Checklist for Creating an Optometry Website

Creating an Optometry Website Checklist

Here's a comprehensive list of everything you need to create a successful website for your practice. This has been extracted from years of experience creating successful websites for local businesses, particularly for optometrists. The document itself is a great complement to your Sprout! Website, to guide you along as you fill in the pages of your site. If you'd like, we can manage the creation of the website with our Mentor and Service packages, and professional photography services. Don't forget to read the bottom, which is possibly the most important part: how to market your website so that people can find it when looking for an optometrist or searching the web.

Custom Domains & Emails

A custom domain for your business like www.mypractice.com and drme@mypractice.com

I already own my own domain: and need it mapped to my new Sprout! website
We will email you instructions on how to configure your existing domain
I will buy my new domain myself, which is
You can purchase a domain using a registrar, like GoDaddy.com. We will email you instructions if you'd like.
I would like consultation and for you to set it up (included with our Mentor and Outsource Packages.)
We will come up with different ideas until we settle on the domain name, and then we will set it up for you completely (with email)

Website Content

A checklist for all your website content. We help do this for you with our Mentor and Outsource Packages.

Website Name & Tagline
Input the name of your practice, and a descriptive line about what you do.
Homepage Introduction
A short introduction to your patients to entice them to come to your practice
Contact Information
- Street Address
- Business Hours
- Phone & Email
Products & Eyewear
Adding products and eyewear is a great way to attract new patients and increase search engine hits.
- Frame Brands
  At the very least, we recommend adding the various brands you carry. You can write them below.
- Contact Lens Products
  You can also add the brands and types of contact lenses you carry, like multi-color or bi-focal. You can write them below.
Services
Add the services you have for your patients to read. Please check the services you offer.
- Comprehensive (General) Eye Exam
- Contact Lens Exam
- Laser Vision Co-Management
- Children's Eye Exam
- Urgent/Emergency Eye Exam
- Low Vision Evaluation
- Punctual Plug Occlusion
- Orthokeratology (Ortho-K)
- CHP Vision Testing
- Vision Therapy
- Ergonomic Vision Evaluation and Training
- Other
  Please write them below.
- Accepted Vision Insurance
  - VSP
  - Blue Cross
  - Blue Shield
  - Medicare
  - MESVision
  - The Eye Care Network
  - Medicaid
  - HealthNet
  - Superior Vision
  - EyeMed
  - United Health Care
  - Other
    Please write them below.
People
- Optometrists
  Please write full names below. We will ask for bios later.
- Staff
  Please write full names & positions below, e.g. Optician, Office Manager, Receptionist. We will ask for bios later.
About Us
- 2-3 Overview Sentences
- History
- Mission / Philosophy
- Awards
- Groups & Affiliations
Links (Patient Education & More)
- AllAboutVision.com
- EyeHelp.org
- Vision3d.com Exercises
- Re-Order Contacts, if affiliated with eyefinity
- Other
  Please write them below.
Policies
- Privacy Notice

Photography

A checklist for all your website's photos. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we can take photos for you, starting at $499.

1-2 Front of Street/Building Shots
Helps your patients find you.
1 Front Desk Action Short
For the home page, and About Us page.
2-3 Frame Eyewear Boutique Shots
For the home page.
5-10 Action Shots of Exams, with Different Doctors
For services pages, doctors pages, re-used on About Us page. Take 1-2 per service offering.
1 Full-Team Shot
For the About Us Page
2-3 Happy Patients with Boutique Backdrop
For the home page, and About Us page.

When Done: Link Building

The most effective way to get new hits to your website is to ask the following places to add links to your practice's site. We help do this for you with our Mentor and Outsource Packages.

Yelp
Go to your listing and click "Edit Business Info"
Google Maps
Go to your listing and click "Edit" and then click "Claim your Business"
Yahoo Local
Go to your listing and click "Add Info Here"
Insider Pages
Go to your listing and click the blue "Is this your business?" button
Yellow Pages
Go to your listing and click the "Make your listing better" at the bottom left
All Vision Insurance Directories
Most vision insurance companies have a directory of doctors, and can list your site.
Local & State Optometry Societies
Some optometry societies have a list of member doctors, and can add a link to you.
Affiliated Practices (e.g. Laser Surgery Clinics)
Ask practices who refer patients to you to post a link to your site.
Buying Groups
Ask buying groups you participate in to post a link to your site.
All About Vision
Get a link from All About Vision if you put up a link to All About Vision
Fellowships & Awards
Links from any websites of fellowships or awards you have won. Please write them below.
Alma Mater Alumni Site
A few (not many, unfortunately) schools will post links to their alumni practices. Please write the optometry school(s) your optometrists graduated from.
Other Ideas
Please write them below.
Google, Yahoo, MSN Search
Your link will automatically be added to the major search engines.