First impressions directly impact things like consumer behaviors, subconscious decision making, and yes, even who we choose as our dental provider.
Today, most dental first impressions aren’t when a patient first steps through your front door. It’s when they look at your website.
While most of us are used to re-assessing what we can more accurately call the “second impression” of our physical practice setting — the reception area, smells, and overall cleanliness — when was the last time you stepped back to assess the first impression your dental website was giving prospective patients?
If it’s been some time since your website was last updated, here are some important factors to consider:
You have a website. Believe it or not, there are still dental offices that do not have websites. Today, if it’s not online, it might as well not exist. While social media, Yelp, Google, and sites like Healthgrades are excellent for people to read reviews, they are no substitute for a business website. It would be like failing to have your contact information in the Yellow Pages when people still used phone books.
The photographs are up to date. Dated portraits of staff or the practice facility can make your website seem out of touch. Try to include recent photographs (along with a short bio) of all current team members. Putting a face to the name helps create a sense of familiarity and relationship with audiences, making a new dentist’s office seem a bit less intimidating.
Contact information and times are accurate (and easy to find). If it’s difficult to locate the phone number to your practice, prospective patients will get frustrated and just won’t follow through. Put your contact information front and center, making it hard to ignore.
Your blog and copy includes current information. Updating your various landing pages is typically done on an as-needed basis, such as when you add new services or incorporate fresh technology. By having an active blog, you’re consistently refreshing new content on your website to attract web traffic, but at the same time, you’re able to share information on the services you offer, educate patients, and make yourself seem “more accessible” to people in search of a dentist. If your current blog hasn’t been updated in several months, it will make your website seem disconnected and outdated.
Mobile-friendly design. Old, outdated websites tend to be one-size-fits-all. Or in this case, one that doesn’t fit. Today, a large percentage of people use their phones or tablets to access information. If your website doesn’t convert into a mobile version when someone pulls it up on their smartphone, it both appears outdated and out of touch with the times.
Connect your website with 3rd party pages and media. Most websites will allow you to integrate plugins that link to online review pages, social media, or have a stream built into a small area of the website. By incorporating these apps, it allows patients to instantly click through to the one they’re most comfortable using. Perhaps they want to read your Google reviews or see if any of their friends follow you on social media. Putting the information in front of them to begin with will make it easier to facilitate a follow-through.
Working with experts who are skilled in efficient web design that’s tailored specifically for the dental community can take the headache out of connecting with (and converting) new patients. Plus, you won’t run the risk of an outdated website that is subconsciously steering prospective clients in the opposite direction.
First impressions count. Especially in the days of the internet. To schedule a “tune-up” for your practice website, contact Pain Free Dental Marketing today.
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