Get More Leads From Your Webform: Optimization Strategies From Supported Practice

I know what you’re probably thinking…optimization for webforms? What does that even mean? I understand that the idea of optimizing webforms may not seem like the most exciting thing, but trust me when I say it can make a big difference in your online presence. When you think about it, webforms are often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers or clients. They are a crucial tool in gathering important information, building relationships, and helping your business grow.

If you own a therapy practice, you probably already have a webform for the business. So, let us begin by discussing the purpose of a webform to get this started. A webform, is an administrative tool that, if used correctly, can save you and your admin team A LOT of time with the back and forth of emails/phone calls that often happens in the process of getting new clients scheduled. Many owners make the mistake of keeping their webforms to the bare minimum of “who are you, what are you looking for, and how do we reach you” which, for some practices might be sufficient- but is your webform as it stands currently really maximizing the time you have with your administrative team? A webform, at a minimum, needs 4-6 components to be effective.

So, what can you do to ensure that your webforms are optimized for success? Here are some tips that will help: 

1. Two forms of contact info - Phone Number/Email

It is especially important to grab both forms of contact as many times when you have leads reaching out they may accidentally include a typo in the email, or include an extra digit in their phone number.

Imagine being a potential client who is interested in therapy, and you take the time to fill out a webform to express your interest. You eagerly await a response from the practice, but instead of hearing back, you receive nothing but silence. Days go by, and you begin to feel discouraged, wondering if the practice even received your information. Finally, after following up, you hear back from the business, only to find out that there was a typo in your email. Frustration sets in as you realize that this small mistake has hindered your ability to connect, leaving you feeling disappointed and discouraged from reaching out again.

Asking for two forms of contact info ensures that if one form is incorrect, there is still a reliable way for you to reach out to the client. It may seem like a small detail, but it can make all the difference in building a successful and positive relationship from the very beginning.

2. Type of therapy: Minors, Individual, Couples, Family?

Including an option to select the type of therapy that your practice offers can be a huge assistance to your scheduling process, especially if only certain providers work with kiddos, or couples, or can provide EMDR therapy- the list can go on. But by allowing clients to identify this in their first point of contact, it allows your admin team to start identifying the best possible matches right at that initial contact.

3. What topics or concerns are they hoping to discuss?

When someone decides to seek therapy, it can be a big step for them. For some, simply asking what brings them to therapy can be a loaded question, and they may not know where to start or how to articulate their concerns. That's why instead of asking a broad question, it can be helpful to ask a few specific topics or concerns that they hope to discuss.

By asking this question, you are narrowing down the response to specific areas that the client wants to focus on. This can help you to match the client with the best clinical match on staff that is available for them. Additionally, asking about the topics or concerns that a client hopes to discuss can also help you identify earlier on when a referral to a higher level of care might be necessary.

This can help clients feel heard and understood, while also ensuring that they receive the support and resources they need to achieve their goals.

4. Therapist Preference? (if applicable)

By making this an option you are allowing your clients to communicate their preferences which everyone values! This also can provide some insight on what their concerns might be like if they did not include a lot of information on their initial inquirey. If you work solo, no need for this specification. However, for any practice there may be other helpful pieces of information you might need depending on your specialty- ask your team today!

*PRO TIP: if you are the owner and not accepting new clients, remove yourself as an option! Often times leads will just choose the practice owner if they are unsure of who to choose- you can even put a “please match me with the best fit” as an option instead!

 5. Availability for sessions?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask a potential client early on, as the scheduling piece is what tends to take the longest as we humans tend to stay busy and can have some complex schedules to work around. Many potential clients have already identified a time that they hope to have sessions before they reach out, so addressing these needs early on is arguably one of the most important details to sort out in the matching and scheduling process. 

6. Insurance? (If applicable)

If you accept insurance this is likely a no brainer for you, of course you will want to include either a type box or drop down to allow clients to include their insurance carrier information so you are able to let them know upfront if you are in our out of network with their plan. This also allows you the opportunity to check for OON benefits for clients on their behalf which is always appreciated, and frankly tends to convert more clients in our experience. 

*FINAL NOTE: webforms should always be going directly to your administrative team, whether it is a webform from the practice website, a Psychology Today profile, Inclusive Therapists, etc. When you have inquiries going directly to your therapists rather than your dedicated admin team you are losing precious time to convert this interested lead by delaying the information to your trained and dedicated team who can assist them in scheduling.

So, did you know all of these things about webforms already? Are you currently employing some of these tips? Ask your team today if your webform is working sufficiently for your practice at this time, and we can assist in providing personalized feedback for your practices webform unique to the specific needs of your business and clientele!

Are you ready to start streamlining your web form process? Reach out to us today to learn more about how Supported Practice can help you!