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Matthew Travers

Matthew Travers

Co-Founder and President

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Matthew Travers is the Co-Founder and President of Lead to Recovery, a digital marketing agency for addiction treatment centers, mental health programs and ABA therapy centers. He has worked in SEO and digital marketing since 2002, co-founded Lead to Recovery with Sean Bolton in 2019, and manages every campaign to one number: what a center pays for each admission.

24

years in SEO and digital marketing, since 2002

2019

co-founded Lead to Recovery with Sean Bolton

$600

average cost per admission on a New Jersey SEO campaign he managed

100

treatment center websites audited for his 2026 rehab cost study

Career

From SEO in 2002 to Behavioral Health Marketing

Matthew’s career started in search engine optimization and grew into paid media, conversion rate optimization and campaign architecture. Since 2019 his work has centered on one field: helping behavioral health providers reach the people searching for care.

2002

Starts in SEO and digital marketing

Matthew begins his career in search engine optimization, then adds paid search, analytics and conversion rate optimization to the work.

2019

Co-founds Lead to Recovery

With Sean Bolton, he co-founds Lead to Recovery to market behavioral health providers only. As President he oversees content strategy, SEO execution and campaign architecture.

2026

Publishes original research

He authors a study of 100 top-ranking treatment center websites and a series of compliance guides on LegitScript, Google Ads, HIPAA and admissions response.

Ongoing

Lead to Conversion

He manages client engagements for Lead to Conversion, the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio performance marketing agency that owns Lead to Recovery.

How Matthew works

Six Principles Behind Every Campaign

Cost per admission is the number

Clicks, rankings and leads are early signals. Matthew sets every campaign, report and monthly decision against what a center pays to admit one patient, and lowering that number is the work.

Tracking goes live first

Every channel gets its own CallTrackingMetrics number before a campaign launches. Lead to Recovery has a signed Business Associate Agreement with CTM, and no patient information is sent to ad platforms or Google Analytics. KPI tracking

Compliance as navigation

LegitScript certification, Google and Meta ad policies, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 and EKRA decide which routes stay open. Matthew plans campaigns around them from the first call. LegitScript guide

Reported every month

Each client has a custom KPI dashboard with 24/7 access and at least one 30-minute review each month, where the data turns into the next month’s plan.

Sources over claims

In the content Matthew writes and reviews, every statistic links to its primary source and client results come from call tracking, with admissions confirmed by each center.

Built for AI search

Pages are structured so ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews can quote a center’s programs, credentials and location accurately. Answer engine optimization

Areas of expertise

Where Matthew’s Work Is Focused

Addiction treatment marketing

Detox, residential, PHP, IOP and outpatient programs.

Mental health marketing

Psychiatry, residential and outpatient mental health programs.

ABA therapy marketing

Applied behavior analysis centers and clinics.

Treatment center SEO

Program pages, Google Maps and regional search.

PPC for treatment centers

Certified Google Ads campaigns managed to cost per admission.

MAT clinic and sober living marketing

Opioid treatment programs and recovery residences.

Research and guides

Selected Writing by Matthew Travers

Matthew is the author on Lead to Recovery’s research and guides. Each one links its figures to their primary sources.

Results measured in admissions

Campaign Results From Lead to Recovery

New Jersey treatment center

Regional SEO. Account manager: Matthew Travers

  • $600 average cost per admission across the first 180 days
  • 6 to 8 new admissions a month from organic search
  • 14 program keywords in the Google Maps top 3

Arizona mental health center

SEO and paid search under one plan

  • 137 admissions, January to August 2026, up 61%
  • Organic cost per admission down 41%, from $1,548 to $914
  • Qualified paid search calls up 182%

New treatment center

Google Ads launch, 2024

  • $178.50 cost per lead in the launch month
  • $61.19 by June
  • $44.89 by October, 75% below launch

Talk With Matthew

Book a strategy call, call 855-876-7238, or email [email protected]. You can also connect with Matthew on LinkedIn.