Renting vs. Owning: Building a Website That Grows With Your Practice | GP 311

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Do you own your website, or do you rent space? Why is it recommended to get your own website as your practice grows? Which type of website allows you the license to use your creativity in marketing?

In this podcast episode, Brandon Shurn discusses his journey to growth in private practice and the importance of websites.

Podcast Sponsor: Headway

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In This Podcast

What Brandon did before his own website
Starting from scratch
Advice to listeners

What Brandon did before his own website

Before Brandon got his own website for his private practice, he was renting advertising space on another webpage.

That worked for a time. One of the limitations … in having that type of website where you rent the space is that you really don’t maintain any control over it. Everything has to go through an intermediary, so it’s not for me. (Brandon Shurn)

While at the start of his private practice journey, renting website space did work, he later decided to move away from it simply because he wanted (and needed) to have more autonomy over his digital marketing.

What I had learned is that when it comes to renting the space, you really don’t own it. There are limitations in terms of what you could do with the website, and that to me was something that I was less and less excited about, so I decided to move away from merely renting my website because I wanted to have more creative freedom. (Brandon Shurn)

Starting from scratch

When Brandon started his very own, fresh website, he finally had the chance to do what he wanted to do.

However, he started out with a template-based website, which had some limitations of its own.

He really came up against these issues when he hired someone to run Google Ads for his practice, but they weren’t able to do it successfully due to the website’s software design and hosting issues.

Brandon found that moving to a WordPress-based website boosted his SEO and strengthened his website in general, and you want your SEO rankings to be strong so that clients can find you through online search engines.

Your [website] is your virtual calling card, so to speak, your virtual office … It is important that they are able to get you on Google. (Brandon Shurn)

Advice to listeners

If you are okay with renting a space, by all means, do that! Go with what works for you, and if that means renting, that’s fine.

If that means you want to switch to a WordPress website that allows you to upload PDFs or videos, that’s fine too! Go with what you and your practice need to be creative and successful.

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Meet Prof. Brandon Shurn

Brandon Shurn, Ph.D., LCPC, LMHC, AFC®, NCC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor and the founder of EmPower Me Holistic Counseling, a fully virtual Maryland-based practice. He’s also a full-time professor in Seattle University’s online Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. With extensive experience launching and directing university training clinics, Brandon now focuses on helping therapists design and grow impactful, sustainable practices. Outside of his work, he enjoys fitness, yoga, Wing Chun, golf, reading, and spending time with his family and dogs.

Visit Empower Me Counseling, and connect with Brandon on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Email him at: brandon@practiceofthepractice.com

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