These 5 Easy Ideas Can Help Your Site Reach 80% of Your Patients
March 24th, 2016 by
Your patients might not be able to read your handwriting, but there should be no confusion with your website. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 80 percent of respondents look for health information online, and 44 percent actually search for physicians and healthcare professionals. As more and more people turn to the Internet to search for medical service providers, these tips will help you launch a website that connects new patients to your practice or clinic.
1. Patient Forms
Your website should make it easy for new or returning patients to access patient intake forms, schedule appointments, and update records. Registration forms can even be placed under their own tab, which will make it easier for website visitors to become registered patients. In general, always make things easy to find.
2. Mobile Responsiveness
In the United States, there are more mobile searchers than desktop searchers, and this trend is expected to increase. There are two reasons your medical website needs mobile-responsive capabilities. Patients searching on a tablet or smartphone are likely to spend more time on your website if it is easy to navigate. A non-mobile-friendly website can be confusing, creating incentive for the searcher to move on to a different website, possibly that of your competitor.
Furthermore, next month Google will start the roll out of a mobile-specific algorithm. Google is continually striving to improve the user experience, and if your website does not make the cut, it could be completely excluded from mobile search results.
3. Patient-Centric and Informative Content
Going to the doctor’s office can make some people feel anxious, but your website can provide comfort and instill confidence even before a patient walks through your door. All content should be patient-centric and make website visitors feel like they will be in safe hands. You can even give your website some personality by including bios for yourself and your staff. In an “About Us” or “Our Staff” section, you can not only show off impressive credentials but also demonstrate that you can engage with patients.
A strong medical website also includes news, information, and updates. This platform should be a marketing tool and resource for patients. Refreshing your site with blog posts, medical news, and alerts will show patients that you follow current issues and are an attentive professional. A website with a regularly updated blog will also rank higher in the search engine results.
4. Services and Insurance
Again, all information should be easy to read and find, especially services and insurance information. Give detailed explanations of your services, and note if there are any special considerations. There should never be any confusion about payment, so clearly state whether you accept cash or if other arrangements are acceptable. Discussing insurance plans and payment methods creates an opportunity to include a call to action. Ask website visitors to contact your office with any further questions about services or insurance.
5. SEO
“If you build it, they will come”—this adage does not apply to websites. It can take a little time for your new website to get noticed by search engines. An SEO campaign can improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your website. On- and off-page optimization, social media management, title tags, meta data, image optimizations, NAP consistency, professional listings, and many other factors play a role in boosting your Google ranking. Search Influence can create a SEO campaign that will promote your website, connecting you with patients who are more digital than ever before.
Image Credits:
