Your End-of-Life Doula Website: 5 Home Page Must-Haves

You’re launching your end of life doula business — congrats! But the task of creating a website is feeling very, very daunting — for so many reasons. At the top of the list for many? The home page — a blank canvas waiting the perfect blend of words and images to attract the clients you want to serve.

Your homepage is often the first (and sometimes only) page a potential client will visit before deciding whether to reach out. In the world of end-of-life care, your site isn’t just selling a service — it’s offering comfort, clarity, and trust at an emotional and vulnerable moment.

So, what exactly should you make sure to include on your homepage to be sure it is both inviting and effective? Here are my top five must-haves.

1. A clear, compassionate introduction of who you are, what you do, and who you help as an end of life doula.

When someone lands on your site, they should immediately understand who you are, where you are, what you do, and who you help. This isn’t the place for vague statements or industry jargon. Instead, speak directly to your visitors in a warm, human tone.

Example: “As an end-of-life doula in Chattanooga, TN, I support individuals and families through the final stages of life with compassion, practical guidance, and presence.”

Within the first few seconds, your site visitor should feel like they’ve found someone who understands what they’re going through. Avoid burying this in a long narrative paragraph all about your calling to the work, your background and training and every one of your services….  Including where you are goes a long way to showing up in search.

Keep it short, heartfelt, and easy to read.

2. Share an overview of your end of life doula services (NOT ALL THE DETAILS!)

A homepage isn’t where you list all the details about every single service or package you offer end of life care — that belongs on your Services page. 

Here, your goal is to give visitors a quick snapshot of how you can help. You want them to be able to scan and get an instant sense of how you can make a difference in their lives.

On your home page, you can include 3–5 short blurbs that cover your main offerings, like:

• Vigil Support – Presence and comfort during the final days and hours.
• Advance Care Planning – Help with paperwork, wishes, and conversations.
• Family Support – Guidance for loved ones during illness, death, and after.

Each blurb should link to the full Services page for more details. This way, someone scanning your homepage gets a sense of the scope of your work without feeling overwhelmed.

NOTE: At the start of your end of life business, it’s fine to just have a single services page. Down the road as you grow, however, I do recommend expanding your site to include individual pages for each of your core services. This will help you to show up in searches for specialized terms such as legacy projects and vigil support.

3. A warm, inviting photo (yes, of you!)

In end-of-life work, trust is everything — and trust starts with connection. People want to see the human being they’ll be inviting into such a personal and emotional space. That means at least one authentic, friendly photo of you belongs on your homepage.

This doesn’t have to be a stiff “professional” headshot. In fact, photos that show you in a natural, approachable setting often work better. Think soft lighting and eye contact. 

Do NOT take a family photo and crop everyone else out of it, or reuse your professional photo from back when you were a lawyer, or take a quick selfie sitting on the couch.

A good quality image here makes a HUGE difference in terms of relationship and trust building. Grab a friend with a good phone camera or DSLR camera and take 50 photos of you until you get one that feels good! And yes — smile. You can be both professional and compassionate at the same time.

If you have any images of you in conversation with a client, or even a friend or family member posing as a client (with consent, of course), that is even better.

4. A clear call to action (CTA)

The biggest mistake I see on doula homepages? No clear next step. If someone connects with your words and feels ready to learn more, you need to make it very obvious what they should do next.

You should have at least one if not several call to action buttons on your home page – and the first one needs to be visible at the very top of your site before people have to scroll. Make it a button, not just a link, so it stands out visually.

Examples of strong CTAs:

• “Schedule a Consultation”
• “Book a Free 20-Minute Call”
• “Send Me a Message”

5. Build trust & connection with site visitors

Your homepage isn’t just about services — it’s about connection. End-of-life care is deeply personal, and families want to know the person they’ll be working with. A short About Me section on the homepage builds that bridge.

Keep it brief here — just a few sentences about why you do this work, your approach, your training and experience, and maybe a personal detail or two that humanizes you.

This personal touch can be the deciding factor for someone choosing between you and another doula.

Including a few short testimonials from past clients will instantly build trust with your site visitors.

Bonus Tips for an Effective Homepage

While the five items above are non-negotiables, a few extra touches can make your homepage even more effective:

Soft, Calming Visuals: Use colors, fonts, and images that match the tone of your work — avoid anything too harsh or clinical.

Simple Navigation: Don’t make people hunt for your Services, About, or Contact pages.

Readable Design: Keep paragraphs short, use headings, and make sure your text is easy to read on both desktop and mobile.

Final Thoughts

Your homepage is your way to meet clients where they are — at 2am, wondering how on earth they will manage with all the stress and overwhelm of their situation, searching online for a solution. 

It’s the place where first impressions are made and where someone decides if they feel safe enough to take the next step with you. 

By focusing on a clear introduction, a snapshot of your services, a warm photo, a clear call to action, and a brief about section with testimonials, you’re giving visitors exactly what they need to feel confident reaching out.

If you’re wondering whether your current end of life doula website’s homepage checks all these boxes, take a few minutes to review it with fresh eyes — or ask a trusted friend to give honest feedback. Sometimes a few small changes are all it takes to make your site not just beautiful, but truly effective.

Interested in learning more about your options for an effective website? My end of life doula website templates are designed especially for your needs. Clear, easy to navigate, and warm, you can be assured you have an affordable website that can instantly build trust and connection with the people who need your care. You can explore website templates and pricing packages here. Save $50 with your LifeSpan coupon: LIFESPAN!