Providers who create websites optimized for search tend to fill their practices more quickly. While there are many website-building platforms, the team often recommends Wix because it is simple, easy to use, and has excellent optimization opportunities.
Best Practices
The most important thing to remember when creating your website is to keep it simple. The top-ranked sites are clear, concise, and easy to use. You can review the websites other Grow Therapy providers have created and found effective here.
Additionally, here are some tips concerning various site elements to keep in mind when building your website:
Blog
Blog
Wix allows you to create a blog to share your information and insights. Websites with active blogs often rank higher in search engine results. Your posts should include terms like therapist, telehealth, psychotherapy, and cognitive therapy, along with personal and practice information like your location, specialties, etc.
Buttons & Links
Buttons & Links
Use buttons and links to highlight and quickly connect your visitors with important resources or actions. For example, you can add your scheduling link, dedicated intake phone number, and dedicated intake email address. Information on adding elements, such as buttons and links, to your Wix site is available here.
Colors
Colors
Keep your design limited to contrasting colors that are easy to read. Visitors, aka prospective clients, will move on quickly if your site is too busy. Your Wix layout will have a premade color scheme that ensures consistency and flow, but you can adjust it. Canva offers an excellent guide here on color schemes if you're considering some customization or starting from scratch.
Fonts
Fonts
Use no more than 2 or 3 fonts that are clean and easy to read. Be consistent where you use the fonts. For example, page titles and paragraphs should use consistent fonts and sizes while being easy to tell apart. This will establish a consistent experience for your visitors and help ensure clarity as they move through your site. Canva offers a great guide on using your fonts effectively here.
Forms
Forms
If you would like prospective clients to be able to leave contact information for you, you can add a form that allows for that! Then you can reach out to the client to schedule. Information on adding a form to a Wix site is available here.
Photos
Photos
Photos are a great way to show who you are and help prospective clients get to know you better. Make sure the photos are clean and focused. Check out this guide on best practices concerning headshots.
Social Media
Social Media
Providers with professional social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) tend to generate referrals more quickly. You can and should link your social media sites from your website.
Testimonials & Reviews
Testimonials & Reviews
Adding client testimonials to your website is highly encouraged. You can contact some of your favorite/long-term clients to write one for you. Adding testimonials to your webpage will offer insight to your prospective clients by showing value and reliability as a provider.
Create your website
To create your Wix website:
Navigate to Wix.com and select the "Get Started" option.
Create an account by providing your contact information or using one of the single sign-on options (e.g., Google or Facebook).
Follow the intake process to help Wix understand your goals. During this process, selecting "General Portfolio" as the type of site you're interested in creating typically provides the best starting options (e.g., themes, examples, etc.).
Finally, you are ready to start customizing your site. Information is available in the Getting Started with Wix guide and also in the tutorial video created by one of Grow Therapy's Provider Success Associates below: