Stay at the Top: Getting the Most From Your DoulaMatch.net Profile
The single most powerful thing you can do for your DoulaMatch.net profile takes about ten seconds: update your availability calendar. Do it often, and you stay at the top of search results where families are looking.
Every month, 30,000 to 40,000 expectant and new parents come to DoulaMatch.net to find a doula. Hospital administrators and Medicaid and insurance referral coordinators use it too. Here is how to make sure they find you, plus two more ways to make your profile stand out once they do.
Why availability comes first
If you aren't available for a family's due date, nothing else on your profile matters to them. Not your fee, not your training, not your glowing testimonials.
DoulaMatch.net started with exactly this problem. Back in 2000, families I referred to doulas kept hitting dead ends: the doula was booked, had stopped practicing, or never called back. Too many of those families simply gave up on finding a doula at all. That's why availability is built into the heart of the site.
An up-to-date calendar tells a family two things at once: you're open for their due date, and you're actively working and likely to respond. That's the trust that turns a profile view into an inquiry.
How search ranking works
Your place in search results is set by one thing: when you last updated your availability. The most recently updated doulas appear first.
There are two ways to count as "updated":
- Change your calendar. Mark dates as available or booked on your calendar page.
- Click "Mark Calendar as Current." If nothing has changed, this button confirms your calendar is still accurate and refreshes your update date, all in one click.
That's it. It isn't about how long you've had a profile, what you paid for your profile, how many reviews you have, or how much you charge. Every time you refresh, you move back toward the top. Every day you don't, other doulas move ahead of you.
How often should you update?
More often than you think. In busy, competitive markets, the doulas at the top of the list update their availability every single day. Once a week isn't enough to hold a top spot in a large city.
In smaller markets you may hold your place with less frequent updates, but there's no downside to refreshing often. A few ways to make it a habit:
- Pair it with your morning coffee. Bookmark your calendar page and click "Mark Calendar as Current" before you check email.
- Set a daily phone reminder. A recurring alarm takes the guesswork out of it.
- Update the moment things change. Signed a new client? Had a family change their contract dates? Update right away so families never see stale dates.
- Look ahead. Keep future months open and accurate so families with later due dates can find you too.
Get your certification verified
Once a family finds you, the next question is often: "Is this doula trained and certified by a reputable organization?" Answer it before they ask.
Upload your birth doula and/or postpartum doula certification certificates to your profile. We verify them, display them on your profile, and add the Verified Certification badge. Families, hospitals and referral coordinators can see at a glance that your credentials have been uploaded for everyone to see.
Ask your clients for reviews
Families want to know what it's actually like to work with you. Reviews and testimonials from past clients answer that better than anything you can write about yourself.
Most happy clients are glad to help; they just need to be asked. Try this:
- Ask at your final visit or in your follow-up message, when the experience is fresh.
- Send the direct link to your DoulaMatch.net profile so it takes them a minute, not a search.
- Make it easy. Suggest they share what support you gave and how it felt, not write an essay.
Your profile checklist
- ☐ Update your availability calendar, or click "Mark Calendar as Current" (daily in busy markets)
- ☐ Upload your birth and/or postpartum certification certificates for the Verified Certification badge
- ☐ Ask your recent clients to post a review or testimonial
The doulas who keep their calendars fresh are the ones who make DoulaMatch.net work for families, and they're the ones families find first. Log in to DoulaMatch.net and update your calendar today.