How to Build a Professional Massage Therapy Website

 

How do you quickly build a massage website (or a blog) that brings in clients without paying for a web designer and a SEO expert?

(1) Pick a website host/builder.

(2) Keep the massage website design simple and write engaging content.

(3) Do basic (not complicated or time-consuming) SEO for a local search.

Easier Than You Think – Why DIY is the Best Option

Knowing what to do (the three things I just mentioned) is the hard part.

Doing the actual website is the easy part.

But before we get into the specifics, I have to tell you that my massage website history has left me more scarred than my childhood.

Just joking, ma. 

You did good!

My Massage Website Trauma

Early on, I bartered with programmers for my website. Let’s just say that things never got done in a timely manner—or at all!

My business suffered big time because I didn’t have control over my website.

About 10 years ago, I did my first Do-It-Yourself (DIY) website.

The experience was mildly better than working with a disinterested designer.

Unfortunately, the website builder I was using was clunky and not straightforward.

At the end of the day I had a website, but I had to put in an insane amount of hair-pulling-out hours to get it done.

But it’s not like that now.

Website builders nowadays are simple to use and the end product looks great.

Still with me on the DIY website?

Good.

Now let’s address the next thing that may be freaking you out.

Blog or Website?

You may have read that you need a blog for your website.

You don’t.

Engaging content and basic SEO will carry the day.

However, if you want to have a serious blog because you like to write or you want to provide more information to your clients (and potential clients) or it’s part of your marketing strategy, go here.

If you just need a website or if you need a website with a blog playing a minor role (1 post per month) then you’re at the right place.

Before we get started, you need to know that links in this guide are affiliate links.

So, that means if you purchase through a link I get a commission—but you don’t pay more for going through a link. 

Affiliate commissions support my work, and I appreciate and count on the support. But no matter if you purchase through my link or not, I’m here to answer any questions about websites. Just email me at mark@makethemostofmassage.com

Okay, let’s get crackin’!

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Website

 

Step #1: Pick a Website Host/Builder

 

If you already have a website, skip to Step #2. If not, you next need to consider a domain name for your website.

Choosing a Domain Name

First, you want to own your domain name because you need to control your business name online. 

Guess what? If you have a “free” massage website through a professional organization, like AMTA, ABMP, or Massage Magazine, you may not own the domain name to your website. If that’s the case and you decide to leave that organization, you don’t take the domain name (and potentially the website) with you.

Sometimes, depending on the professional organization’s relationship with the website provider, your domain name may be a subdomain of the professional organization you’re with or the website provider they use. For example, your URL may look like this: www.ashleysmassage/massageprofessionalorganization.com.

That means your website address will not match your business name. This doesn’t look good to clients and it makes marketing/advertising complicated.

I know this firsthand. A while back, I had a free website through Google. My website was okay looking (not really according to my wife, Lisa), but my website URL made things waaay complicated.

For instance, was I really going to put www.markliskeymassage/googlesites.com on my business cards? Actually, I did. It looked crappy and no one ever went to my website.

The sad thing is that I knew better, but I wanted someone else to take care of all the details, like getting the domain name.

Why?

I guess it’s pretty much the same answer for everybody. Fear of the unknown.

That’s when you start imagining all the things that could possibly go wrong, like Omg, I just bought MarkLiskeySucksAtMassage.com instead of MarkLiskeyMassage.com!

But, seriously, you’re not gonna screw it up.

Picking a domain name is easy with Weebly and Wix or any website builder company. You just need to come up with the ______.com name.

If your massage business is your actual name, you’re domain name is likely to be available.

If you’re business name is different than your actual name and someone already owns that domain name as a .com, you’ll be alerted and alternatives will be suggested.

For example, if your business is Jones Massage and jonesmassage.com is taken, then available alternatives might be jonesmassage .net or jonesmassage.biz.

Yes, .com is preferable because it’s most familiar to people, but .net will work. Our Berwyn, PA USA office is a .net and does fine in the local search.

You could also try adding a word or changing your business name if you business name is not available as a .com.

