4 reasons you ’ re not getting more new patients from your website
Why isn ’ t your website working ? practice marketing
4 reasons you ’ re not getting more new patients from your website
by Marc Fowler
What if , on an average day , 13 people walked into your practice looking for a dentist , but your front desk staff was only able to convert one into an appointment ? One appointment from 13 visitors is only an 8 % conversion rate . If this were happening in your office , how confident would you feel about your front desk team ? You would probably get very serious about improving their performance .
Well , that ’ s what ’ s happening with most dental websites . Just like a visitor walking through your front door , visitors to your website must be converted to call for an appointment . For that to happen , your website needs to do two things :
1 2
Create a positive connection with the potential patient .
Convince visitors to take action toward booking an appointment – by completing a form or calling your office .
Unfortunately , the average dental website does not convert better than 13:1 . Ninetytwo percent of potential patients who visit the average website take no action at all – leading to holes in your schedule .
So , why aren ’ t more dental websites working ? We evaluate several hundred dental websites every year . Here are four common mistakes we see practices make with their websites that keep visitors from becoming patients :
Mistake # 1
Your Brand “ Point of Difference ” is Not Clear
Patients have more choices than ever . Why are you different from that dentist around the corner ? Why would a patient choose to drive by your competition to visit your practice ? Your website needs to communicate your brand “ difference ” clearly . If they don ’ t see you as the better option , their choice will most likely be made on price or location .
Take a minute and think about your brand and your unique selling point . What is your value proposition ? Do you offer the fastest denture repair in town ? Are your hours more convenient than other dental practices in your area ? Perhaps you are an ecofriendly , “ green ” practice . Unique value propositions appeal to different groups of potential patients . Whatever makes you special , clearly and concisely state that on your website .
Mistake # 2
You Forgot to Focus on the Patient ’ s Needs
Many practices forget to consider what the patient needs when they design their website and advertising . The website ’ s job is to make a positive connection with the patient ( based on your brand point of difference ). Let them know how you can help them , and give them the information they need to contact you . It is all about them and how you can meet their needs .
So what do they want to know when they visit your site ?
Every office is different , but these are some best practices we ’ ve seen from our research . We know from creating and monitoring hundreds of dental sites that patients most want to know :
n Is this practice a convenient and comfortable place for me ?
n Do they offer the services I need ?
n Who is the doctor ? Can I trust him / her ? Will I like him / her ?
n What do other people say about them ?
n How do I contact them ?
You need to adapt your website to your target patients in your targeted area . If you al-
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