Is Your Website Holding Your Practice Down?
Out of all the marketing tools available to Dentists, the one we always want to prioritise is the practice website. However, even when we preach this, we see so many practice websites left to gather dust. Big Mistake! A weak, outdated translates to missed opportunities in garnering new patients.
With this in mind, let’s go over the main reasons why a top-level website is your most important marketing tool for the success of your practice.
It’s the force behind your Google Rankings
Word-of-mouth recommendations are the only thing more effective than Google search for gaining new patients. So never underestimate the power of climbing up the rankings. And guess what helps you land those top Google spots? A website that’s fresh, modern, and follows Google’s ever-evolving rulebook.
But here’s the catch: outdated websites with creaky tech tend to fall further and further down the rankings. That means fewer searches, fewer clicks, and ultimately, fewer new patients. With competition in dentistry heating up, and web-savvy dentists using stellar websites and SEO to rule the Google roost, can you really afford to stay stuck in the past?
It’s a representation of your brand and skills
When someone seeks new dental services, whether it’s a long-term partnership for their oral health or a one-time treatment like Invisalign, they will likely visit your website to learn more about you. This holds true whether they heard about you through a recommendation or found you through an online search on Google or another platform.
Therefore, it’s crucial that your web presence accurately and elegantly reflects the services you offer and the standards you maintain. It’s easy to imagine what a potential new patient might think if they encounter an outdated and neglected website. Most likely, they’ll just move on to another option.
It should answer any questions your patients have
When you compare a modern, well-structured website with one built a few years ago, you’ll notice some significant differences. Not only are there key technical advancements behind the scenes, but there are also changes in how the content is structured and written.
Nowadays, a dentist’s website should focus not only on providing information about treatments but also on sharing stories about how those treatments have resolved patients’ problems, often improving their lives significantly. If your website isn’t telling these engaging stories, you’re likely missing out on potential new enquiries.
We often start to see a drop in new patient contact on older websites, even when the level of traffic remains steady. This is a huge indicator for us that the site may be reaching the end of its lifespan.
It reduces your internal administration
The benefits of a well-planned and structured website are often overlooked, but such a site can significantly reduce office tasks within a dental practice. From integrating with your appointment booking system to offering a comprehensive section where patients can download information PDFs, policies, procedures, and more, the advantages are clear. For dentists who accept referrals, enquiries can also be automated via the website. If your site is well structured and answers all your patient’s questions as we mentioned above, this can also reduce the time spent going back and forth with information.
While the personal touch will always be essential, digitising some of these activities can greatly streamline your back-office processes.
It can provide a better ROI than any other marketing tool
I have had many conversations with dentists, regarding the quality of the leads (enquiries) coming from various channels, i.e. the website, social media, and Google Ads, and the takeaway is usually the same across the board, the strongest leads tend to come directly from the website. While those other channels still provided good returns, they required much more effort to convert into actual treatments.
We often see that once a new website gains a foothold in Google and enquiries start to come in, the gains and resulting payback can be very rapid, often within just a few months. It’s quite evident, making it puzzling why many dentists don’t ensure their website is top-notch and continually work to improve them.
Experimenting with other marketing and advertising tools can yield good results, but it’s crucial not to neglect your website and Google ranking.
To summarise, the benefits of a well-designed, modern, and engaging dental website are clear. It not only attracts new patient enquiries but also helps reduce some of the back-office tasks within the practice.
While some dentists understand the power of a great website, many seem content with what they have, despite the easily quantifiable benefits of a new site. It makes good sense to diligently maintain your website, updating it periodically and being ready for a full upgrade when necessary.
If you’re just starting and need a new website, or looking to market your current one better and need some no-obligation advice, give us a call – 01202 677277 or drop us an email at info@dental-design.co.uk and one the team will be happy to help!
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