What does your website say about you? After all, a dentist’s website can often be the first impression a prospective patient gets of the practice. When thought of in this way, the dental practice website is a very critical component of the dental marketing plan, so it’s worth the investment to have it done right.
Best practices indicate that a website typically has a shelf life of about 36 months, so if it has been that long, or longer, since your practice website was designed, it is probably time for an update. Here are 8 elements you need to consider:
- Responsive Design: ensuring the website loads properly across all electronic devices (computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets)
- SEO: helping to boost the website’s visibility in search engine rankings
- Branding: keeping the logo and identity consistent online and offline
- Social Media Links: making it easy for patients to navigate between your website and social media profiles
- On-Site Blog: contributing to the SEO plan and providing dentists with another method of patient communication
- Photos and Video: allowing new patients to get a feel for the doctor, team and practice through bio pictures and videos from around the practice
- Patient Testimonials: including a few positive reviews on the website gives prospective patients a glimpse into the overall patient experience
- Call to Action: encouraging patients to contact the office in a manner most convenient for them – telephone, email or online appointing
If you are thinking of updating your dental practice website, or if it has been a few years since you last did so, these are a few of the must-have elements to be aware of in order to make your new online presence as effective as it can possibly be.