Every healthcare organization or practice needs a website. This is not news. But, not all websites are created equal. If you want your web presence to have a positive impact on your business, it’s going to need these 10 features.
1. Appointment and Contact Forms–These should be on almost every page, and almost every call-to-action should reference them. The endgame is always to see more patients, get more customers or help more people, so you need to make it as easy as possible for them to get in touch with you.
2. Mobile-responsive Design–Responsive design means that the website changes in appearance to make it more viewable depending upon if the viewer is using a desktop or laptop, tablet or phone. Considering that in 2016 mobile web viewing surpassed computer-based viewing, you really need a mobile responsive website.
3. Simple Navigation–This one’s a no-brainer. People will simply go elsewhere if they can’t find the information they need on your website, no matter how slick and well-designed it is. Menus should be intuitive and uncluttered, and those appointment and contact forms should be featured prominently throughout the site.
4. Testimonials–Do you have satisfied customers or patients? They can be your biggest advocates, so ask them for testimonials. More than 9 out of 10 potential customers will trust a recommendation from someone they know, while 70 percent will trust online reviews, according to research company Nielsen. Let your customers do the talking for you.
5. Secure Server–Health records can be very valuable to hackers and other miscreants because they contain so much information, like addresses and social security numbers. Every website needs to be secure, but healthcare websites need to go a step further for HIPAA compliance, so make sure any providers you use for web services are conversant with HIPAA standards.
6. Stable Hosting Environment–Your website won’t do your practice much good if it’s down too often. Make sure to find web hosting that can guarantee at least 99 percent uptime (most reputable web hosts can do so).
7. Useful, Well-written Information–This is Content Marketing 101. You want people to see you as an authority and an expert in your field. Put together helpful content so the next time someone thinks about what you do, they’ll think of you. Plus, relevant and well-written information will help your search engine visibility.
8. Clear Messaging–Going hand in hand with #7, clear messaging will help manage your customers’ expectations and get you in front of the people most likely to use your service or purchase your product. Be explicit with what services you offer, what patient population you serve, or what makes your product unique and useful.
9. Blogs–You have something to say, don’t you? Of course you do, so say it with a blog. Blogging can allow you to connect with potential clients in a less formal way, as well as go into more depth on certain subjects or write about things that may not fit neatly into the rest of your website. Search engines also look kindly on websites that regularly produce new content.
10. Search Engine Optimization–What good is a great website if no one can find it? Useful content (see #7) and a regularly updated site (#9) will improve your search engine rankings, but there’s plenty you can do on the back end as well. Understand that more than 90 percent of people never click beyond the first page of search results, so getting your site near the top is crucial to your visibility.
This all might sound like a lot to take on, but we are here to help. We know how to make healthcare website stand out and increase traffic and conversions. Let us know how we can help you today.
