Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/82405
A caveat about blogging: once you start, you need to do it regularly. "Like food you leave out on the counter too long, it will go bad after awhile," Craig says. It's important to give readers what they want. Your blog—just like all the content on your website—is there to promote your business and build your reputation as a health-care professional. It's not there to comment about fashion, restaurants, or upcoming class reunions. 3. DISPLAY YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION Obvious as this seems, it's surprising how many websites force viewers to hunt—sometimes in vain—for a phone number, email, or physical address. In addition to having it on your home page and on a contact page, consider adding it to your footer so it appears on every page throughout your website. 4. MAKE YOUR WEBSITE POP UP ON GOOGLE There's a science behind this. It's called search engine optimization (SEO), and there are some steps you can take to make it easier for Google and other search engines to find you when someone searches for "massage therapist" and your town. Relevant content is, of course, critical. But equally important is ensuring metatags—the keywords that describe what you do—are built into the code you use on your website, as well as the content. "Make sure you're using the right words so people can see that you're a professional, and any of your specialties," Craig says. "Think how your customers will be looking for you. Obviously, massage is an important word, but what other words might people look for? It could be sports injuries, rehabilitation, or relaxation. Figure out what's right for you, and make sure in the copy you write you've got these words sprinkled throughout." Don't forget pictures and graphics. When you load an image onto your website, there's a place in the code for alternative text. Don't leave those boxes blank. Even though the words themselves will be unseen to most viewers, Google will see them. Filling in those boxes with the right information makes it more likely your website will be among the first Google uncovers as it searches the web. ONLINE SCHEDULING Online scheduling can free you from the hassle of playing telephone tag with clients and offers customers the convenience of scheduling appointments in real time, 24/7. It also reduces the risk that a potential client will call, get dumped into voice mail, and move on without ever scheduling an appointment. "Because they're already online, 5. the customers' expectation that they can make the appointment online seals the deal," says Chris Korol, cofounder and vice president of marketing for Full Slate (www.fullslate.com), a Seattle-based company that provides online scheduling software. "We've found that 70 percent of consumers would prefer to make an appointment online rather than picking up a phone and calling. This lets people take action before they leave your website, and the key is to convert those clicks into a confirmed appointment." CONSIDER ADDING Adding an online scheduling option to a website is straightforward. It simply requires copying a snippet of code into your site. Accompanying software serves as a digital appointment book. Therapists input the days and hours on which they're available, and the software keeps track of the schedule, automatically filling in appointments as they are booked. Online customers supply their names and contact information, and therapists concerned about no-shows can choose to require payment at the time of booking. In addition, email reminders automatically go out to clients before the appointment, which cuts down on no-shows by about 30 percent, Korol says. Full Slate offers substantial discounts to ABMP members, which could put monthly service costs at around $17. 6. SELL GIFT CERTIFICATES ONLINE "It's a no-brainer," insists Gregg Gottschling, founder of TheGiftCardCafe.com, a San Diego company that provides an easy-to-use online sales platform. "In 2011, people expect that. It's uncommon for a business not to offer gift certificates, particularly in the hospitality arena. If customers go to your website in hopes of purchasing a gift for someone, and you don't offer it, they'll go somewhere else." Providing online gift certificates need not be a hassle. Companies such as TheGiftCardCafe.com handle the billing and collection. There are no upfront costs to the therapist, no development fees, and no monthly service charges. Instead, the company takes a percentage—usually under 10 percent—of gift certificate sales. Boost your practice with ABMP's Website Builder—free for members on ABMP.com 81