Video profiles are an important element of the Choosing Therapy Directory. This article explains why they're important and provides you with recommendations and tips.
Why should you create an introductory profile video?
Prospective clients want to "meet" you! Having an introduction video on your profile brings your face, voice, and personality to life and gives your viewers a feel for who you are. A video also gives prospective clients an idea of whether you would be a good fit for their specific therapy needs, and allows you the opportunity to invite them to connect further with you.
Why should you create multiple profile videos?
While an introductory video gives prospective clients a chance to "meet" you, additional videos can focus on certain specialty areas/issues you tend to focus on and that you've listen on your profile. Many prospectives client will have arrived on your profile after reading an article on ChoosingTherapy.com that's related to one of your specialties, (for example, social anxiety or commitment issues). If you have a brief video discussing this topic, it can help a prospective client identify you as an expert and as an ideal therapist to work with.
Recommendations for Your Intro Video
In your introductory video, you want to make sure and cover all the basics:
- Introduce yourself with your name, title, and licensure
- Mention how long you have been practicing, your education, and your certifications
- Do you have any areas of specialization?
- What clinical issues do you have experience treating?
- What therapeutic approaches do you use/have experience using?
- Include short responses to 2-3 of the profile prompts (answer different questions than your written answers to expand the information available to clients).
- End with a Call To Action - Invite the prospective client to book an appointment with you.
An example Choosing Therapy profile with numerous videos can be viewed here: https://directory.choosingtherapy.com/therapist/melissa-boudin
Tips for Creating your Therapist Profile Video
Making a profile video can feel a little awkward. It's not something we do often and it's easy to be a little self conscious. With that in mind, we put together a list up tips that will help you create a more professional, effective profile video. Note: we highly recommend recording your video with your phone, rather than computer/laptop, because phone cameras tend to be much higher quality than computer/laptop cameras.
The tips fall under three umbrellas: Location, Recording, and Presence & Content
Location Tips
Lighting: Record your videos in a well-lit area (natural light, or sunlight, is best when possible).
Noise: find a quiet place to record so you don't pick up background noice (traffic, pets, kids, etc).
Backgrounds: Clear your space of clutter and shoot your video in a “professional” environment such as in your office or home office.
Recording Tips
Use a tripod or steady surface.
Clean your camera lens before recording.
Record in landscape mode: Portrait mode results in unappealing black borders in your final video clip.
Do not use the zoom function: Just move closer to your phone instead - zoom will make your video look grainy.
Put your phone in airplane mode while recording: This is to avoid getting unnecessary interruptions and sounds from notifications while you’re recording.
Presence & Content Tips
Speak to Your Ideal Client: Use language that your ideal client would identify with and speak directly to their needs.
Be Inviting and Confident: Use calm, open body language (and remember to smile!).
Be Concise: People have a very short attention span. The best therapist videos are about 2-3 minutes or less.
Be Close (to the camera): Being able to see into the therapist’s eyes serves to build trust with viewers.
Include a Call to Action: Invite the viewer to engage/connect further. This can include inviting viewers to view more of your profile or articles written, or to book an appointment.
Create a Script and Practice: Create an outline or script of what you want to include in your video. Record yourself, watch to identify changes/improvements, re-record if needed.
If you have any questions, you're welcome to email us at:
directory.support@choosingtherapy.com