As a therapist or clinician, you need a website that not only talks about the services you offers, but that also captures a bit of your personality and expresses what would be unique and special about working with you!
Creating an effective and inviting website for your therapy practice can help you reach a larger audience and build trust with potential patients. This guide provides all the steps necessary to build a website that will engage visitors and attract new clients.
Plan Your Site Outline and Functionality.
Before Building Your Website, Take The Time To Create An Outline Of The Topics And Content You Want Included. Start By Writing A List Of Pages You Will Need For The Site And What Journey Someone Will Take When They Discover Your Website. This Can Help You Decide On A Navigation Menu & Decide What Function Your Website Will Need. Every Page On Your Website Should Have A Purpose And Be Useful To Visitors. Also Consider External Services Like Scheduling Software Or Payment Processing That You Will Need To Integrate With Your Website
Select a Professional Design Layout and Platform.
The design of your website is extremely important as it often sets the tone for how your visitors will perceive you. You want to balance attractive design that reflects your business, but and also has good structure and readability on any sized device. There are many platforms to use to design your website, so choose what feels easiest for your to use! Using custom fonts, images, colors, and other elements can also help establish an emotional connection with visitors.
Optimize Your Page Loading Times
Studies show people expect webpages to load in 2-3 seconds or less. In order to ensure that your website performs well, it is important to optimize the loading time of each page. The length of time it takes a page to load depends on a variety of factors such as:
image file size
website hosting
page optimzation (think simple & fast lo If your pages take too long to load, visitors may become frustrated and leave your site before they have had a chance to learn more about you and your services.
Ensure Your Website Is Secure and Accessible.
Another important element of website design is making sure that the site is secure and compliant with accessibility standards. A secure website will protect your visitors’ personal and financial information, while also protecting your online reputation. Ensure that your site is protected with a valid SSL certificate, and keep up to date with the latest security protocols such as HTTPS. Additionally, you should make sure that your website adheres to all relevant accessibility standards, so that individuals with disabilities can easily access and use all the features of your site.
Develop Highlights for Each Page of Your Website.
An important part of website design for therapists is learning how to showcase the highlights of your practice on every page. Developing highlights for each page can help draw visitors’ eyes to key sections, and can also make it easier for people to find the information they need quickly. These highlights will typically include essential elements such as an introduction to you and your practice, how you can help clients, video testimonials, links to additional resources and any other relevant details about your practice.
Recently, I helped clinician Dr. Christine Rivera with her website. We created a website that helped her connect with mothers seeking mental health support, and captured her passion for reaching the Latinx community via the designs.
Check out Dr. Christine Rivera’s results below, and contact me if you want my help with your website!
