1. Why Hospice Websites Must Be Different
Web design for hospice and palliative care is unlike any other project in healthcare marketing. The families visiting your website are not browsing. They are not comparison shopping. They are in the middle of one of the most difficult experiences of their lives — often searching through tears, on a phone, at 2 AM.
A hospice website does not exist to "sell." It exists to comfort, inform, and guide. Every design decision you make either reduces their anxiety or adds to it. If your website looks like a typical medical practice site with stock photography and clinical jargon, you are failing the people you serve.
Of hospice searches happen on mobile devices
Peak search time for hospice-related queries
Of visitors are family members, not patients
Priority: reduce anxiety, not generate leads
Your Website Is Often the First Touchpoint
When a family member searches "hospice care near me" or "what is palliative care," they are dealing with fear, grief, confusion, and urgency. They need answers immediately. They need to feel that your organization understands what they are going through. And they need a clear, simple path to get help. Flashy animations, complex navigation, and marketing-speak have no place here.
2. Design Principles for End-of-Life Care
Appropriate Design Choices
Design Choices to Avoid
Your Imagery Should Say 'You Are Safe Here'
Use authentic photography of real staff members in comfortable settings. Nature imagery — sunlight through trees, a garden path, a peaceful room — communicates calm and compassion without saying a word. Every image should answer the unspoken question: "Will my loved one be treated with dignity?"
3. Accessibility as a Moral Imperative
Many of your website visitors are elderly. Some may have visual impairments, motor difficulties, or limited technical literacy. Accessibility is not a compliance checkbox for hospice — it is a moral imperative that directly reflects the values of your organization.
Visual Accessibility
- Larger font sizes: 18px minimum body text
- High contrast ratios: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance at minimum
- Avoid relying on color alone to convey information
- Clear visual hierarchy with distinct headings and sections
Mobile-First Design
- 65%+ of hospice searches happen on mobile — design for mobile first
- Click-to-call button large, visible, and on every page
- Single-column layouts reduce cognitive load on small screens
- Touch-friendly buttons with adequate spacing (44px minimum)
Technical Accessibility
- Full screen reader compatibility (ARIA labels, semantic HTML)
- Keyboard navigation support for all interactive elements
- Descriptive alt text on every image
- Video captions and transcripts for all multimedia content
Phone Number: One Tap to Call
Display your phone number prominently — large, clickable, and visible on every page. Families in crisis call. They do not fill out forms. Make sure calling your organization requires one tap, not three clicks. The phone number should be in the header, in the hero section, and in the footer.
4. Content That Serves Families
Your content strategy should prioritize serving families, even though it will also benefit your search rankings. Every piece of content should answer a real question that families are asking during one of the most difficult times of their lives.
Educational Resources
- 'What to Expect When Hospice Begins' — reduce fear of the unknown
- Caregiver guides for family members providing daily care
- Grief support resources: what to expect, where to find help
- Practical checklists: what to have ready, documents to prepare
Staff Bios
- Emphasize compassion and calling, not just credentials
- 'Maria has spent 15 years walking alongside families...' over certification lists
- Include personal touches: why they chose hospice care
- Professional but warm photography — approachable and caring
Testimonials (Handle with Care)
- Focus on the care experience and comfort provided, not outcomes
- Obtain explicit written permission from families
- These are not marketing assets — they are sacred trust
- Let families tell their story in their own words
Write in Plain Language
Use "comfort care" instead of "palliative symptom management." Use "getting started" instead of "intake process." Every piece of content should be written at a reading level that a stressed, exhausted family member can absorb quickly. Avoid medical jargon entirely — clarity is compassion.
Deep Dive Resource: For more on building healthcare content that educates rather than sells, see our Vein Clinic Marketing Guide.
6. SEO for Hospice and Palliative Care
Priority Hospice Keywords
- hospice care near me — Highest-intent local search — families ready for immediate help
- what is palliative care — Educational search — build comprehensive guide content
- hospice eligibility requirements — Qualification-focused — answer directly and clearly
- hospice vs. palliative care — Comparison search — create dedicated comparison page
- grief support [city] — Post-care need — serve families beyond the initial engagement
- how to start hospice care — Process-focused — step-by-step guide with phone number prominent
Content Serves Families First, SEO Second
In hospice web design, your content strategy should prioritize serving families above all else. The good news is that the content families need most — clear answers to urgent questions — is also the content that ranks best in search. Serve families well, and the SEO will follow.
7. Building Trust Through Design
Accreditation and Certification
- Display CHAP, ACHC, or Joint Commission accreditation badges
- Medicare certification status clearly communicated
- State licensing information easily accessible
- Professional organization memberships (NHPCO, AAHPM)
Community Recognition
- Local awards and recognitions from community organizations
- Years of service in the community
- Community partnerships and volunteer programs
- Staff certifications and specialized training
Availability Messaging
- 'Available 24/7' messaging prominent across the site
- After-hours phone number or answering service information
- Response time expectations: 'We respond within [timeframe]'
- Multiple contact methods: phone, form, email
8. Measuring Website Effectiveness
Primary metric: phone calls from the website
Page load time target (mobile)
Minimum WCAG accessibility compliance level
Bounce rate target — families should find answers quickly
For hospice websites, traditional marketing metrics like "conversion rate" feel inappropriate. Instead, measure whether your website is successfully serving families: Are they finding the information they need? Are they calling your organization? Are they spending time on educational resources? Is the website accessible to all visitors?
Evaluate Your Hospice Website
Our team can provide a compassionate website audit that evaluates your site against best practices for hospice and palliative care organizations.
Request a Website Audit9. Your Website Redesign Roadmap
Phase 1: Content Audit (Weeks 1–2)
- Audit all existing content for clinical jargon — rewrite in plain language
- Identify the top 10 questions families ask and ensure each has a dedicated page
- Review testimonials for sensitivity and obtain updated permissions
- Assess current accessibility compliance with WAVE or axe tools
Phase 2: Design and Architecture (Weeks 3–4)
- Simplify navigation to 5–7 main items with clear labels
- Implement warm, calming color palette and authentic photography
- Make phone number prominent in header on every page
- Design mobile-first layouts with large touch targets
Phase 3: Accessibility and Technical (Weeks 5–6)
- Achieve WCAG 2.1 AA compliance across all pages
- Implement screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation
- Optimize page load speed: target under 3 seconds on mobile
- Add descriptive alt text to every image
Phase 4: Content and SEO (Weeks 7–8)
- Publish educational resources: 'What to Expect,' caregiver guides, grief support
- Create staff bios that emphasize compassion and personal calling
- Build FAQ pages with schema markup for common questions
- Set up Google Business Profile with complete, compassionate information
Ready to Put This Into Action?
Our team builds the systems that turn these insights into real patient growth. Book a free strategy session and see how these strategies apply to your practice.