What makes one health provider’s website better than another? Is it the design, the content, the simple navigation? I’d argue all of it combined makes a good overall experience for users, but there is one area where providers most often drop the ball: the website copy.
That’s because when you spend thousands (or tens of thousands!) hiring a web developer to create a stunning new website for your business or practice, that web team is more concerned with branding, appearance and user experience. If you’re lucky, your web developer might even do a decent job on SEO.
The content for your website copy is left to you. So, let’s talk about how to get it right
When it comes to your website content, you have only seconds to grab your visitors’ attention. Of course, there are design elements that are essential to making this experience optimal for the user, but the website copy is key. Visitors need to effortlessly understand the product or service you offer and why it is right for them.
No matter how complicated your practice or service may be, you need to break it down to language a child can understand.
Start with a framework for your website copy
Before you think about the colors, designs and fun, creative elements on your site, you need to write your wireframe. The good news, is that you are already the expert you need for this part of the website project. Your medical expertise and a few blank pieces of paper will do the job. By the time you’re done, you’ll have website content that works.
Before you think about the colors, designs and fun, creative elements on your site, you need to write your wireframe. Click To Tweet
The service you provide
Start at the top with your one-liner that explains what you do for your clients. This is the most important part of your website. This should be short, to the point and speak to your clients’ or patients’ needs. Without requiring them to think, you show them quite clearly that you understand their problem and are the right doctor to solve it.
The benefits you offer
Next you’ll let your website visitors know the benefits of that service you provide. Do you make them feel better? Do you provide better outcomes? Do you offer a more convenient way to access your services than others? Pick 3-5 and keep these simple so that website visitors quickly and easily understand the value of working with you.
The costs of not working with you
If your website visitor decides to use the other guy or go it alone, let them know the costs of not working with you. Will they waste money? Waste time? Continue to feel lousy? Let them know what life will be like if they don’t come to you.
Who you are
This is the part where you finally get to say a little about yourself. Show them why you are the expert they need to solve the problem they have. Be sure to focus on the parts they will actually care about here. Do you deliver on time and on budget? Do you pay attention to details? Are you easy to talk to? Do you have deep knowledge in the area that most people don’t have? Say this in simple words here in the section about you and your business.
This is a great place to include a video about how your business helps clients.
How you help them
Show your clients or patients the process they will go through as you support them. Let them understand a clear path you will take them on and what that journey will look like.
Testimonials
Testimonials and logos of those you work with are important to include here, especially when you’re just getting started. This builds your authority and makes your potential clients see that they belong.
4 Common website copy pitfalls
Once you understand the framework of your website, be sure to avoid some common mistakes providers make when writing homepage website copy. This is especially common among small businesses that offer services.
Avoid Common Pitfalls.
Your website copy must be simple
It’s a good idea to always assume the visitors to your site are busy, distracted and in a hurry. Because they are.
Like it or not, this is the reality for most internet users today, so the onus is on you to grab their attention. What is the service or product you offer? Can your viewer understand that offering without having to think about it? The moment a viewer can’t understand your service, you’ve lost them. As in, they’ve literally gone from your site and likely won’t return. Leave off the flowery and clever language that most businesses think they need.
the onus is on you to grab their attention. What is the service or product you offer? Can your viewer understand that offering without having to think about it? Click To Tweet
This might seem obvious, but businesses that offer many services can have a hard time summing up what they offer in a simple structure. But, no matter how complicated your services are, you still need one simple brand statement that sums up what you do. That simple statement should appear in big, bold letters above the fold on your site.
You can include the details of all your services in other internal pages on your website because there are of course viewers who will want all the information on what you offer. But, keep your website homepage copy really simple for all your new visitors who don’t already know, like and trust you.
Don’t focus on yourself in your homepage copy
As Donald Miller from Storybrand would say, “Your website is not a place to celebrate yourself.” No one but your mother cares when you started your practice or how prestigious your awards are.
Take a look at your homepage and make sure it doesn’t read like an “All about me” page. This is especially common among health providers and other service providers. Small business owners will start out in business because they are an expert at what they offer, and then their website homepage will read more like a resume.
Don’t get me wrong, much of this content may be important, but it doesn’t belong on your homepage. Focus instead on what you offer, how people can get it and why they should want your version of it.
Take a look at your homepage and make sure it doesn’t read like an “All about me” page. This is especially common among health providers and other service providers. Click To Tweet
Make it easy to work with you
This may seem obvious, but so many businesses put a “contact us” button in one corner of their website and leave it at that. Make it really easy and obvious how to work with you. Calls to action like “Get to know us” or Get started” are vague. Make it really obvious that this is how they purchase your services or book an appointment. Keep in mind that your website users will be scrolling, so the call to action button should always be present.
Address the problem your audience has and how you can solve it
Website visitors typically come to your site with a need. Your homepage should directly address the problem that they have and explain that you are the perfect business or practice to solve it.
You can get to the heart of this by putting yourself in your viewers’ mindset. What are the questions they commonly ask you? Where do they start out when you typically first meet them? Your homepage content should speak to them where they are at. Acknowledge the problem they have, let them know you understand it, you’ve seen this before and you can make it better.
Once you simplify your site, focus on your services and your potential audience, you will be all set to capture the attention of your audience.
