11 Tips for Organizing Your Notary Website's Pages and Content

With more and more people conducting business online, building a notary website with the user in mind is important if you want to get more visitors and turn your notary website into a sales generator.

1- Home Page - Within seconds of landing on your home page, visitors should learn precisely who you are and what your business does. The Nielsen Norman Group says that webpage visits average ten to twenty seconds unless the page has clear value to the reader. If your text isn't focused and concise, visitors will scurry away and remember little about their visits.
2- Why Choose Us? - Instead of having an "About Us" page, we suggest a "Why Choose Us?" page. This page should describe clearly and succinctly how using your notary services will benefit the visitor. Don't burden this page with unnecessary details. Include when you started your notary business, why you enjoy what you do, and how your business provides excellent customer service. Customers don't want to read a detailed monologue about your life history.
3- Mobile Notary Services - On this page, describe mobile notary services that you offer and the areas you serve.
4- Notary Signing Agent Services - If you offer loan signing services as a notary signing agent, include a page to describe your coverage area by city, county, and zip code.
5- Other Services - If you provide services such as inspections, courthouse research, or deed recording, list them on this page, or establish separate pages for each type of non-notary service that you offer.
6- Fees and Payment Methods - This page is vital to your website's success; make it straightforward for visitors. List statutory fees for notarial acts separately from other fees. For instance, stated fees or mileage rates for traveling to clients' homes or businesses must be listed separately. Include payment methods you'll accept (e.g., cash, debit and credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, checks, etc.).
7- Contact Us - The Contact Us page is a critical component of your notary website that tells visitors how to reach your business. Because of its importance, include it within your top level navigation to ensure it's found easily. Your business phone number or email address should be included as well as social media network links (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn). An easy-to-use contact form added to this page may also encourage potential customers to reach out to you. You may wish to add your business hours to this page. If you offer walk-in notary services at an office location, include your street address and a map showing your location.
8- FAQs - List questions and answers asked frequently by clients. For example, you may want to include answers to questions such as "What type of identification is acceptable?" or "Why do you charge a travel fee?"
9- Blog - Maintaining a regularly updated blog on your website is an excellent way to improve search engine rankings. Also, visitors may be interested in reading posts about your notary services, law changes, and business policies.
10- Testimonials - Posting testimonials from satisfied customers, title companies, loan officers, and signing services on a page on your notary website may encourage undecided visitors to use your notary services.
11- Disclaimer - On your disclaimer page, state, "I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in [state name], and I may not give legal advice or accept fees for legal advice." Keep in mind as well that many states strictly prohibit notaries from using the phrase "notario publico" when advertising. Other states have restrictions regarding the use of "notario publico" or advertising in any foreign language. If you use the wording "notario publico" on your website, make sure to adhere to your state's laws.

Susan Trevino is a Contributing Writer with the American Association of Notaries