Frequently Asked Questions - Websites for Therapists

Why do I need a website?

The reality is that the internet is the new "phone book". The majority of those born from 1969 onwards use the internet as the sole source of research for telephone numbers and services. Here are some more reasons why your private practice should have a website:

• A large percentage of purchasing decisions for services are made after researching suppliers online
• Your website acts as an online brochure or business card, promoting your services all day, every day
• Many of your colleagues and competitors already have websites and use them successfully to promote their practices.

Why do I need a "professional" email address?

"Free" email services are great for personal use but not your business! Your email reflects the care and attention you have for your professional image. Taking the trouble to ensure your customers can contact you on a dedicated email address shows you are serious about your practice. Many contractors of private professional services refuse to deal with suppliers who use non-secure "free" email addresses.

Is it complicated to set up another email?

Far from it! Your new email can be up and running in minutes and we supply you with all the help you would need to access your mail from your smart phone, laptop or PC.

Will I be guaranteed to be at the top of the Google rankings?

In short, no! Any company or organisation that promises you this is misleading you. Search engines use a complicated set of formula to decide what sites are ranked above others. These factors change often and there are many cases of unfortunate website owners having their sites removed from listings for using tactics designed to hoodwink the systems.

There are some things you can do however to ensure your new site has a good chance of a high ranking:

• Content - Ensure your content is fresh, interesting and most of all relevant to your customers. Have enough content to engage your visitors but not too much to bore them.
  
  
• Links - Build up your network of other websites that have relevance to your offering and link to these sites. Ask the owners of these sites to link to yours as well. In this way the search engines can see your site cares about directing visitors to relevant information and this will help your rankings.
  
  
• Promote - Ensure your business stationery, email signature, letterheads etc. all reflect your domain (website) name.
  
  
• Update – Make sure your website is added to all the professional directories you are listed on. Not only does this allow your potential clients to find you from other sources but it also creates links.

Have a look at the very short and informative video on the right which very nicely summarises how Google works.

What should I put on my website?

Deciding what contents to put on your website should be guided by the following questions:

• Who might be interested in what you are offering?
  
  
• What need, want and desire does your service fulfil? What are your customers out there looking for? What do you and your practice have to offer that is different than the next practice?
  
  
• When is the right time? Is your marketing relevant to the timing of people looking for your services? For example, if you are in a health and wellness company, you may want your marketing to occur at a time when people most want to change ie after New Year's day. 
  
  
• Where will you find your prospects and clients? Where do people looking for your services hang out? If you are marketing to mothers you might look at mothers' forums or groups. Put some thought into where you can find your perfect client and prospect.
  
  
• Why would your prospect or clients want what you have to offer? Why would they choose your service?

Remember people are primarily concerned with their own wants and needs and would be looking to you for answers.

For more information please refer to our article Writing Content for your Therapy Website

What if I am not comfortable promoting myself?

Well, you are not alone here! It is common amongst professionals and the caring professions in particular to be uncomfortable with self-promotion. Perhaps a better way of looking at this aspect is to focus on your strengths and what makes your practice unique. You do not have to adopt an aggressive American style of promotion but you can convey your fantastic qualities in a way that you feel comfortable with.

Ultimately, people deal with people! So, show your potential clients they are in the right place and you are the one to help. Include a photo of yourself if possible. Nobody expects a model but customers do expect a human being and someone they feel they can relate to.

Who can I contact, if I can't find the information I am looking for?

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will be very happy to discuss these with you.