Effort Cannot Beat a Good Look in Online Mental Health Platforms? Evidence from an Empirical Study

Online mental health platforms (OMHPs) are rapidly expanding as the demand for mental health counseling service surges. The unique characteristics of OMHPs necessitate a deeper exploration of this emerging digital business model. In this study, we investigate how facial impressions formed by counselors’ profile pictures affect their client demand and the interaction effect between face impressions and counselor effort. We test our hypotheses by analyzing the effects of facial impressions along the dimensions of warmth and competence, using a panel dataset from an OMHP. Our findings show that facial impressions positively affect counselors’ client demand. Meanwhile, there is a mutual substitution between facial competence and the provision of free services. This research enriches our understanding of OMHP dynamics and provides management insights for OMHP counselors and operators.