There was once a time when having a simple website with the treatments you offered and your address would have been adequate at getting you new patients through the door, not anymore.

In our Google Generation, it’s important to remember that people can and will do research before choosing their dentist. Not only will they be looking for a dentist that can provide the treatment they want but also one that they can trust; whilst obtaining all the information they may need prior to phoning the practice or enquiring about an appointment.

Here are three ways your website could be costing you new patients:

1. Poor user experience

How easy is your website to use? Does it work well on various devices?

We still find dental websites that look dreadful on a mobile phone/ tablet. There is nothing worse than having to pinch in to read text that was optimised for a large computer screen (not to mention the negative effect it has on your ranking in Google). Can a patient find everything they would need to?

I previously wrote about the effect the speed of your website has on the conversion of your new patients. If your site is taking a long time to load, it will not only lead to a poor user experience but will also influence your ranking on Google.

2. Lack of information

First impressions count for a lot. I, for one, will research something in-depth before spending my money especially if it’s something that:

a) I expect to last me a long time
b) Is expensive

Does the information on your website give enough information for people that like to do research?

Here are things you should have:

• About – Patients will want to know about the practice, the skills of the dentists who will potentially be providing treatment, this builds trust and lets them know that they will be in good hands.
• Treatment options – If you offer various different options (i.e orthodontics) it’s important to give plenty of information on them so patients can start getting an understanding about which treatment may appeal to them.
• Fee Guide – It’s important to give your patient an idea of how much treatments are going to cost. If you offer finance this is a great time to let people know (especially for those more expensive treatments).
• Location and opening hours – it’s vital to know where your dental practice is (do you have off road parking or is there somewhere to park nearby?) along with opening hours. Juggling work and perhaps children while trying to find a suitable time to visit the dentist can be difficult. Practices that open weekends and late some evenings can make this process a lot easier so be sure to make this clear on your website.

3. No clear CTA’s

Is it easy to make contact with you?

Making it easy to send you an email or phone you are very important, so ensure that these details are easily accessible. Having your phone number in the header and throughout the content on your website is very important, as is having contact forms (which need to be checked and responded to promptly).

If you need to refresh your website, get in touch on 01872 300232 or email us at hello@hivebusiness.co.uk.