Do’s and Don’ts of Creating Your Doula Website
For new birth workers, publishing your website can be a huge step forward! But it can also be a huge source of overwhelm.
In one of our favorite Facebook groups for aspiring doulas, some of the most common questions are on the topic of websites.
From what hosting sites to use (we recommend Squarespace) to whether to start a website prior to finishing a training (yes!) to where to get images to use on a website (The Website Doula has a great list), it’s totally normal to be full of questions at this point.
If you’re feeling a bit nervous about DIYing your website, we’re here to help!
Here is a list of seven do’s - and one big don’t - to help you avoid common pitfalls and hit that “publish” button sooner.
Do:
1. Use an easy drag-and-drop web builder
I’m partial to Squarespace myself, but any modern web builder will do. Choose one and move forward - don’t let this decision be a stumbling block!
2. Include your full name
You’d be surprised how many doula websites miss this! Your potential clients want to know who you are in addition to what you do.
3. Include your location and service area
Folks need to know whether they are within your service area! Even if you offer virtual support, people will still be interested to know where you call home. Since so many birth workers offer services in their local communities, it’s especially important to add your location to your website so people understand where you work.
This is also an important facet of your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) to help your website rank higher when people search for your services.
4. Include your prices
As a consumer, it is so helpful to be able to easily find out pricing for a product or service online. Some birth workers choose to leave their prices off so people have to contact them for the details. While this strategy feels right for some people, you may spend a lot of time fielding inquiries from people who become disinterested once they hear the price.
And conversely, some people who may have been a good fit for you may decide not to take the extra step of reaching out just to learn the price. Listing your price up front allows you to spend more of your time talking with people who are really interested in your services.
5. Include a way for people to contact you right from your website
Make it easy for people to contact you with as few steps as possible! Many website builders include a built-in form option so people can reach out to you right from your “contact” page. Letting prospective clients reach out while they’re visiting your site - without having to send you a text or email separately - is a great way to do this.
6. Learn about search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) means helping search engines like Google understand what your website is about, so they can “serve up” your site to people who are looking for what you offer. SEO is part science and part art, and there are a lot of ways to learn about it. This often requires an investment of time and money up front that will pay off over time as your website starts showing up higher and higher in the search results.
If you need a place to start, I highly recommend any of the resources Emily Fontes has created - she is wonderful at helping to make SEO feel doable for “normal people” who don’t consider ourselves web designers! Inspired Birth Pro has some great tips too.
7. Think from your potential clients’ point of view
Approach the content, layout, and feel of your website as your potential clients would. Try to put yourself in their shoes - what are their concerns? What are they excited about? What kind of support are they looking for through their pregnancy/birth/postpartum experience, and why? What kind of imagery speaks to them?
If you aren’t sure about the answers to these questions, ask around! Reach out to some people similar to those you would consider “ideal clients” and ask their opinion on some of your ideas. You might be surprised by what feels applicable and/or important to them!
Don’t:
Wait for your website to be 100% perfect before you publish it!
It’s really common for people to spend weeks, months, or even years working on their doula website before making it available so people can start finding them. Don’t fall into this trap! There are two mantras I’ve heard over the years that have been instrumental in helping me overcome this kind of perfectionism:
“Perfect is the enemy of good”
“Iterate your way to awesome”
These two phrases help me remember that something pretty good that I put out into the world is MUCH better than something I won’t release because it isn’t 100% perfect. And… I can always keep making improvements over time! I’ve tweaked my websites hundreds of times over the years - sometimes in small ways, sometimes in big ways.
If this is something you’re struggling with, let yourself off the hook! Most likely you are acting as your own worst critic. If you feel stuck, try publishing your website and see how it feels - you don’t have to share it with anyone quite yet, but it will be inspiring to see it “live” on the internet! Maybe that will help you feel more comfortable sharing your site with your community. And remember, you can make tweaks anytime you want!
