Think about how much being online has become a part of our daily life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we used Internet access to work, go to school, entertain ourselves, order food, and more. Now more than ever, it is important for any business to have a strong digital presence. Your dental practice is no exception to that rule. Your practice website represents the face of your digital presence—just as the exterior of your facility represents you to the community. If your building had peeling paint, tall weeds, and a cracked sidewalk, you would get those issues corrected because it would impact your business. Likewise, if your website is out of date or no longer current, it can be a deterrent for prospective patients. Never fear, Bryant Consultants is here. Check out these tips for upgrading the website for your dental practice.
Here are seven common problems, and solutions, for dental practice websites
Problem 1: Your site does not rank for discovery keywords
If you are not well-versed in the realm of digital marketing, the preceding sentence may read like gibberish. Discovery keywords are words and phrases people use when searching online for topics relevant to your practice and then replicating those words and phrases on your site to increase the likelihood your practice site appears higher in their search results.
The solution – Revising or completely rewriting your website copy to incorporate these keywords, as well as building links with other websites, updating your metadata and the tags on your website pages. A search engine optimization professional can be a tremendous asset during this process.
Problem 2: Visitors do not navigate beyond your home page
Your analytics provide a wealth of information about your site, how much traffic it is getting, where that traffic is coming from, and what pages are being visited. If people are only visiting your home page and not exploring elsewhere on the site, this is the equivalent of someone walking or driving past your dental practice but never coming through the door.
The solution – Is there something you can do to adjust the design of your site, making it more appealing or friendlier to navigate? Consulting a professional with internet marketing expertise is a great step to determining which path to take.
Problem 3: Your site’s design is not responsive
By responsive, we mean your site can respond to the operating constraints of any device: computers, laptops, phones, and tablets. Let’s say your site only displays correctly on a desktop computer. If so, this is a huge issue, as the majority of all organic online searches in the United States occur from mobile devices—nearly 60% of all searches, according to Statista.
The solution – Change the design of your site to one that loads and displays properly on any type of device used to access it. We recommend using a web design professional to make this change.
Problem 4: Google cannot read your site content
Google enables rich features for pages in its search results if it is able to understand the content on your site. Structured data makes it easier for Google to understand your site and gather information about it. Using structured data also interacts with special search result features and enhancements.
The solution – Run your site through the Google Structured Data Testing Tool. If the results are subpar, you should upgrade your site.
Problem 5: Your site is slow to load
Did you know that if it takes more than three seconds for a web page to load on a mobile device, the majority of users will leave the page before it even loads? This costs you potential clients and potential new sources of revenue.
The solution – Have your site evaluated through the Google Page Speed Insights tool. If your load time is more than three seconds, a redesign could be in order.
Problem 6: Your content is out of date or no longer accurate
How often is your site updated? Does it list services you no longer offer or fail to mention services that you have added? Even worse, does it list a dentist who no longer practices there or fails to mention a newly hired associate dentist? Stale content on your site can be a detriment to new business.
The solution – Make sure your site is updated with the most accurate current information and then updated regularly to reflect any changes.
Internet Marketing for Dental Practices
Make an honest assessment of your dental practice website. If you identify any of the above problems, then consider the internet marketing services offered at Bryant Consultants. We offer web design, can write fresh copy for your site, offer search engine optimization, and more. If you’re disappointed with your social media presence or don’t have social media, we can manage those social media pages as well.
We provide consultation, training, and coaching to help improve the operations of your practice so that you can provide exceptional results to your patients. No office is out of reach for us; we will even come to you! Find out more by calling (877) 768-4799 to schedule your consultation with one of our website design experts.
