Gone are the days of single page “homepages,” and here are the days of multi-page, multimedia websites! But how many pages are enough to make your website a winner?
It’s a tough question! Unfortunately, there’s no magic number of pages on your website that will secure you the number-one spot on all the search engines or bring in all the clients and cases of your dreams. You’ve heard us say it before, and we’ll say it again: there are no “magic purple pills” or guaranteed Page One results in marketing!
While there’s no upper limit to how many pages you can have, there are some guidelines and formulas that we know work well as part of our award-winning web design services. If you’re in doubt, follow the guidelines below to build a website that has the right number of pages to best position you for getting new visitors, clients, and contacts.
The Core “Building Block” Pages of an Effective Website
Attorneys, podiatrists, and similar service-based professionals often have similar-looking websites because they need essentially the same things out of their websites. While you don’t want a cookie-cutter site that looks exactly like everyone else’s, you do want to follow a basic formula that’ll meet your users’ basic expectations for a “podiatrist website” or a “lawyer website.” Once you have those “building block” pages in place, you can inject your own personal flair or “break” the formula to better fit your perfect clients’ needs.
In your first web design meeting with the FWM team, we’ll start discussing what types of core pages we will create for you and how many. These pages become the foundational “skeleton” of your website, and usually consist of:
- A homepage
- Several practice area pages
- An “About Us” page
- A “Contact Us” page
- A testimonials page
- A video page
- A blog page
- Several library article pages
There can be a little variance in the core pages we create for your website, depending on your needs and desires. We also work with clients to add custom pages—like referral pages or community involvement pages—that might make sense for their businesses.
While this foundation of pages is designed to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and be compelling to your perfect clients, we also give our clients the tools to add as many additional pages as they please through our Dynamic Self-Syndication (DSS) web content management system.
During the process of creating your website, we will teach you how to use DSS to quickly and easily add your own pages to your website. Whether you’re adding blog entries and articles or uploading videos, testimonials, and recent case results, this supporting content is going to be the key to your website’s long-term success, as we’ll explain below.
Supporting Pages Flesh Out Your Website and Build Up the User Experience
When we launch your new website, it will have all your core pages in place. Now, it’s up to you (or our friendly internet marketing services team) to flesh out what you’ve started with. There is no limit to the number of pages you can have on your website, so don’t be afraid to really stock it up with excellent content and relevant pages.
Put yourself in your perfect clients’ shoes, and think about what you would want to see on a podiatrist’s or attorney’s website—or why you might be Googling for those services in your area. Then, add pages to your website that meet those needs and answer those questions.
Not sure where to get started? Here are some examples of what we recommend:
- FAQs. Articles that answer frequently asked questions are always popular—it’s the most obvious place to look if you have a question! Think about the real questions clients ask you in person or through email and answer those questions thoroughly on your website. Having those answers right there improves the user experience, and it can save you time in the long run!
- Library articles. Library articles typically focus on presenting more in-depth topics in a digestible way. Potential clients in the “research phase” will love these kinds of articles, and they’re often the pages that bring in a sizeable amount of your new traffic from search. Think about what motivates your perfect clients to seek your help and what kinds of questions they ask before they’re ready to come see you about a problem—these will be your best topics!
- Blog posts. Your FWM website is designed to include an on-site blog, so make use of it! Blog posts are generally more casual than library articles, but they should still answer questions or offer some tidbits of value for your potential clients. This is a great place to show your personality, whether you’re explaining a change in the law or talking about a local charity drive.
- Case stories. The stories of your cases and clients show your website’s visitors exactly how you have solved problems that are similar to their own. Case stories also create an emotional connection that can stick with potential clients, even long after they log out. Find out more about how to write compelling case stories.
Google loves authoritative sites that are chock-full of relevant information. However, don’t try to add so many pages that your quality takes a dip. Always make certain that each page you add is relevant to your practice, contains accurate information, and offers your readers something new and thoughtful. Repeating the same information on multiple pages, using duplicate content, or resorting to keyword stuffing WILL end up harming your search rankings and online reputation.
Add More Pages as You Go to Keep Up the Momentum
You should never be “done” adding pages to your website. Over time, your website should sustainably grow into a rich, compelling, and relevant resource for the people your business serves.
Never let your website go stale!
Develop an ongoing content strategy that works for you and that you can keep up with over time. At the barest minimum, that strategy should include at least four blog posts per month, which is one per week. Or, if you can manage it, do more!
Don’t stop there, though. Along with your blog posts, keep adding library articles, FAQs, case stories, and testimonials. Shoot new videos. Add new landing pages and practice areas as your practice grows over time. Talk about current events and topical issues that matter to your clients.
These kinds of ongoing additions to your website have a huge impact on your success. When you keep your website fresh and well-stocked, it lets potential clients—and search engines—know that you care about what you do and are passionate about sharing it with others. You’re always putting out fresh “bait” for the kinds of clients you want to see!
Work With an Award-Winning Design Team to Build a Website That Works on Every Level
At Foster Web Marketing, we love working with attorneys and podiatrists around the country to develop new, effective websites. We also love partnering with our clients to support them as they learn how to improve and update those websites—and grow their practices—in the months and years to come.
Ready to partner with an award-winning team to build the website of your dreams? Schedule a design consultation with FWM, or give us a call at 888.886.0939 today.
Are You Wondering If Your Law Firm Or Medical Practice Website Is Standing Up To The Competition? It's Likely Time For A Website Redesign.
If you're convinced your website is outdated, chances are it is. Help is available, however. Please contact us online or call our office directly at 866.497.6199 to schedule your free website redesign consultation with our experienced marketing team. We have been helping clients throughout the United States and internationally since 1998 and are confident we can help you not only reach, but exceed your goals.
