Is It Time to Upgrade Your Home Care Agency’s Website?
Nine questions to ask yourself about your home care agency's website.
Your home care website is very likely the first impression you will make with clients and caregivers alike, so it should be the very best representation of what you have to offer. That means it needs regular maintenance and periodic polishes.
When was the last time you did a complete tour of your home care agency's website? When was your latest security audit? Do you know when it’s time for a refresh?
9 signs it’s time to update your home care agency website
1. Your SEO is struggling
Search engine optimization is such a foundational part of home care marketing that if yours is struggling, it’s definitely time to upgrade your site.
In order to rank for discovery keywords, especially local search terms, like home care near me or senior care in [your city], you not only need the right content on your site, your site must also be constructed with search engines in mind. This means your site schema, site map, meta descriptions, header, footer, and main nav should be optimized for SEO.
2. It’s slow
Site speed refers to how quickly the pages on your site load when a user clicks. You may be able to detect for yourself that your site speed is poor—just open a page and see if it lags. But to a search engine, site speed is measured in milliseconds, and it may not be clear to the naked eye whether yours needs improvement.
Check your site speed using Google's PageSpeed Insights tool. An ideal page speed is 1–2 seconds.
3. It’s difficult to navigate
How easy is it to find important information on your website? Ask a friend or family member to click around your site and find answers to simple questions, if they find it hard to navigate, or say they can’t find the information they’re looking for, it’s time to update your home care website.
4. You’re fielding basic FAQs
Similarly, if you find yourself answering very basic questions from clients and caregivers on repeat—information that should be easily accessible on your website—then it may not be very well organized or labeled.
5. Your site is very flat
Information should be easy to find, but if your home care site is only a handful of pages, it’s time for an update. Your site should include detailed information about your agency, the services you offer, care options, your philosophy of care, and what it’s like to join your team.
6. It’s difficult to update
If you have to contact a developer to make basic changes to your site or upload blog content, then it’s definitely time for an update. This is a remnant of a very old way of web management, and a sign that your site is outdated in other ways.
There are plenty of high-quality, easy-to-use website builders that give you quick control over the content of your site—no coding skills needed.
7. You don’t have a security strategy
Americans are increasingly concerned about where their data lives and how it’s being used. Eighty-one percent of adults in the U.S. say they feel like they have little control over the way companies use their personal data, and just as many believe the risks of giving out their personal information outweigh the benefits, according to Pew.
Consumers are willing to end relationships over the mishandling of private information. According to Cisco, 13% of consumers have terminated relationships with healthcare companies over privacy concerns.
Plus, agencies should also ensure their site is in compliance with local, national, and industry regulations for data handling.
As you evaluate the need for a home care website update, consider:
- How secure are your lead capture forms?
- How secure are client and employee account logins?
- Who in my organization has access to personally identifiable information (PII) and medical data and have they been trained on safe handling procedures?
- Who are my data collection software vendors? Have they been third-party vetted for bias and security, and can they provide me with detailed information about their data-handling practices?
8. You can’t remember the last time you audited the health of your home care website
When was the last time you toured every page on your site to make sure all information is up to date, pages are responsive and return no 404s, that you have both outbound and inbound links, and that your sitemap is current? If you can’t remember, or if it’s been more than six months, schedule a refresh.
9. Your competitors look better
Let’s be honest, sometimes you’re due for an update because your competitors are outpacing you with slicker, faster, and more modern websites. If your competition is sporting a more professional site, then don’t be afraid to keep up with the Joneses—and surpass them too.
Ready to upgrade your home care website?
When you're ready to upgrade your home care agency's website, we're here to help. With SEO-friendly practices, professional, modern design and more, our websites are made to give your agency the boost it needs.
Find out more by booking a 30-minute, no-obligation Discovery Call!
