Many addiction treatment facilities ask themselves, “How should I structure my drug rehab website?” That’s a terribly important question. After all, without a clearly defined structure, an addiction treatment website will come across as just a random collection of pages and blogs. In the grand scheme of your digital marketing, website structure for a drug rehab must be a key consideration.
In web development, the structure is everything. It’s a necessary (actually critical) ingredient for navigating a drug rehab website. It creates a smooth process that enables viewers to move from one page to another effortlessly. Website structure for a drug rehab also allows you to demonstrate which pages are of primary or secondary importance.
What Constitutes Good Website Structure for a Drug Rehab Website?
Imagine going into a mall for the first time and discovering there’s no directory on display anywhere. It would make getting around and finding stores slower and much more difficult. That’s kind of what a badly structured drug rehab website is like to a first-time viewer. It’s someplace hard to move around in.
Since web visitors have infamously little patience, there’s a good chance they’ll bounce if they have an unsatisfactory experience. And it’s not just your visitors. When Google crawls your site, it too will notice a bad site structure. They’ll consider that bad for their users. That, in turn, is bad for you. Poor website structure for a drug rehab will definitely mean a lower Google ranking and less traffic.
Effective Website Structure for a Drug Rehab – A Few Simple Reminders
What exactly demonstrates good website structure? Let’s consider what it should look like if you’re creating a website:
Home Page
Your homepage is everything. It will be one of the most visited pages on your drug rehab website. It serves as the navigation hub for the rest of the website. Obviously, your most important landing pages need links to and from the home page. The home page is a lot like that mall directory sign. First-time visitors will depend on it as they try to figure out where they want to go on your website. Without question, proper website structure for a drug rehab includes an effective home page.
Sections ( landing pages on inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, etc.)
People will most likely find these either from the home page or through a Google search. For a drug rehab, landing pages typically involve types of treatment or they address major branding points for the facility (luxury amenities, location, etc.).
Subsections (for Larger Drug Rehab Websites)
A larger website will probably dig down into comprehensive topics (like individual therapies) more deeply. Often, these pages are of secondary importance. They should always navigate viewers to and from the main sections of the website. Viewers should never find themselves at a dead-end on these pages. They shouldn’t be without a clear direction regarding where to go next. Correct website structure for a drug rehab should move them smoothly to another area of the website.
Things To Keep in Mind With Drug Rehab Website Structure
As you work on enhancing the structure of your addiction treatment website, keep the following elements in mind:
Clear Navigation
Most people use driving apps because they get them to their destination easily. However, if those apps consistently told them to take wrong turns, no one would be using them. Your website navigation must also keep from sending viewers on wrong turns.
A Practical Menu
Let’s consider once again a directory sign at the mall. What if the writing is so small that it’s hard to read, even up close? What if it didn’t indicate which floor is which? What if it didn’t have something as basic as a “You are here” indication? All of these elements would make using the directory difficult, if not impossible.
Like the directory sign, your website menu should help visitors easily find things. The more difficult you make it to understand the structure of your website, the more likely visitors will leave.
Intuitive & Logical Internal Linking
Every website should have internal links. However, they must be done correctly in order to be effective. Some web developers understand the need for internal links but they don’t really understand how to use them correctly. Basically, it’s all about relevance. People will click on a relevant link in the content of a page. If the link seems irrelevant, they’ll probably ignore it. When that happens, your website effectiveness is greatly reduced.
Google is getting better at spotting irrelevant links. Links that seem forced or out of place with a web page’s content is yet another signal to Google that a webpage could be of low value. Internal links should take viewers on a logical journey through your website. When that happens, there’s greater engagement and viewers will remain on your website longer. Longer website visits dramatically raise the possibility of prospective patients (or their parents) contacting your facility. Smart internal linking is clearly a key aspect of good website structure for a drug rehab.
Is Your Website Structure Helping or Hurting You?
Your website is the backbone of your drug rehab facility’s digital marketing efforts. It’s necessary that you make sure it performs at peak effectiveness. A good way to begin is to ensure that it has a solid structure. What’s the best way to do that? Work with a web developer well versed in website structure for a drug rehab.
Dreamscape Marketing has built hundreds of websites for our drug rehab clients. A Premier Google Partner, we were recently recognized as one of the top five SEO agencies in the United States. Contact us today at 877-958-9180 or through our “Contact Us” webpage. Excellent website structure for a drug rehab matters. Let’s maximize yours.