Physical therapists have unique web presence needs. An effective site must:
* Introduce the practitioner, and outline his or her style of treatment;
* Provide straightforward content establishing the practitioner's credibility;
* Review services and common procedures performed by the practitioner;
* Inform the prospective client of the features and value of selecting the practitioner as a service provider;
* Offer immediate contact options, including a web e-mail form;
* Display office locations complete with photos, address, and driving directions.
Style and Navigation
The physical therapist's web site should be clean, professional, and to the point. Avoid loading the site with Flash, Java applets, or other features that go beyond basic programming. Keep the practitioner's target market(s) in mind; potential clients are looking for information, not savvy design.
Of course, this shouldn't take away from the web site's on-screen appeal. Images and text should be easy to review, however this doesn't have to infer plain web design. Let the information stand out; compliment the text with images and basic page graphics.
If a logo, font, or color is already in use on printed marketing materials, incorporate this into the site so that all marketing materials present the practitioner consistently.
Content Elements
Presenting content in a basic, explanatory fashion will ensure the web site appeals to the greatest target market possible. If the site is loaded with concepts or terminology that is beyond traditional understanding, the reader will indirectly lose interest. Again, keep the target market in mind.
If at all possible, be sure to include a photo of the practitioner, as well as a limited biography. Photos of in-office staff are also helpful in developing a relationship between the client-prospect and the practitioner.
Each practitioner has his or her own style of treatment. Highlighting the specific features and/or benefits of the practitioner's services is the most effective way to turn prospects into clients. Increasing the unique value of the practitioner will establish credibility, promote interest, and increase the likelihood of taking a "next action step."
Establishing a next action step is imperative in developing an effective web presence. All areas of the site must lead the prospect to a point of action, whether it be telephone contact, filling out a consultation form, or requesting additional information by mail or e-mail.
Tweaks and Tips
* When developing content, be sure to include plenty of key terms and phrases in the site's general text. Search engines such as Google rely on content text, not meta tags, to determine search placement.
* Include key terms in image description tags and hyperlinks. Describe each image or link using terms and phrases relevant to the image, industry, and practitioner.
* Offer point-to-point driving direction to each office location by linking to a Google or Yahoo! map. This free service is a great way to increase prospect-to-client conversion, as visitors will recall the site provides driving directions.
If you are a practitioner attempting to develop your first web presence, seek the advice and support of a full-service small business web design firm. Professional, affordable web design is available. Creating a "do it yourself" site may appear cost effective, however this can quickly become a complicated and time consuming project. Stay focused in your profession, and recruit the wisdom of a web professional.
Jim Ray is a seasoned web developer and president of Web Presence, a national web design firm serving the small business market sector. To learn more, or for a free quote for your own web site, visit the Web Presence at http://www.web-presence.net
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareChris, a new consulting client, asked me to help him... Read More
1. DO NOT use excessive graphics or banner images on... Read More
Gone are the days when you had to rely on... Read More
Many people hire professional web site designers for as much... Read More
Your website design may be affecting your sales in ways... Read More
A picture is worth a thousand words.And it still is... Read More
Well it is not Elvis, that's for sure.I am a... Read More
A search for "web design" on Google returns more than... Read More
Squeeze pages are a very hot topic in the internet... Read More
When you design a website how do you start ?Do... Read More
Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More
If you own a web site or if you are... Read More
Flash is a powerful technology that can help you create... Read More
When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought that... Read More
Getting a customer is not easy.Getting a visitor to decide... Read More
Designing your own successful web page can seem difficult and... Read More
What do the key words represent?Key words - these are... Read More
Many times I've seen a web site undergo a revision... Read More
Conventional Wisdom states you should use Sub-Directories to organize your... Read More
QUESTION: My business is very small, just me and... Read More
You can create a website that attracts customers, not repels... Read More
Square buttons, round buttons, flashy buttons ? will they match... Read More
The icons in an application are the soul of the... Read More
You've thought about it and you're ready to go. You're... Read More
The Basics You have a flourishing business ? everything is... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..It is common sense.The more time people spend at your... Read More
You have identified that to have an internet prescence would... Read More
This article gives free tips on how to find a... Read More
Then it was a choice among crayons, paints and palettes... Read More
Your web site has been up for a few months... Read More
One visit does not make a sale. Be sure to... Read More
If you're running a website or online business, your number... Read More
There can be zillions of reasons why your visitors return... Read More
The question that I most frequently hear from people is... Read More
Do you want to use unsafe web colors without offending... Read More
Know what you wantMake sure you know why you... Read More
Congratulations! You've got a brand new site and it's doing... Read More
Imagine you're going on a blind date. You've heard wonderful... Read More
The first immutable law of effective navigation: It's gotta be... Read More
Mechanical spiders have to eat. In fact, they usually have... Read More
(Making Your Graphics Work For You)It's no secret that a... Read More
Since you'll spend lots of time and money to create... Read More
A web site builder can be a real life saver... Read More
On the internet we don't deal with face to face... Read More
CNN.com's designers have gone out of their way to make... Read More
Do you know why the majority of people use the... Read More
This is my second article on maximising web site viewability.... Read More
Colors convey emotions and emotions heavily influence the decision-making process.... Read More
In cascading style sheets you can specify how your web... Read More
A few years ago a lot of websites utilized frame... Read More
Web Design |