How to Find NDIS Participants in 2026

As a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) business, it’s vital that you understand how to reach any and all potential clients. But, with so many new NDIS Providers popping out, it’s become important that you do more than just the minimum to stand out above the rest. Discover how to make yourself known today.

How many Participants are on NDIS?

As of 31 March 2025, there were 717,001 people in Australia benefiting from the NDIS. That’s over half a million people who you could potentially be advertising yourself towards. And of that half a million, only some people will fit your idea of the ideal client for your business. While as an NDIS business, you shouldn’t need to worry about budget too badly compared to unregistered Providers. Understanding these details will help immensely in deciding the tone and direction for your advertisements.

Target Market

 As an NDIS provider, a balanced mix of online and offline promotion usually works best. 

Understanding your client base is vital to understanding how to advertise yourself! So, do your due research before committing your budget to ads.  

Things to consider when considering your target audience include:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Type of disability
• Level of support required
• Self-managed or agency-managed
• And more.

If you’re trying to find the right NDIS Participants for your services in 2025, one of the smartest moves is to understand the different categories of Participants and the types of supports they’re funded for. Instead of casting a wide net, successful Providers target specific categories where demand is strong and needs are clearly defined. This helps you tailor your outreach, build trust faster, and deliver more relevant supports.

Capacity Building Supports

Participants funded under Capacity Building are focused on becoming more independent, gaining skills, and improving their ability to participate in daily life and the community. These supports include services like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, employment-related supports, and support coordination. If your business offers any of these, you’re in a strong position to attract Participants who are actively seeking meaningful outcomes—like getting a job, managing daily routines, or improving mobility.

Psychosocial Recovery Coaches

This growing area supports Participants living with psychosocial disability, typically linked to mental health conditions. Recovery Coaches provide both coaching and coordination, helping Participants navigate their recovery journey while engaging with the broader NDIS system. If you have a background in mental health or community services, this is a great space to position yourself in 2025. Awareness around psychosocial disability has continued to rise, creating consistent demand for Providers who understand recovery-oriented practice.

Plan-Managed Participants

Plan-managed Participants have greater flexibility in choosing both registered and unregistered Providers. They often rely on their Plan Manager to help them find the right services. If you’re a Provider offering support services (not Plan Management itself), building relationships with local Plan Managers can be one of the most effective referral strategies. These professionals can be a steady source of Participant connections, especially when they trust your quality and reliability.

How do I advertise my NDIS business?

There are many ways to promote your NDIS business, but it’s important to be strategic. Rather than trying to do everything, you should focus on a few marketing channels that suit your budget and target audience. Start with the most cost-effective and high-impact methods first—like building your online presence—then explore other options that help expand your reach to different communities. This approach ensures you connect with as many potential participants as possible.

Building a personal brand

The first thing to remember when building a business is to keep your branding consistent. When your branding stays consistent, it becomes easier for people to connect different pieces of advertising and form stronger mental associations with your business. It also helps you in the long run—making it easier for people to recall your brand and for you to build future ads or content that still feels familiar.

Some key traits of a strong brand might include a memorable logo or slogan, a distinct tone of voice, or a unique visual style. But no matter what elements you choose to make your business stand out, the most important part is staying consistent!

Once you find the right voice, people will start to remember you for it. Changing that voice too much over time can confuse or alienate your audience. Just think about how major brands work hard to maintain a consistent image—because familiarity builds trust.

Your own website

Having a good website is vital to building a strong and lasting presence—but it’s not enough for the site to simply exist. One of the first things to consider is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Ranking well in search engine results can dramatically improve your online visibility, making it easier for potential clients and support coordinators to discover your business.

Your website also acts as the central point for all your other advertising—both online and offline. Whether you’re running social media campaigns, listing on directories, or attending local events, being able to direct people to a professional, informative site adds credibility and trust.

Presentation is just as important. You want visitors to stay on your site once they’ve landed there. That means a clean and easy-to-navigate layout, up-to-date contact details, attractive images, clear pricing information (if relevant), and evidence of your NDIS registration. Including client success stories and testimonials can also help build trust.

While optional, adding blog posts or personal stories can create a more social, human connection. These extras help show the real people behind your service—and that can make a big difference in a sector built on trust and personal care.

Online business directories

As an NDIS business, you can take advantage of several NDIS-specific online directories that connect Participants and support coordinators with service Providers. Listing your business on these platforms increases your visibility and helps people who are actively searching for support find you more easily.

Examples of these online directories include:

• My Provider Directory
• MyCareSpace
• Clickability
• Leap in!

