5 Ways to Convert Site Visitors into Patients

When it comes to web site content, the rule is: "quality over quantity".  Because we are living in “The Information Age”, Internet visitors are hungry, even voracious, for good quality content.

If you provide it to them, there is no need for them to leave your site.  Further, they will be more likely to pick up the phone and schedule a consultation with you, the expert.  As you probably already know, the Internet is now one of the top places where patients get their medical and aesthetic information.

Figures provided by a 2011 PEW study showed that:

Top health information searches involve food safety or recalls (29%), drug safety or recalls (24%) or pregnancy and childbirth (19%).  Top symptom-related searches involve information about a specific disease or medical problem (66%), medical treatment or procedures (56%) or doctors or other health professionals (44%).

5 Must-Haves for Converting Web Site Visitors

1. Include pages for pre-op and post-op.  This can be especially helpful for existing patients who need to see this information prior to their procedure or surgery.  Be sure to direct patients to these pages after they book their procedure so they know it is available.
2. Procedure pages. For each of the procedures you perform, have a page dedicated to explaining what takes place during the procedure, the different options for techniques that can be used, and healing times to expect.  A video about that procedure should be included as well.
3. Get as much information as possible via your contact form.  Generally, your contact us page is a way for patients to request a call back or to ask a question after hours.  Most patients will use the phone if it's during business hours, so your contact form essentially takes the place of your front desk after-hours.  The best way to utilize the form is to ask some qualifying questions to better help your staff when they contact the person.  Make sure there are check boxes to select which procedures they are interested in, if they would like a price quote and a consultation, and their height and weight (to help determine pricing).
4. Payment options should be clearly visible.  Include this on you pricing page so you can tell patients how they can pay for their procedures.  For those who need to finance through Care Credit, their MasterCard or Visa, or even through your office’s payment plan options, your site should be a place where they can get these answers.  Use easy-going, friendly language and they will feel comfortable making an appointment and talking about it when they meet with you.  We discourage plastic surgeons from listing prices or price ranges because each patient's case will be different and you don't want to pigeonhole your pricing into a set range.
5. An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page is often times overlooked when executing a web site for your patients. We have found that an FAQ is essential in the eyes of patients.  FAQ's help to gain the patient's trust by already knowing what they likely have questions about and providing them with the answers.  Once they see that you are there to help them and that you really know your patients well, they will let down their guard and trust you.
6. Links to authoritative organizations and sites like WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, and About.com are wonderful ways to provide reliable information inside of your blog posts and web site pages without the fuss of creating the content yourself.  Always review the site content you are linking to to be sure that you agree with its contents.  Your patients will assume that any links you provide on your site are in line with your core beliefs and practices.  Set each link to open in a "new window" so you don't take visitors off of your web site when they click on it.

Adding These Elements to Your Own Web Site

These five essential elements on your site will help convert patients by establishing trust in you before you meet them.  You’ll be selflessly educating them and answering some of their biggest questions and concerns ahead of time.  The result?  They’ll trust you and come in to see you!

If you're not sure how to go about adding pages to your web site or if you'd like us to create the pages for you, give us a call at 951.665.8360 today.  We're here to help you convert more patients through quality web site content and trust-building.

Updated April 9, 2013