How To Get Patients To Convert On Your Dental Website

There is the temptation to approach your website as a medical professional, providing clinical information in a no-frills manner. But the majority of dental patients choose cosmetic dentistry for aesthetic reasons. While they want to know their dentist is experienced and trustworthy, they also want to buy into the lifestyle of the practice.

The key to creating a dental website that converts patients is understanding what they want and need from your website and then delivering it in an attractive and easy-to-use package. In this article, we will outline some tips to help you create a dental website that is built for conversions.

Make your website lightning fast

The first thing you need to do is make sure your website loads quickly. Studies have shown that website visitors expect a site to load in under two seconds. If your site takes longer than that to load, you're likely to lose potential patients.

If you're not sure how quickly your website loads, try Google PageSpeed Insights and GTMetrix to learn more. If your website isn't loading as quickly as it should, this could be down to your server, the design or the resources on the page. Get in touch with our team to learn more about how we can speed up your website to improve the user experience.

Create an attractive and engaging design

Your website's design should be attractive and engaging without being too busy or cluttered. Use high-quality images that accurately reflect your practice and the treatments you offer. If you have video content, make sure it is professionally produced and adds value to your website.

Your website's navigation should be easy to use, so patients can find what they need. But it should also suggest other treatments that they might not be familiar with. This is all part of making the user experience engaging enough that users stay on your website and learn more about the treatments you offer. They might land on your site looking for teeth whitening and later decide that composite bonding would help them to achieve their goals.

Project a professional image

Your website is often the first point of contact between you and a potential patient, so it's important to project a professional image. This means having a well-designed website, using correct grammar and spelling throughout and ensuring your contact details are up to date.

Patients expect their dentist to have a modern and professional look, and there are simple design tricks you can use to ensure your website projects the right image. A "meet the team" page is one highly effective way to create a connection between dentist and patient. You can also include bespoke imagery of your practice to help patients feel like they know you before they even walk through the door.

Make it easy to contact you

Your website should make it easy for patients to get in touch with you. Include your contact details prominently on every page, with a contact form that is easy to fill out and includes all of the information you need to be able to assist the patient.

You might also want to include an online booking system, so patients can book at any time, not just during your opening hours. A "click to call" button is also highly effective for encouraging website visitors using mobile devices to get in touch. And finally, a well-designed chatbot can help to answer questions about your products and services outside of your office hours.

Don't neglect the mobile design

As we mentioned above, the user experience is an essential component that will encourage individuals to get in touch. This is just as important for mobile users as it is for desktop users. In fact, from August 2022, around 53% of all website visits were made using a mobile device. But dental practices often find that this number is much higher, usually around 80%. This goes to show you really can't afford to neglect mobile design.

Your website should be responsive, so it adjusts to fit the screen size of any device. We recommend building the mobile experience from the ground up, rather than simply designing for desktop and then making adjustments for mobile. This way, you can make sure that your website works perfectly on any device.

Put all the information on the page

Every treatment should have a landing page that includes all of the information a prospective patient needs to make a decision. Think about what information you would want to know before booking an appointment, and include that on the page.

This might include

• A description of the treatment

• The benefits of the treatment

• Before and after photos

• Patient testimonials

• A list of Frequently Asked Questions

With all of this information on the page, patients will be able to make an

Includes pricing, offers and finance

Hiding your pricing could put some patients off as they might assume that it's too expensive for their budget. Avoid this by putting sample pricing on each treatment page. You should also include information about offers that are available and finance options that can help to spread the cost of treatment.

Make sure your website is secure

Your website should be secure so patients feel confident entering their personal information. Include an SSL certificate, which encrypts data that is sent between the patient's browser and your server. This will ensure that any sensitive information is always protected.

Without this important step, your website could trigger a warning from the user's browser, which lets them know your website is not secure. This would be a significant barrier to conversion and could even damage your practice's reputation.

Show your work

Your website should include a portfolio of your previous work. This will give patients an idea of the quality of your work and help them to decide whether you are the right dentist for them. Include before and after photos, as well as patient testimonials, to really showcase the difference you can make.

Video testimonials are ideal for this purpose as they are more engaging than written testimonials. A written testimonial can easily be faked, but video testimonials offer an added level of credibility.

Use persuasive copy

Your website's copy should be persuasive, so patients are encouraged to make an appointment. Use strong calls to action, such as "Book Now" or "Get In Touch", and make sure these buttons are prominently displayed on each page.

The language you use should be accessible and speak directly to the patient. Try to avoid complex and dense jargon, as this can be off-putting for some patients. You might want to consider using a copywriter who specialises in healthcare to create engaging and persuasive copy for your website.