Stop the Dominoes: A No-BS Decision Tree for Building Your Online Presence Without Overwhelm
- Lauren
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
You sit down, determined to finally tackle your online presence. You open Instagram, ready to dive in… but then the spiral begins.
Wait, should I have a website first?
Do I need branding?
Omg, what about a lead magnet?
And just like that, your to-do list multiplies, your brain short-circuits, and you close your laptop because who has time for all this?
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. So many health pros get stuck in this loop, convinced they need everything before they can even start. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to do it all at once. Think of this like a choose-your-own-adventurebook—not a sprint to perfection.
The key? Start where you are, take one step forward, and build from there. Follow this decision tree to simplify the process, get unstuck, and start showing up online without losing your mind.
1⃣ Do You Know Your Core Message?
👉 Yes: Great! Move to the next step.👉 No: Stop right here—your core message is everything.
🔹 What to do:
Ask yourself:
Who do I serve?
What problem do I solve?
How do I solve it?
Write these answers down and use them like a cheat sheet for all your branding and content. If you can’t clearly explain what you do and why people should care, no fancy website or aesthetic grid will fix that.
2⃣ Do You Have Consistent Branding?
👉 Yes: Amazing! Move to the next step.👉 No: Time to create a vibe that actually feels like you.
🔹 What to do:
Define your brand personality. Are you warm and calming? Direct and no-nonsense?
Choose colors, fonts, and imagery that reflect your energy.
Set up a Canva template library for social posts, so you’re not designing from scratch every time.
✅ Pro Tip: Your branding should feel like your digital hug—memorable, professional, and a reflection of you.
3⃣ Do You Have a Platform Where You Show Up Consistently?
👉 Yes: Keep going, you content queen.👉 No: Pick ONE platform and own it. Instagram is usually the best place to start for health pros.
🔹 What to do:
Optimize your profile bio, photo, and link to make a great first impression.
Post consistently (3x a week is great—more if you can, less if that’s all you can handle).
Engage! Respond to comments and DMs, because posting and ghosting is not a strategy.
✅ Pro Tip: I always like to start with social before building a big website. This is the perfect space to practice and refine your message, figure out what your community actually wants, and see what resonates. Forget the old "build it and they will come" mindset—you need to build for them. What you think they want and what they actually need might be two very different things. Use social media as your testing ground before investing in a bigger platform.
4⃣ Do You Have a Website or Lead Magnet?
👉 Yes: Amazing! You’re building a solid foundation.👉 No: You don’t need one to start, but eventually, you’ll want a place outside of social media where people can learn about you.
🔹 What to do:
Option 1: Use Instagram as your mini website—share value, connect, highlight services, share case studies, and direct people to your DMs.
Option 2: Build a one-page website with your bio, services, and contact info (no need to overcomplicate it). Or if you’re all in, build out a full 5-6 page website.
Option 3: If you’re ready, create a lead magnet (like a free checklist or guide) to grow your email list.
✅ Pro Tip: Your website doesn’t have to be fancy—just functional. No one cares about an animated homepage if they can’t figure out how to book with you.
5⃣ Are You Using Email Marketing?
👉 Yes: Look at you, nurturing your audience like a pro.👉 No: It might be time to start, especially if you want to stay top of mind without depending on social media algorithms. This also gets people onto your list, so that if social media vanishes one day…it’s not earth shattering to your ability to chat to your community.
🔹 What to do:
If you have a lead magnet, set up an email nurture sequence (3-5 emails welcoming new subscribers and introducing your services).
Repurpose your best social media posts into weekly or biweekly email content.
Share patient-friendly insights, clinic updates, and promotions to keep your audience engaged.
✅ Pro Tip: Email lists are gold. Social media can crash, but your list is yours forever.
6⃣ Are You Creating Blog or Long-Form Content?
👉 Yes: Amazing! You’re boosting your credibility and SEO.👉 No: You don’t need to, but if you love teaching, this is a great way to expand your reach.
🔹 What to do:
Start a blog on your website with searchable health topics.
Repurpose Instagram Lives into YouTube videos, blogs, or podcasts.
Use long-form content (Blogs, Podcasts, YouTube Videos) to establish yourself as the go-to expert in your field.
✅ Pro Tip: Blogging isn’t about instant results. It’s about long-term visibility.
7⃣ Are You Collecting Social Proof (Testimonials & Case Studies)?
👉 Yes: Keep sharing those wins!👉 No: You need to start—social proof is everything.
🔹 What to do:
Create a “Patient Love” or “Case Studies” highlight on Instagram or on your website in a blog.
Share anonymized, HIPPA compliant patient success stories through captions, carousels, or blog case studies.
✅ Pro Tip: Testimonials or Success Stories build trust way faster than a polished sales pitch.
8⃣ Are You Ready to Scale Beyond Social Media?
👉 Yes: Time to step up your marketing game.👉 No: No rush—focus on mastering your current strategy before expanding.
🔹 What to do:
Optimize your website for SEO to drive organic traffic.
Start experimenting with video content (Reels, YouTube, or Live Q&As).
If you’re confident in your messaging, consider running simple paid ads to amplify your reach.
✅ Pro Tip: Scaling isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things better.
Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection
You don’t have to do everything today. Start with what feels manageable, master it, and expand when you’re ready.
Your next step: Pick ONE thing from this list and take action. Stop overthinking, start posting, and let the dominoes fall into place—one strategic move at a time.
Need Help? We have content solutions for ND's and Health & Wellness Pros to make content creation SO MUCH EASIER (no need to pull out your hair).
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