Attracting customers through online channels can be boiled down to a two-step process: getting customers to your website, then getting them to convert.
Of course, it’s not that simple; digital marketing is a multi-faceted process. Navigating that process in the healthcare industry adds complexity due to the vulnerabilities and concerns many patients have when seeking medical support.
Here are some practical tips to help increase conversion rates on healthcare websites.
Use Targeted Landing Pages
One of the most common mistakes practitioners make when investing in pay-per-click (PPC) ads and adding links to social media or emails is navigating to a generic website page. When you intentionally drive traffic to your site, the last place you want them to land is your homepage. While this page is valuable for people who organically land on your website and need more context, it’s sufficient for pushing conversions.
Instead, use targeted landing pages for your services. These pages should contain messaging that highlights your practice’s value specific to that service. It should anticipate what questions or concerns your audience might have and proactively answer them.
Consider working with a digital marketing agency in the UK to put together well-structured landing pages for your services. For example, if you engage an expert in orthopedic marketing services, they’ll conduct keyword and industry research to identify what your patients want to know. They can put this information together in a meaningful way that encourages site visitors to stay on the page rather than exploring the rest of your website or navigating to the competition.
In essence, landing pages help keep the visitor’s eye on the prize while removing distractions.
Increase Booking Button Quantity
Another common mistake practitioners make when creating a website is having one or two centralized booking buttons. This creates customer friction which decreases conversions.
If your site visitors need to scroll for information, add extra booking button options throughout the copy. There’s no golden rule as to how many buttons should be included, but ideally you’ll have a button for every 1-2 sections.
Alternatively, you can work with a website designer to have a sticky header or CTA bar that remains visible at the top or bottom of the page as you scroll. This feature ensures that your website visitor can book a consultation or an appointment whether it takes one line of copy to convince them or one page.
Use Personalized CTAs
Recent research has shown a connection between personalized CTAs and conversion rates. A traditional CTA uses “you” pronouns, as though the website is speaking to a person. New methods encourage using “my” pronouns, putting the visitor in the driver’s seat.
So, instead of “book your free consultation” the CTA would read, “book MY free consultation.” One case study comparing the use of “my” versus “your” showed 90% more clicks when first-person pronouns were used.
Try this approach on your website to assess its effectiveness with potential patients. You can also use a free tool like Google Optimize to run A/B tests (known as experiments) to see which is more effective. Google Optimize will show some visitors the original CTA and others the new CTA to determine which is more effective.
Simplify the User Flow
Poorly designed website flows are another form of friction that could be limiting your conversions. The more optimized your website for navigation and ease-of-use, the less likely visitors are to bounce before they convert.
Some key things to remember when creating a positive user expereience include:
- Use white space – less is more when it comes to text and imagery. Incorporate plenty of white space to make the site easier to read.
- Minimize navigation – the less site visitors have to open menus and click around, the better.
- Make it mobile-friendly – as mobile search becomes more commonplace, having a mobile-friendly website is a must.
- Use bullet points and icons – convey key concepts in eye-catching, simplified bullets that get to the point.
It’s also important to consider any medical challenges your visitors may have. If your practice treats the visually impaired, ensure your colors, fonts, and visual elements are designed with them in mind.
Add Testimonials
Social proof plays an integral role in convincing someone to convert when visiting a website. Adding testimonials and case studies from previous patients can increase the website visitor’s confidence in your experience. Adding before-and-after photos (if appropriate) will help bolster these efforts.
Creating a website that converts can be difficult. Incorporate these essential tips and consider working with a digital marketing agency for additional support.