For example, if your business name is Great Relief Massage and greatreliefmassage.com is taken, you could try greatreliefmassagetherapy.com.

Don’t get too far away from the business name that you want on your sign and/or what is your legal business name, but there is room for experimentation.

If you need a second set of eyeballs on your domain name selection, email (mark@makethemostofmassage.com) me.

Get a Real Real Domain Name and Build Your Website

How do you get a real domain name? Go with a web host service. It’s the cheapest way to build a website and it’s not hard to do.

What is a Web Host?

A web host provides storage space and the technologies for a website or web pages to be viewed on the Internet. The web host services I recommend provide free website builders.

Wait! How about just using a website builders like Wix and Weebly? Both are good options to create a website. But if you want to save money, have more control over your website and have additional websites at no extra charge, then go with one of the affordable web hosting services in this article.

Picking a Website Host/Builder

This post that I wrote, Cheapest Way to Build a Website, will provide you with my recommendations and give you all the information you need to pick the web host that is best for you.

Now, let’s build a website.

Step #2: Design a Simple, Effective Website

Ultimately, the design is not what’s going to bring in clients.

Okay, you don’t want an god-awful, ugly design that repels clients.

But if your website is simple and clean, you’re good content will carry the day.

Also, “simple” is a huge time-saver. 

You’re not going to be spending gobs of time trying to get a template design do exactly what you want it to do.

For an effective website, you only need these tabs (pages): HOME, ABOUT, and SERVICES.

Nail the simple but professional design, knock the content out of the park and you’ll have a website that brings in clients.

Once you’ve picked your template or theme, it’s time to…

Write engaging content.

When I say “write engaging content” I mean write 3 pages–About, Services and Homepage–that make the potential client want to pick up the phone and call you.

Let’s start with your About Page.

About Page

I’m just going to say this: You’re About Page is freakin’ important.

Why?

Because the customer wants to know who’s doing the rubbing.

And the About Page is your opportunity to gain the trust of the potential customer.

It’s also where you can stand out from the competition–especially the massage spas.

The faces on their About Page are always changing.

Your About Page face never changes.

It’s always you delivering the same great massage and customer care for each client in your own unique way.

Let the potential customer know this.

This article will show you how to do that: How to Write an About Page.

Just as important as your About page is your Homepage

Homepage

Your Homepage is your first impression page.

And you have to engage the viewer or she won’t check out your About page and/or Services page.

How are you going to engage the viewer?

I have a very simple strategy that you can do.

I explain it all here: How to Write a Homepage.

The last page you’ll need is a Services page.

Services Page

Again, not a big, hairy deal.

Here’s what ours looks like for PressurePerfect. Search to see what your competition in the area is saying on their Services page.

Don’t make it complicated. Just describe your services in a way that’s welcoming, but not overly sales-y.

And if you’re confused about how much you should charge, check out this article: How to Much Do I Charge?

So, you now know or have an idea of what you want to write on your website.

The last thing to do is…

Step #3: Basic SEO for Local Search

The Local Search is the search result that comes up first on the screen when someone types in “massage” in the Google search box.

You want to come up in the top 3 in the local search for “massage” in your area.

Why?

Because that is what automatically displays without the user having to click “More Places”.

There are some basic things you need to do to start ranking higher in the Local Search.

If you have a place to do massage, you’ll want to claim your business at Google My Business (GMB). GMB, a list of local businesses, appears at the top of the screen when someone searches for a term, like “massage”.

So, first, you want to be on that list.

Second, you want to rank as high as you can on that list. This article will help you optimize your GMB page.

That’s all you need to do for now.

You have a welcoming massage website that’s going to start ranking in the local search.

Now you can start to concentrate on other important marketing things and we can tweak your website as we go.

Massage Website Quick Review

1. Choose a website host/builder. 
2. Write engaging About, Home and Services pages.
3. Optimize your GMB page. 

Not sure a DIY massage website is for you?

My door is always open to talk:-)

Just let me know what’s going on.