More than half of chiropractic practices have Web pages, and that number is growing daily. According to the Small Business Administration, 78 percent of small businesses use the Web to reach new and potential customers, and many consumers use the Web to find health information.

So there’s plenty of reason to create a Web site for your practice. How do you go about it? Let’s take this step-by-step.

SITE STRUCTURE

First, plan your Web site. What is your main purpose in setting up this site? Be clear about your purpose and what you want to say. Your home page should be a window into what your practice is about, and anyone looking at it should be able to tell your USP immediately.

Determine the structure of your site. It doesn’t have to be large, but each page should have a purpose. Here’s a typical structure:

• Home page. Give people the most vital information about your practice (your USP) and the basic information to get people to make an appointment (like your hours, a brief description of your services, whether you take credit cards, and a picture of your office)

• About us. This page tells about the doctor and the staff, including credentials and often personal information. Photos are good here.

• About our practice. This tab describes your mission and the types of techniques and services in more detail.

Information about how to make an appointment and a map or directions to the office. Some practices include a way to make appointments online, while others include all the first visit forms, so the person can print them, fill them out, and bring them to the first visit.

You might also want to include general information about chiropractic and links to other sites. Be sure these links don’t contain negative information about chiropractic.

After you have decided on the basic structure of your Web site, you’ll need to find someone to design the site, by putting it into a Web-based format, called HTML. You can pay someone a lot of money to design your Web site, or you can find someone local to do it for less money; costs for setting up a Web site can range from $200 to $800. Some companies specialize in chiropractic Web sites, but it really doesn’t make a difference. Find someone who is easy to work with and who is willing to create the site YOU want.

GETTING ON THE WEB

To get your site on the Internet, here’s what you will need:

• A domain name. This is the “.com” name for your site. You will need to find a name that isn’t already being used by someone else and pay a yearly fee for registering this name.

If you want an inexpensive domain name, try “godaddy.com” or “1and1.com.” The cost will be less than $30 a year. Try to stay with a “.com” name rather than “.net” or other names, since most people are familiar with the “.com” designation and might be confused if you used something else.

• A Web host. A Web host is basically a server (a computer that has a lot of space and is always on) which will store your site. The most important thing to look for here is dependability; you don’t want a server that “goes down” periodically. As with domain registers, you can find many inexpensive hosts. Yearly hosting costs as little as $50.

MAINTENANCE

After your site is up and running, you will need someone to maintain the site and make changes. In other words, a Webmaster. Most Web designers will also maintain your site.

Finally, when you’re designing your Web site, work on the “KISS” principle (Keep it Short and Simple). Avoid flashy stuff, complicated Web elements, and difficult-to-download graphics; these frustrate people and cause them to leave your site. A simple Web site can be an effective way to draw people to your practice.

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