Great websites sell themselves.
Your website is a digital sales person for your practice, positioned to convert curious visitors into lifelong patients. The pressure’s off - just send them to your site.
Your call to action on ANYTHING is now just a URL.
The majority, if not all, of your patients go through your website to schedule an appointment. Even word of mouth referrals validate their choice online. So before you start investing in Google Ads or an updated social media account, make sure you have a foundation you can count on.
If your website isn’t great, stop what you're doing and fix it... Your marketing dollars depend on it.
Here’s an easy checklist to guide you:
#1 First Impression
When a patient lands on the website what is their first impression? Are they overwhelmed? Confused? If your website is jarring from the start, you’ll have to spend valuable time “re-writing” that response. Give the proper first impression from the start.
First impressions, done right, have the power to set the mood for the rest of the site. It draws them in rather than turns them away.
AGENCY INSIGHT: A photo that matches your brand, paired with a simple tagline is all you need for a great impression.
#2 Ease of Use
There’s nothing more frustrating than struggling to find what you’re looking for. If a patient is looking for the “about the doctor” page and they can’t find it quickly, they may just give up.
Similarly, if a potential patient finds you while searching on their phone, but when they pull up your site it doesn’t navigate well on their screen, they too may simply quit and move on.
AGENCY INSIGHT: Websites built for mobile-first tend to have the greatest UX, even when viewed on a desktop. Check out Domino Dental on your mobile device!
#3 Sales Narrative
Dental websites tend to follow one of two formats. The first is a navigation site, in which your homepage serves like a menu at a restaurant. While proudly displaying all the pages of your site upfront, they forfeit a strong sales strategy in the process.
The second style of website is a narrative site. Here you craft your site as though you were forming a sales presentation. This style of site relies heavily on an understanding of why patients come to you and what is most important in making that decision. You can find a few examples of why patients choose you in a past article of ours: 3 Things Patients Want.
AGENCY INSIGHT: A common narrative sequence begins with WHY this practice, WHO are you, then WHAT can a new patient expect.
#4 Human Connection
Data pulled from our collective clients’ sites shows that the number one clicked page on a website is the About Us page. The phrase holds true, “people buy from people.”
If your website doesn’t show your personality, patients won’t connect. You need more than a stiff headshot and a resume bio to make a connection. You can find a great example of this on a site we created for a friend and client of ours’s, Dr. Temi.
AGENCY INSIGHT: A Candid photo of you in action with a quote spoken from the heart builds patient trust. 161 Dental Studio
#5 Images of the Practice
Nobody wants to be surprised... especially not in health care. Patients are looking through your website, Google listing, or social media accounts to figure out what your practice looks like. It can be the driving factor behind whether or not a patient comes through your door.
Similar to a real estate agent trying to sell a home, professional photography can present your space in the best light possible. It will be well worth the investment.
AGENCY INSIGHT: Photos of your space don’t need to be empty, they can also serve as a backdrop for smiling patients.
#6 Establish Authority
It goes without saying, patients want to be sure you are the qualified choice for their care. The problem is communicating that in their language. While your training might be renowned in the dental world, to a patient it goes over their head.
Think through how you can display your experience, training, and expertise in a way that translates. A great example of this can be found on a site we built for our friend and client, Dr. Israel Putterman.
AGENCY INSIGHT: A simple, yet highly effective way to demonstrate authority is by featuring reviews or testimonials. Visit Middleton Family Dental for some inspiring reviews!
#7 Personal Invitation
Possibly the most overlooked element of a great site is the simple act of inviting a patient into your practice. Too many sites assume, “if you’re interested, you’ll call.”
Having a warm and sincere invitation at the end (or even throughout) your site can tip those teetering on the edge.
AGENCY INSIGHT: The best invitations are personal and sincere, after all, it’s the start of a relationship.
You’re Ready to Start Driving Traffic
A great website maximizes your marketing dollars, and gives you confidence that nothing is going to waste. Now it’s time to get as many eyes on your site as you can!
If you need help building a site you can be proud of, or you’re looking to plan the next step for driving traffic, we’d love to connect. Our team thrives on bringing out the best in our clients!
You can find out more at S8E8.COM.
We want to make it easy to implement story into your marketing, so we've provided free 3 part guide to story driven marketing. Go to s8e8.com/story
and download this incredible resource to begin!
