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Lesson #4 - What Content Do You Need On Your Site?
So there is the look and feel of your site - but then we get to the information. What content should be on a therapist's website? And organized in what way?
Personally, I think it's pretty easy. First, the "must-haves" and what they should contain:
- Home Page - obviously. But in this case, it's really a quick welcome to your site. A few paragraphs on who you are and what you do. Let the rest of the pages contain the in-depth information. Have your contact information (phone and email) placed in obvious view.
- About You - this should include your schooling, training, licensure and experience. Also a good place to mention a few not-too-personal things about you (that you are married, or have been divorced, or are a parent, former careers). I predict this will be a well-visited page.
- Your Services - this should actually be between 1-4 different pages, broken down in some logical fashion. When potential clients visit your site, they usually have an idea of what they would need (individual counseling, couples counseling, or family counseling). Another way of breaking this down is by population (for Adults, for Adolscents, for Children). A final way to break this down is by problem (Anxiety, Depression, etc) though I don't recommend it. Also, I do not recommend breaking it down by the therapeutic intervention (CBT, EMDR, Hypnosis). People are coming in with a problem. They usually do not know what intervention they need. They just want a solution!
- Office Map - this is one place where you can use the web to help you. Instead of having to give directions over the phone or email, post a good map (linked to Mapquest or the like) and directions to your office. This will help those "first visit anxiety" clients.
There is other information you can have that can answer more questions people usually have. I've designed the following pages in sites before:
- Frequently Asked Questions - aka FAQs. This is a page you can put all kinds of info into - from your fees, to your office days and hours, pretty much anything you want.
- Fees & Policies - (can also be Fees and Insurance). One thing people want to know is how much it will cost, and whether you take insurance. They will ask if you don't put it up there. Also a place to mention if you take credit cards.
- Resources - do you want to include links to other material, other professionals? This is the place to do it. Also somewhere you can post your forms. Having your forms online is very helpful!
- Specialty Page - if you have a specialty (mine is Nice Guys), that's something that often deserves it's own page. You can go more in-depth on causes, symptoms, treatments, etc. Sets you up as an expert in your niche.
Some other miscellaneous content that you may decide you want (that I am fairly neutral about):
- Books Page - some people link up with Amazon to get a few cents. I don't like that personally. But a reading list is fine.
- Testimonials - have seen them done well placed on various pages. I like that better than one page of just testimonials.
- Assessments - or tests, or quizzes. I am not sure these really help. I do not believe they hurt though, if done well.
- Quotes - please don't have a page full of them! But scattered around, they do relay some of your personality. Just not my style, though.
What don't you need? Or what should you avoid? Here's my list:
- Latest News! - this just in: clients aren't that interested in our latest news! This should be about them, and what we can do for them. Also, if you do not keep this up, it will reflect poorly on you.
- Non-therapy business pages - this may be just personal, but I do not believe a therapy site should have pages for the therapist's other businesses (art, music, vitamins, etc). The only caveat is books, classes or workshops that are part of your core business. If you wrote a therapy-related book, it adds to your cache, and you should of course include it.
- Contact Page - OK, you think this sounds weird, huh? It's here to remind you that I think your contact info (email and phone) should be obvious on EVERY PAGE OF YOUR SITE. They should not have to click anywhere to find it.
- A Site Map - this is an old concept, listing all the content of your site. Basically, it means your navigation/menu system was not built clearly enough, or people would never need an extra map.
Best! Peter
Copyright 2007 by Peter Hannah, MA, MS
Peter@YourGoogleGuy.com
206.799.6566
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