Your dental practice’s website needs to be educational, but it also needs to be interesting enough to encourage people to contact your office.
So, let me show you how to make this a reality by guiding you through several crucial measures.
Having said that, let’s dive in!
Include a prompt for the reader to take some sort of action.
In marketing, the word “call-to-action” (CTA) refers to the act of encouraging the audience to do something.
Websites frequently do this, with calls to action such as “Call Now” or “Get a FREE consultation today!”
Calls to action (CTAs) are essential on a dentistry website because they encourage visitors to take action (e.g., make an appointment or sign up for a newsletter). Without them, the visitor would feel lost on your site and likely leave. This one tweak could mean the difference between watchers becoming scheduled patients.
Calls to action (CTAs) like “Get a FREE second opinion!” or “Call us today to get our $89 New Patient Special!” should be prominently displayed on your site. Look around until you find what resonates with you the most, and then post it. Obviously, you must abide by all applicable laws regarding the distribution of advertisements in your particular state or municipality.
An idea that takes it one step further by including a contact form prominently displayed with the call to action “Looking for a new dentist?” Brilliant idea because it makes it simple for the audience to connect.
More than one call to action (CTA) should appear on your site. For example, their website says, “$0 Emergency Visit for New Patients” near the beginning of their Emergency Dentistry information page. With this CTA in place, website visitors who land on this page will be prompted to pick up the phone and contact you immediately.
Add some glitz to your call-to-action buttons.
Your call to action (CTA) should be noticeable and stand out from the rest of your website, but it doesn’t mean you should go overboard.
Show some proof from social media.
An individual’s social proof is crucial. It’s tangible evidence that you are, in fact, the dentist your patients want to see. Your identity and the qualities you claim to possess are genuine.
Examples of social proof include comments from satisfied customers, links to featured pieces in newspapers and other media, before-and-after pictures, and video testimonials. Actually, it’s far simpler than you’re imagining. However, before publishing this, make sure you have a patient release form (for HIPAA and other legal purposes). In the same way, your lawyer can likely draft one for you quickly and easily.
People will look at your website, but they will also check review sites like Google and Yelp to see what others have to say about your business.
Create a page titled “Smile Gallery”
To put it simply, a “Smile Gallery” is just a collection of “before” and “after” pictures of your smile. Before-and-after comparisons are fascinating to all audiences. They are impressive and can be used to highlight your degree of expertise.
Demonstrates your skill set and the standard at which they can look forward to your future work.
This serves as a point of connection for the individual with it. People see this and think, “That’s how my teeth look, too; if this dentist can fix his, they can fix mine, too.”
Can encourage them to give you a call and increase their trust in you as a dentist.
Displaying a “before” picture on the left and a “after” picture on the right is ideal for a grin gallery. Each collection of images might be made more “genuine” by including the patient’s first and last initial. AND if you really want to go into detail, you can explain what they repaired and how it impacted them.
Important: Before sharing any before-and-after images or patient testimonials, be sure you have the patient’s formal authorization and release, as described above.
Be more likable.
Can new patients feel comfortable visiting your office? Could you describe the atmosphere as enjoyable? Is it like getting adopted into a large family when you become a patient at your practice?
The implication is clear: PROVE IT!
When I look up a dentist online, I usually see a website with monotonous lists of services and stock shots of vacant waiting rooms.
Don’t post a picture of a deserted lobby. Show a kind receptionist who is eager to meet new people.
Never portray an empty operating room. The individuals in the scene are what the audience cares about, not the elaborate set or cutting-edge technology. Put up a picture of the doctor (or hygienist or helper) and a satisfied patient.
Include an optimistic film presented by the doctor and staff highlighting the office’s setting and special features. Smartphones have excellent cameras at this point, so even a low-quality clip is usually preferable to none at all.
Moreover, this reminds me of something else:
Describe the doctor(s) and give them some character!
It often surprises me to find dental websites that reveal so little (if any) about the dentist.
When seeking a dentist, what characteristics are most important to the patient? The Dentist!
Bring them to the dentist, then.
People want a dentist who is competent, of course, but they also want someone they can trust because of their friendliness and genuineness. Include your qualifications (and a grin gallery page, as I stated before), but don’t forget to demonstrate your human side. Bring in your own style and demonstrate genuine interest.
And with those minor tweaks, your website’s success rate will skyrocket!