Being active on these platforms—and keeping your listing updated—can be a cost-effective way to reach more Participants, especially when combined with other strategies like advertising on social media. These directories also allow potential clients to compare services based on location, support category, and—importantly—client reviews. This makes it essential to maintain a positive reputation. Encourage your satisfied clients or their representatives to leave honest reviews, as strong feedback can help build credibility and influence new enquiries. 

Social Media

We all know social media platforms, and we’ve all seen advertising on them. These social media ads generally come in two main forms that you’re likely familiar with.

The first method involves outreach from your own social media account. While it’s important not to be too pushy, you should still promote your services online. Striking the right balance between authenticity and professionalism helps keep your name visible in the online community. This way, when someone is looking for an NDIS service, they’re more likely to think of you and reach out.

The second method is paid advertising. By investing a set amount, you can run targeted ads for a specific duration—similar to renting a billboard but with more control over who sees it. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to target by location, interests, age, and more, which is useful when focusing on local NDIS Participants or support coordinators.

When considering paid advertising, think carefully about your audience. Ask yourself which platforms they’re most likely to use, and what kind of message or image would get their attention. If your ad is well-crafted, your website traffic could increase significantly. Even if people don’t click right away, a clear and memorable ad can leave a lasting impression.

Local events

As an NDIS business operating within a close-knit local community, attending community events is one of the most effective offline ways to build recognition and trust. These could include local fairs, disability expos, workshops, school events, or community presentations—places where families, support workers, and Participants are already engaged.

Showing up consistently at these events helps you and your business become a familiar presence. Handing out business cards, having casual conversations, and simply being available to talk about your services can go a long way. When someone eventually needs NDIS supports, they’re more likely to remember the friendly face they’ve already met.

If possible, take things a step further by actively participating in the event. Volunteering, offering to give a short talk, running an activity, or even sponsoring the event (if it’s within your budget) can build goodwill and boost your visibility. If your business works with registered Providers or other professionals, inviting them to participate alongside you can help amplify your presence and create more positive community impressions.

The more engaged and involved you are at the local level, the more likely your brand will stand out when someone goes looking for support.

Networking events

Following on from local community events are the more professional networking types. These events offer valuable opportunities to get your name out there and connect with potential clients, fellow Providers, and other industry professionals within the NDIS space.

Building these connections can do more than just raise awareness—they can give you useful business insights and open the door to partnerships. No single business can offer every NDIS support, so networking helps position your business as the one others will refer to when their clients need something they don’t provide.

Of course, the benefits of networking are built on a foundation of strong social skills. A great first impression is often a lasting one. That means preparing and practising a clear, confident pitch about who you are, what services you offer, and what makes your approach unique.

It also means knowing when to speak—and just as importantly—when to listen. Like most things, this improves with experience. While it may feel challenging at first, attending more events helps you refine your delivery, boost confidence, and learn from others in the sector.

It can feel a bit like a circular problem—you need experience to get good at networking, but you need to network to gain experience. The only solution is to start showing up, make the effort, and grow both your personal confidence and your business connections along the way.

Reaching out to your local NDIS coordinators

While attending local events is a great way to get noticed, sometimes the best results come from taking the first step. Proactively reaching out to your local NDIS network—including Local Area Coordinators (LACs), plan managers, and support coordinators—can be a powerful way to build trust and position yourself within the community.

These professionals are often the ones helping Participants find suitable services, so forming strong, respectful relationships with them can lead to ongoing referrals. A good first impression—whether through an email introduction, a coffee catch-up, or a well-prepared flyer—can make a big difference in how you’re remembered.

Events are ideal for visibility, but direct outreach shows initiative. It tells others you’re serious about delivering quality support—and ready to collaborate. Sometimes, the best opportunities come not from waiting to be discovered, but from confidently introducing yourself first.

Word-of-mouth and referrals

Finally, we have the most simple and perhaps the most effective: Word of mouth. Above all else, people will be far more willing to listen to proven experiences from people they know. Sometimes, curated advertisements are a turn off or not convincing. If you provide high-quality care and the client remembers you, then they’ll be far more likely to recommend you to those they know. Sounds simple enough, right?

In an online space, you can push to get reviews by reminding customers to leave them afterwards. In most cases, people only leave high reviews when they get that extra reminder. Those leaving low reviews will often already remember the experience. Only unwavering, excellent service providers are able to maintain consistent offline word-of-mouth referrals.

Conclusion

Finding and keeping the right NDIS Participants can be one of the toughest challenges for any Provider—but strategic online marketing can make all the difference. By focusing on digital advertising, optimised websites, social media engagement, and NDIS-specific directories, you dramatically improve your chances of being seen by the right people at the right time. 

Online visibility builds brand recognition, creates trust, and opens the door to a steady flow of enquiries. In today’s NDIS landscape, building a strong online presence isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to staying competitive and growing your client base in 2025.