North Texas Dentistry Volume 5 Issue 4 | Page 27

reach and keep those users.” In your case, “users” means patients, and it’s critical that they find exactly what they are looking for when they arrive at your website. Based on our experience and research, here is what patients generally want to do: n Read about the procedures you offer n Meet the doctor n Learn about insurance and financing options n Call your office n Find your address n The content must be present, well-written and easy to find. 3 Does it have the right amount of content? Google has routinely said that they will reward websites that have high quality, fresh content. So if your site has generic, bland, short paragraphs about the procedures you offer and hasn’t been updated in three years – you might have some work to do. Here is what we recommend: Separate pages. Google likes separate pages with original and unique content for each procedure. So if all of your services are listed on a single page with little or no content about each, you are limiting your ability to rank in a Google search. 4 Is your website consistent with your office? It’s very confusing for a potential patient to walk into a dental practice that wasn’t at all represented in the same way on their website. While it’s typically not a deal breaker, image consistency is important to building your brand. Ideally, your practice website and your office would be consistent in more ways than just utilizing the same logo and color scheme. For example, if you have a modern-style dental office with clean lines and modern art, then your site should be designed in the same manner. If you are a pediatric dentist, choose a more whimsical or fun website design. A consistent brand shows your potential patients that you are professional and you care about the details. 5 Is it designed to convert? A beautiful website is nothing more than an expensive, interactive brochure if it’s not designed to convert visitors into scheduled patients. Websites don’t automatically “convert”, they must be specifically designed to do so. Take a look at each page on your website and take note of whether it has these features: Does it prominently feature your phone number? And, is it in bold, large font (making it crystal clear how to book an appointment?) Is the copy compelling? You have five seconds to engage your potential pa ѥ