Why Every Doctor Should Have A Website For Their Practice
The level of effort you put into your website can vary
, but as with anything, those willing to put in the most effort will come out on top.
Sadly, in our research we found that roughly only 15% of healthcare providers in North America have a website for their practice. However, this may be good news for you, as it will only take a small amount of effort to put you in a leadership role.
Having a website in 2011 is crucial to growing your patient base and maintaining a connection with them. Its no secret that the days of flipping through the phone book to find a doctor are over. Today, people opt for convenience and turn to Google, Yelp, Facebook, or Twitter when searching for a local healthcare provider, and unfortunately, if youre not in the search results, youre not growing your practice.
On top of that, people are also more willing to make a recommendation when online. Its much easier to send out a Tweet or post to Facebook that they were impressed with your service than to call a friend. However, if they cant include a link to your website for their friends to see, then the recommendation gets lost in the stream of information.
So, if you are one of the 85% without a website, or perhaps youre looking for an upgrade, here are some options for you:
The Basic Website
The very basic form of a website is a good start for most. Youll want a website with your own domain (like www.DrYou.com) and at very least list your credentials, the services you provide, your office hours, your contact information, and your location. This first step will get you into the Google search results, and save your receptionist time taking calls about where you are located and what time you are open.
You should also include a picture of the doctors to create a connection with the visitor. If your visitor feels connected to your practice and the doctors that work there, they will be more likely to book and appointment with you.
Capturing Search Engine Leads
Although only 15% of practices have a website today, we are seeing trends that suggest that number is going to rise dramatically in the next 5 years (this doesnt come as a surprise). So the real winners are going to go beyond a basic website and will give their patients the power to book an appointment online.
While there are many benefits to
online appointments for doctors that can be touched on in the future, in this context, the main benefit is the ability to easily convert a Google search into an actual, revenue-generating appointment. In the surveys weve done, weve found that people are 70% more likely to book an appointment through your website than have to make a phone call to find a time that you are available. It doesnt take much to figure out why convenience always wins. Give your patients the convenient option to book online and not only will you be booking more appointments, your patients will spread the word on how easy it was to make an appointment with you.
Sharing Interesting Content
To make your website truly interesting, you want to keep it updated with content that your patients will look forward to reading. This step definitely takes the most amount of work, but it can have quite a payoff.
Before booking an appointment with you its likely that your patients are using Google to research their symptoms and are often left with unreliable or irrelevant information. The patient would much rather be able to get this information from their own doctor, so having a blog where they can get information (or be pointed to reliable information) from someone they trust does wonders for building a relationship with them. In addition to that, new visitors to your website will quickly see that you are an expert in your field and will feel more confident booking an appointment with you.
by: Rocket Thought
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