Part 2: Are You Making This No. 1 Visibility Mistake?

What If You Already Have A Website But Aren’t Getting Much Traffic?

Last week I talked about the importance of having a website and online presence. Good for you if you’re online already, but maybe you’re saying “Yes Sharyn, I do have a website, but I’m not getting many (or any) visitors.” Read on for tips to improve your website traffic…

If you are trying to work with more self-pay clients, then I can tell you flat out that if you aren’t online in a strong way, you are not going to get those clients. You don’t get self-pay folks from doctor’s referrals or phone book listings. These clients are bright, internet savvy individuals who are very competent at doing independent on-line searches. They want resources that are also bright, savvy, and up-to-date. And present where they are.

The length of this article doesn’t allow for more thorough information about what is possible and necessary in today’s market place for an effective on-line presence. However, some key things you should check for on your site include:

1. Does your site express your uniqueness or does it look and sound pretty much like the last 17 they have already looked at?

2. Is your content engaging and personal or does it read like a diagnostic manual? “I treat depression, anxiety, panic,”— blah, blah, blah. (I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but we can all really do much better. And have to if we are to survive.)

3. Is your content focused on the “seeking” client or is it all about how great (well qualified) you are. Count the number of “you” statements compared to “I” statements. It should be about 7:1. (This is one place where “I” statements are not helpful.)

4. Is your content contemporary, relevant to the issue(s) your potential client is experiencing, valuable?  If you haven’t updated your web site in 3 years, you are not making a good impression.

5. Do you have a specialty that allows you to speak directly and personally to your reader or is it completely impersonal content because you are trying to sound attractive to everyone.

6. Are you blogging? Blogging about your specialty provides the visitor with information that is useful to them before they ever pick up the phone to call you. It establishes your expertise. It gives the reader a sense of your personality, as well as your professional expertise. The search engines will love you, helping your site appear at the top of the list.

You have about 3 seconds to grab your reader’s attention. Give it your best effort. Your business and the future of our profession deserve it.

And most of all—be there!

If you need help creating a more effective website or online presence, contact me and we’ll talk about it.

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