Common Website Mistakes That Practitioners Are Making

Health practitioners wear many hats. Thanks to the improvement in website platforms, many pracs are now wearing the hat of ‘website designer’ and ‘copywriter’.

Unfortunately, there are many stumbling blocks when it comes to a beautifully designed website that calls in your ideal clients. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes practitioners make when it comes to their website design and content.

Common Website Mistakes That Health Practitioners Make

Trying to serve everyone

It's tempting to write that you can help with a variety of health concerns on your website – after all, more health problems means more people book in, right?

But in reality, it’s actually the opposite. Saying that you can help everyone with everything ever will reduce your chance of someone booking in with you!

It can be helpful to think of your website as an online resume that your potential clients are reading.

If you have a little bit of experience in their area of concern, but also a little bit of everything else, you don’t come across as the best candidate. The best candidate will be someone who demonstrates that the reader’s problem is something that they work with all the time!

Make sure that your website conveys who you are as a practitioner and who you are here to serve.

Making it too complex

Another mistake that I often see when browsing through a practitioner’s website is that it’s far more complex than it needs to be. Pages might be all over the place, or there might be 5 pages to describe what could be managed on one page.

The easier that your website is to navigate, the sooner that a potential client can decide if you’re a fit for them. You want them to be able to find out what you offer, what makes you the practitioner for them, and how to book in with you.

Have a think:

• If you have multiple pages of services , can you simplify them?

• Can you share more detail about how your modality helps with specific health concerns over on the blog instead of having 20 tabs in the main menu?

• Do your health journey and your business manifesto really need to be hosted on separate about pages – or can you combine it into one?

Make it easy for your clients to trust you and work with you!

Starting without a clear guide around branding

It’s nice to put together a website with elements and colours that you find visually appealing. But if you want clients to connect with your business and offers, it’s best to get a solid idea of your branding first.

Consistent branding allows people to recognise and feel trust in what you have to offer. Branding isn’t just about your logo – it’s your colours and themes, the images you use, the fonts you use, the tone of voice in your written content, and so much more!

A website that uses a variety of different colours, fonts, image types and styles of writing gives the wrong impression. People may feel that it has been put together carelessly or is not the website of a professional.

By designing a website based on consistent branding, you help people to recognise you, connect with you and trust in you.

Don't have consistent branding sorted for your business yet? To learn more about my branding services, head here.

Not showing your face!

Your website is about you and what you offer. But despite this, many practitioners hesitate to put pictures of their own face on a website! Unfortunately, this could be reducing your chance of a potential client booking in.

People are more likely to trust someone that they recognise. The more that they see your face, the easier it is for them to place trust you. If you’re hiding and not showing your face anywhere on your website, they will feel disconnected.

Investing in a professional photoshoot can be a great option, particularly if you’re self-conscious. But if it’s not in your budget right now, ask a friend or family member with a decent camera to take some snaps.

Forgetting to check how it appears across different devices

You’ve created a website that you’re stoked about. It all looks exactly how you want it to!

But have you remembered to have a look at it from your phone or tablet? If not, you might have some elements that are deterring potential clients who are using different devices.

This is common with elements such as pop-ups. You put a pop-up for your free e-book and it comes up as a nice little box at the bottom of your web browser. But on a phone, it might be stretched all the way across the screen and leave people unable to browse your site!

Make sure you check in on how your website appears from different devices on a regular basis. Some website builders have in-built previews for desktop, tablet and smartphone. For example, Squarespace has Device View, an icon in the top-right corner of any of your site preview pages.

Do you want to create a website that ticks the boxes and speaks directly to your ideal clients? Look no further than my Squarespace website package – you can learn more here.