What Makes a Good Practice Website?

By: Melody Gandy-Bohr

Today, online users are experts at navigating websites. Users scan websites in a matter of seconds to find what they’re looking for or leave the site if it’s not relevant to their search. That split decision to stay and browse a website or leave can be attributed to a website’s design and ease of use. If your practice website falls short of a user’s expectations, you can be missing out on potential patients. Here are 3 features that every good practice website should have.

Responsive Website Design

The days of users chained at desktop computers are gone; now users are more likely to search online from a smartphone or tablet. In fact, more Google searches take place on a mobile device than a desktop.  Websites with responsive designs will adjust to the screen size of a user’s device, providing a seamless user experience. Responsive websites are easier to navigate for mobile device users, which can help decrease your bounce rates.

Relevant Content

A good practice website should have high-quality content that is relevant to your practice. Develop content about your office and the services you provide. Don’t waste the user’s time or your precious website real estate on irrelevant content, long videos or distracting graphics. Choose one central theme and stick to it. Adding relevant and quality content to your website can help improve your bounce rate. Clear information increases the chance that a user will convert into a patient.

A Clear Purpose

After putting all that effort into creating an interesting and user-friendly website, it’s important to give users a straightforward action to complete. Prompt users to fill out a contact form, or call to schedule an appointment with your practice. Put your contact information front and center to make it easy for users to get in touch with you. A website without an obvious purpose or contact details can cause users to leave.

A responsive website that is relevant, engaging and easily accessible to on-the-go users is an excellent start for your practice. With these features, you are more likely to reach new potential patients. If you want help increasing your website’s visibility and ranking, give Officite a call to discuss how our online marketing services can benefit your practice.

The Social Media Overshare: What Not to Say on Social Media

By: Melody Gandy-Bohr

An active social media presence is a valuable part of any online marketing strategy. In a recent study, 78% of consumers said that a company’s social media posts impact their purchases. It’s an effective way to build connections with your patients. Social media blunders like oversharing can negatively affect your practice. If you need help finding the right tone for your practice, here are a few mistakes to avoid making on social media platforms.

Don’t Get Too Personal

Injecting your personality into your Facebook and Twitter posts is a great way to reveal the friendly side of your practice. It’s important to know the difference between being friendly and sharing too much. Keep your audience in mind when creating your posts. Sharing personal details can be perceived as unprofessional to your followers, sabotaging your social media efforts. If you wouldn’t say it directly to a patient in your office, it’s best to keep it off social media.

Don’t Incur HIPAA Violations

As a practice owner, you’re proud of the outstanding care your practice provides. While you might want to share recent success stories with your followers, be careful not to post any personal health information protected by HIPAA. Even the smallest shared detail could result in a HIPAA violation, from treatment details to the age of a patient.

Avoid Politics

Nothing can incite a heated debate like the polarizing subject of politics. It’s a subject best avoided in all situations, from Thanksgiving dinners to social media posts. Political posts can alienate followers who don’t care for political talk on social media, or for your personal views. Pew Research Center revealed that more than one-third of social media users are worn out by political posts in their feeds. Keep your patients happy by steering clear of political posts on social media.

Social media is a marketing tool that can be very beneficial to your practice when used properly. Remember, the Internet is forever, so try to avoid posting anything online that can cast a negative light on your practice. A good rule of thumb? If you wouldn’t say it to a patient in a professional setting, don’t post it on social media.

Reach out to Officite today for help building a strong social media presence!