In today’s world of technology, it is a given that a new care practice must hang a shingle on the World Wide Web or the Internet. Making the decision about the methods to be used is governed by the outcomes expected. There are quantifiable statistics that will help determine the success of a web site; however, it is still one of the marketing methods that don’t have a clear Return on Investment (ROI).

According to Internet World Statistics, a tracker of Internet usage on a global scale, North America accounts for 22.2% of the world’s Internet usage. 68.1% of the United States population is using the Internet, which brings the 2005 usage total to 225,801,428 people. This usage is growing at a rate of 109% per year.

CBS News did a research study of the Internet users in America and compared the findings of two different age groups. We have highlighted specific statistics that are indicators of who is likely to research the web for a care professional. Below are the findings:

These statistics indicate that a large portion of the United States population is relying on the Internet to provide them with research options. Thus, having a web site that is used correctly will improve the visibility of your practice.

The Key is Doing it Right

Planning is key to creating your web site. You must plan what the purpose of the site will be, who you want to visit the site, what actions you want visitors to take, what information is important to convey and many other things that will guide you through the process.

Who Am I Trying To Reach?

The first question to answer is whom you are trying to reach. Are you simply creating a web presence so that you appear to have a viable business? Do you want visitors to gather information from your web site? Is the goal for them to come back to visit? Do you want them to find you when they search for your services in a search engine? What action do you want them to take when they find your web site or visit it?

If you want prospective clients to find your web site and then request information to work with your practice, you should plan accordingly. If you are planning to simply distribute information that will also be part of your plan.

Lay it All Out

Once you’ve determined the purpose of the web site and the information that you want to have, lay it all out on paper. Plan what each page will say, keeping to the rule of only one topic per page. Layout what the content should include and how it should all link together. Once you’ve determined the content flow then pull together all of the information that you want to include.

Making it Happen

Once you’ve gathered your content then you have to decide how you will create your web site. You could opt to purchase a domain name from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and purchase a web-hosting package, from your ISP, which includes a template format, that requires filling in the blanks. You might decide to use a product like Front Page to create your web site yourself. This process allows you more flexibility on design layouts and the look and feel of your web site.

If you were ambitious, another option would be to learn how to create a web site yourself, from scratch, using HTML and Windows Notepad. Most web developers use this method to create their masterpieces. In about 5 days you can learn this method by picking up a book. This method is time consuming at first, but it will give you the most flexibility down the road.

The more costly option is to hire a web designer to bring your idea to fruition. This method will save your time and will allow a professional to create exactly what you’re looking for in a site. Most professionals use a method that will allow them to create the site and then train you how to change your own site content. They also might have a program available where they will charge you an annual fee to maintain your content changes. What is HTML?

Very simply, HTML is the set of commands that tells your web pages how they should display. It stands for Hyper Text Markup Language and it is very easy to learn the basics. There are books available at most major retailers that will teach you HTML in 21 days. I purchased one when I was first starting out and I learned how to create my own web site in less than one week. Having a basic understanding of what HTML looks like and how it functions is important so that you are able to manage the process with any service providers you hire to assist with your web site project.

A good reference page can be found at:

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/introduction/intro/

This reference site will give you the basic information that you need to understand as you move into your project. Having that information will allow you to manage the project and to understand the steps involved.

Graphic Design Elements

An attractive web site will need to have visual interest. This can be achieved through the use of color and images. Professional imagery conveys the meanings behind your words. There are many resources available, on the Internet, to help you find professional photography that will enhance your graphic design. One of the most affordable sites is www.istockphoto.com. This resource holds photos that are taken by members of the site and are offered up based on a point system. The photos will end up costing you between $2 and $10 each and you will be able to use them on your web site. The only drawback to consider is that many people use this site and so the photos that you select may also be used on other web sites. You can see the popularity of the photos listed on each photo’s properties and that will help you determine how widely it is being used.

How do I Get the HTML on the Internet?

The technology used to move your files onto the Internet is called FTP or File Transfer Protocol. This simply means that you are copying files from the location you have saved them on your computer to a new location on another computer where they are hosted for the Internet. Your ISP will have a certain way that your files will need to be named for your host to recognize them and display them on the Internet but most web site hosting companies have clear instructions on what to name your main page, referred to as your Home Page. Links and content that are created on your Home Page lead the visitors through the rest of your site.

Reviewing Outcomes

Your web site should be a method for your potential and existing clients to find you easily. As you are receiving inquiries you should ask how the person inquiring found out about your practice. Keep track of this information so that you can create realistic statistics about the number of visitors that you’ve had and the number of new clients that have come from the web site.

Hosted sites will have basic statistics available and many site allow for you to purchase an enhanced form of web visitor statistics. These statistics contain valuable information about who is visiting your site, what they are visiting the most, and from where they were referred. This information is vital to creating and understanding your online marketing methods.

For example, if your statistics show that you had 10 visitors in one day and you received two phone calls from people who say they found your web site, you know that you have a 20% return ratio on that day’s web visitors. Tracking this information will help you make decisions about which content is pulling visitors to your site, what they are looking for when they arrive and what caused them to pick up the phone.

Success

The success of your web site will be determined based on the initial requirements you listed.

Whether your desire was to simply create a presence or to build a full interactive site, you will be able to use tools to determine the results. The beauty of hanging your shingle on the web is that you can easily change its purpose and it’s design. You can make it fit your purposes as your practice changes.