This week I want to focus on credibility - a major pain point in the natural health industry for both practitioners and clients.
I know that I've talked about the importance of credibility quite often, but I want this week to focus on exactly how you can ensure that your credibility is shown online. I've seen quite a few common mistakes that practitioners make which I know will impact the number of online enquiries they receive.
First impressions matter - and these days first impressions usually happen online.
So let's take a look at how you can ensure your credibility as a qualified practitioner is shown.
8 ways to improve your credibility online
1. Display your qualifications and accreditations
With such a wealth of information and practitioners, it can be difficult for people to decide who is the best fit for them. Clearly displaying your hard-earned credentials will help prove your credibility to anyone who comes across your website - reducing any distrust they may have.
Listing qualifications, as shown above, also helps people to see the areas in which you can help them. This will make it easier for them to connect with the right healer.
2. Highlight the associations you belong to
If you are registered with a professional association, this really helps to show that you are a credible practitioner. Make sure this is clear in your website and social media!
3. Showcase client testimonials
Our research shows that a significant percentage of people looking for health services look at testimonials - and weigh these highly in their decision-making process. If you don't have testimonials, kindly ask some of your loyal clients to say a few words about how they helped you. A photo of them will also add to the credibility of the testimonial and will really make potential clients trust your services. See these testimonials below:
Video works best. Check out one of our testimonial videos here.
4. Include a professional, high quality photo
I've lost track of how many times I've mentioned this...so it must be important!
SEO experts have found that, if visitors are given photos to look at, they will remain on a website for a longer period of time. Adding good quality photos improves both your users experience and your ranking by decreasing bounce rate.
These photos should be of you, your practice, a demonstration of what you do, or anything that communicates your personality and business.
5. Include a high quality video
Videos send signals that show you believe in your product or service. Even when a video is not watched, there is a subconscious trust signal being established between your brand and the viewer. This is why having a video for your services or products is a great way to create emotions within your customer base that increases the chance of them contacting you.
6. Use a modern, user friendly website
A mistake many practitioners make is either not having a website, or having a website that doesn't meet expectations of modern internet-users. These days, it's all about the user experience. If someone comes across your website and finds it difficult to navigate, confusing, or not nice to look at - your credibility immediately goes. People make snap judgements based simply on the "look" of your site.
In my opinion, a poorly designed website is worse than not having a website at all.
With such a large amount of practitioners that can be found online, you'll struggle to compete with those online enquiries if your online presence isn't up to standard. After COVID-19, people have become especially tech-savvy, and have higher expectations.
7. Add informative content
A great way to show your expertise in your modality is to write blogs on particular health issues, and add these to your website and social media.
8. Ramp up your social media
I won't go into too much detail about this, as I've talked to you a lot about this area. All I will say is that most people look at a business's social media before making a purchase decision. If you're not active on there (or it doesn't exist at all), it will harm your credibility. If you haven't already, check out our 7-step guide to social media success.
The key takeaway
Our research shows that 83% of people would trust natural health services advertised online. It also shows that credibility is judged by the points made above.
I want you to step into the shoes of a potential client, and see how you would think about your own business if you were looking for a natural health service. Would you book based purely on what you see online?
Originally published on May 20, 2021