campaigns with a few clicks.
But Sanders explained that small settings mistakes can quietly drain huge amounts of money.
Ads can appear for irrelevant searches.
Campaigns can target the wrong audience.
Google can even distribute ads across questionable third-party websites if certain boxes remain checked.
Most business owners would never notice, and that’s part of what makes digital advertising frustrating. You can spend hundreds of dollars before realizing the campaign was flawed from the start.
Marketing Is Not the Enemy
A lot of therapists feel uncomfortable with marketing. It can feel manipulative or overly sales-focused.
But Sanders framed it differently, talking about marketing as a way to connect with people who are already looking for help.
And that is a very important distinction.
The right marketing does not pressure people into therapy. It helps the right people find the right therapist faster.
And during difficult economic seasons, disappearing from marketing entirely can create even bigger problems later.
Sanders described how businesses sometimes panic and cut all advertising when revenue dips. But when visibility disappears, leads disappear too.
The practices that survive long-term are usually the ones that stay steady, adjust strategically, and keep investing in growth even when things feel uncertain.
The Bigger Lesson
The interview was technically about Google Ads.
But underneath that, it was really about capacity.
Therapists already carry enormous emotional workloads. Trying to also become an expert in SEO, analytics, conversion tracking, and paid advertising can spread people too thin.
Delegation is not laziness, like many claim it to be. It is infrastructure.
At some point, growth requires trusting other people to handle the things they are better at than you are.
And maybe that is the real takeaway from the conversation.
Not that every therapist needs Google Ads, but that building a sustainable practice often starts with admitting you were never supposed to do every part of it alone.
Resources & Links
RevKey
https://revkey.com
Scaling Therapist Services Directory
https://scalingtherapistservices.com
15 Ways To Create Income Flow from What You Already Know
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