As we create our website for our aging in place business we need to think of how the user of our site can find and use the information they might want and make it as effective as we can
Today, almost every business has a web address and a website. This wasn’t always the case, but they are so easy to get and create that nearly every business has a registered domain name even if they haven’t added any content to their page or activated a site.
It’s no different for any of us involved in providing aging in place services to the marketplace. Regardless of whether we are custom builders, general contractors, remodelers, renovators, remediators, interior or kitchen and bath designers, physical or occupational therapists, home health services, durable medical equipment providers or suppliers, consultants, architects, real estate agents, attorneys, lenders, or providers of other types of products, services, and solutions for the home or vehicle that people may use to modify their living space or remain in it long-term, we want the consumer and other strategic professionals to be able to find us online and learn about what we offer.
The name of the website is important, but it does not need to be an award-winning name. We can overthink this and delay getting started with our online presence by trying to be too clever or unique. Ideally, it is descriptive of what we do or offer, but it can be as simple as just our name if we offer professional services or this is the name of our business.
The name of our site is not going to produce any visitors by itself. Our name is not going to instantly vault us to the top of the search engines or create instant identity in the marketplace. That is going to come from our personal connections – people that well tell about our site, online advertising with links to our site, social media profiles with corresponding links to our site, our business cards or tri-folds that people see, and search engine optimization that will position some of our keywords to be located and found easily by people doing a search for what we do that may not know who we are or how to find us in advance.
We need to have a website. No viable business, regardless of its size – from a single person to multinational organizations, exists today without a web presence. That is a given. Beyond that, there are many options available, but to begin, let’s keep it simple. Remember the main objective is to have a website and to be able to direct people to go to that location. Then we can begin creating some links to get people there from searches and referrals.
Without having an actual website that people can visit, a catchy business name or website address is not going to matter that much. We want people to go online to learn about us and then to take some type of action, such as calling us, sending us an email or text message, visiting our location if we maintain an office or storefront that receives the public, or purchasing or ordering something from us if we provide that opportunity. At the very least, they can learn more about who we are and what we do.
As to the actual website itself, regardless of who designs it, it needs to have a few essentials. Let’s remember the objective of having a website. It certainly needs to explain who we are and what we do, but more than anything, it needs to invite a connection of some type. Without providing the means for people to connect with us, our website will be ineffective.
A good way to determine the main ingredients of a site that we should include for people visiting us is what would typically like to see when we visit sites. We need to know where they are. Many sites don’t publish the city where they are located. For our aging in place business, not all of us are going to have people visiting us. That’s fine, but people should know in what city and state we are based.
A phone number! So many sites don’t list a phone number – and it must include an area code. Few businesses are so local that their clientele knows their area code just by their location. With the way we move cell phone numbers with us, It’s not unusual for someone to have an area code form some other part of the country and be standing right next to us. Therefore, an area code is a must-have.
People should learn about who we are, what we are, and how we can help them. However, they must be able to connect with us in their favorite method – email, text, phone call, or social media. We have to give them those opportunities.
One last thing – make sure the type that we use is sufficiently large and clear for our visitors – of any age or ability – to be able to see and read it. We are attempting to invite a connection so let’s make it as easy as possible for people to use our site.