Did you know more than half of Americans (56%) are seeking mental health services, and 1 out of 8 people in the world lives with a psychiatric disorder? That’s a large percentage of people in need of support. But in an increasingly competitive landscape, as a mental health professional, it may be difficult for potential clients to find you if your website isn’t easy to navigate, SEO friendly, or designed well. Thankfully, you can learn how to build a website for therapists and positively impact the mental health crisis. Let’s dive in. 

How to Build a Website for Therapists; 6 Design Tips 

1. Establish your brand 

The first step in creating your website is to establish your brand. Craft a distinctive logo, carefully select a color palette, and choose fonts that embody your brand identity. You’ll also want to consider the psychological impact of colors and the professional image you want to convey. For example, here is a list of colors and their associated emotions;

• Blue evokes a sense of calmness, trust, and professionalism

• Green symbolizes growth, balance, and harmony

• Purple is associated with creativity, wisdom, and spirituality
• Gentle colors like light pinks, blues, or greens can create a calming and nurturing atmosphere

To guide your brand design even further, study the habits of your target audience. What are they drawn to? What social media channels do they use? What is their demographic, age, gender, etc.? Knowing these answers will allow you to combine elements of who you are and what appeals to your target audience into your brand. Once you’ve chosen your brand, apply it throughout your website, social media platforms, or an app you use with online patients. Brand consistency builds trust, likeability, and authenticity. When your patients see your brand, it will trigger recognition and move them further down the sales funnel. 

2. Show who you are

You are the face of your brand, and your clients want to see and get to know you. Therefore, create an about me page and write an intriguing snippet that showcases what kind of therapist you are. For example, what is your specialty? Preferred type of therapy? Who do you help? Maybe you’re a marriage counseling therapist who helps relationships overcome obstacles and reconnect through the developmental model. Or you’re a psychologist who helps adults overcome complex post-traumatic stress disorder and co-occurring depression and anxiety with cognitive behavior therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Whatever your background is, include it, discuss your qualifications, a fun fact beyond the professional side of yourself, and how clients can learn more about your services. 

3. Make it easy to navigate 

For someone seeking support, dealing with a disorganized website can exacerbate an already stressful situation and potentially discourage them. So, ensure your navigation menu is easily accessible, well-organized (at the top or on the side), and includes essential pages such as an About Me, Services, Contact, FAQs, and a Blog. Think of your website as a catalog—it should be simple and clear for clients to flip through and find the solution they need.

4. Check your site speed

A slow website isn’t just annoying; it's costly. In fact, low-loading websites cost retailers $2.6 billion in lost sales each year. That’s why it’s so important to ensure your website functions fast. Beyond investing in website maintenance, follow these tips:

• Compress images

• Enable browser caching 

• Choose a reliable hosting provider 

• Regularly update your website 
• Remove unnecessary plugins 

If the technical side of designing your website overwhelms you, outsource it. You will save a lot of time and money by receiving website management and support from a trusted source. 

5. Don’t overdesign 

One of the best ways to learn how to build a website for therapists is to think about simplification. The website layout should evoke a sense of calmness, trust, and professionalism for potential patients. In other words, adopt the less is more approach. For example, avoid too much clutter, embrace white spaces for a clean aesthetic, only include the essential pages, simplify your color palette, and only choose impactful images. This approach will entice your target audience to stay on your website and explore more. 

6. Include testimonials 

It’s not surprising to hear that 95% of people say that reviews – whether positive or negative – influence their purchasing decisions. Think about your purchasing journey. If a website doesn’t have a testimonial, it’s a bit of a red flag. Testimonials demonstrate how reliable, trustworthy, and effective you are at positively impacting your client’s lives. Therefore, contact your past patients and ask them for an anonymous testimonial. Yet, when inquiring about testimonials, consider these points: 

• Specific aspects of therapy they found most beneficial, for example, your approach, communication style, or anything that stood out

• The positive changes or personal growth they experienced

• Specific details about their experience, including the challenges they faced, the therapy process, and the outcomes achieved.

• Lastly, would they recommend you to their loved ones? 

Receive maintenance and support to strengthen your website  

Designing and learning how to build a website for therapists goes beyond aesthetics. It's imperative to have website SEO, hosting, maintenance, security, and other factors to keep your business safe, protected, updated, and visually appealing. Thankfully, we offer every service you need under one roof. Even if you’re a beginner or have some experience but not enough time, you can allow our team of experts to take care of everything for you. Check out our website plans to find the best deal for you, or contact us to receive more clients with a successfully running website and business.