First, let's set the scene. You've been working with a team of world-class SEO experts, and now your website is on page 1 of a Google search for "dentist." So today you are one of the three alternatives that mom is checking out online. Mom has just moved her family to a new neighborhood. Your practice is a short drive from their new home.
Now that your website is being found on a search list, you need to have a website that stands out and competes well with nearby practices. So, what does it mean to optimize your site for conversion?
There are many pieces. All of them are important. So, we will attempt to rank them in order of importance.
Visually Compelling Websites
1. You must have an eye-catching visual to stand out when your site is being compared to several other practices (that were also found near the top of the search list). You are being compared in real-time. If your website is visually compelling enough, the visitor will stay. Sometimes, the visitor will leave your site and mentally bookmark it to take a second look later. This process is not fair. In spite of all of your education and life accomplishments, it comes down to whoever has the best website and best online reviews. A stunning unique photo, rotating photo banner or a video banner can set you apart in real-time. So, they are not just really nice-looking things; they are competitive weapons.
Call To Action Essentials
2. Next, you need to have "the essentials" immediately in front of them, with no scrolling or navigating to find them. The essentials include large contact information, mainly the phone number. They also include “calls to action,” like a button that says, "Book Now!" These items make it easy for that website visitor to take the action required to become your patient. Most visitors are going to need a little bit more proof that your practice is the right one for their family. So, another essential, that should require no scrolling or navigating to see are the Online Review Site and Social Media icons. This way the visitor can conveniently and instantly check you out with their trusted, external information sources.
Custom Practice Overview Videos
3. Now, you have their attention. If they have not already called your office to set an appointment, some additional features on your website should help them convert to be your new patient. The most impactful of these additional features are videos. So, now that you have peaked their interests, they will probably want to scroll down on your homepage to see more. When you have a well-produced Practice Overview Video on your homepage you greatly increase the chance of that visitor becoming your patient. That practice overview video will engage the visitor seven times better than anything else you can put on your website. A side benefit to the Practice Overview Video is its "SEO horsepower." A properly optimized video on your homepage can be an SEO magnet. Part of the reason for that – Google owns YouTube and Google just wants YouTubes to rank high on search lists - so they do! That video can help pull your website up in the search list and it can also be out there by itself on the same search list, potentially giving you two ways to get found and convert viewers into patients.
A. A rule of thumb on practice overview videos is when they go on your website, they should be professionally shot and produced whereas a video shot on your cell phone is appropriate to post on social media.
Patient Education Videos
4. Another important tool to help convert visitors into patients is educational videos. Generally, for a low monthly cost, you can pick these videos right out of a library and place them on the services pages of your website. When that visitor is trying to research something consequential to their life (like dental implants), it's good that they do that research on your website. When they do their research on your website it is more likely they become your patient. Note: education videos, selected from a library are not unique content, so they don't have the same SEO horsepower as the practice overview video mentioned above.
Relevant Information Pages
5. & 6. Many will say the next few items are barely worth mentioning, but that's not true. You need to have a well thought out "meet the doctor" page and "contact us" page. You need to duplicate that call to action and Review Site / Social Media icons over to these other pages so that a visitor - who is starting to get a good feeling will conveniently convert.
Well Maintained Websites
7. Last, all of the thoughtfully incorporated techniques mentioned above can be wasted if your website is not properly maintained. For example, if your website has broken links - that can leave a very bad impression on the website visitor. That's because when they press a button or click on a link either nothing happens, or they get a "404 error" page. Additionally, that broken link is not only a bad visitor experience, but it sets you back with the search engines as well.
Having a website that is optimized for conversion is one piece of a solid marketing program. A holistic marketing program that includes a great website, great search engine optimization, search engine marketing, abundant and current online reviews on the right platforms and active social media will deliver consistent new patient flow and a good return on investment.
If you're looking for an agency that can handle all of your dental marketing needs, come to WEO Media! Contact us for a free consultation today! |
