How to Get More Appointments From Your Dental Website

Your dental website is possibly the only part of your marketing strategy that works for you 24/7. One of the main benefits of your website is that it gives patients the ability to book an appointment with you any time. But how do you get people to do that? It’s not as tricky as it might seem! Here we’ve rounded up some time-tested ways to get what you really from your dental practice website: more appointments!

Getting More Patients From Your Dental Practice’s Website

Drive Traffic With SEO

People can’t become patients if they don’t know your website exists! Search engine optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing strategy that improves your search engine rankings to drive organic traffic to your website. Since 75% of searchers don’t go past the first page of search results, being on the first page, preferably near the top, is one of the most effective ways to get people to your site.

Make Sure Your Website is Mobile-Friendly

As much as 70% of all internet traffic comes from a mobile device and a lot of people rarely use a desktop device. If your website doesn’t display properly on mobile devices or is plain difficult to use on a phone, people will immediately leave your site, never to return. The good news is that most web designers and developers create sites with mobile in mind. If your website is due for a redesign, look for a web design agency that builds responsive websites. Responsive sites automatically adapt to the screen they’re on, meaning they look great on desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets.

Make Your Phone Number Clickable

Since so much of web traffic is mobile, making phone numbers clickable is an easy way to make your website easier to use. This is as easy as adding a small line of code around your phone number. Your web developer or internet marketing team can add this, if you don’t already have it. (And if you have a digital marketing team, you should have it!)

Make Your Appointment Request Forms Easily Accessible and User Friendly

Appointment request forms are important for converting website visitors into patients. But if your form is too long, you’ll scare people away before they ever get started. Include just the basics on your form to make it as straightforward as possible. Here’s an example: y making it easy for people to contact you (lowering the price of entry, as the saying goes), prospective patients will be more likely to do so. You’ll get any additional information over the phone or when they arrive for their appointment.

Add Insurance Carriers & Payment Information

Convenience is the name of the game and when people land on your website, they’ll want to know which insurance carriers you accept to know if they should even schedule an appointment. If you do accept their insurance, they’re obviously more likely to contact you. On the other hand, if you don’t accept their insurance, they can move on to the next dentist without wasting their time or your time. The same goes for payment information. Putting payment information on your website allows people to know whether or not they can become a patient. Be sure to include which credit cards you accept (including Care Credit), whether you have a cash discount, and any payment plans you offer.

Create a New Patient Discount Special & Advertise it Prominently

When someone is looking for a new dentist, a new patient special may be just the thing to make them choose you over another dentist. Common new patient specials offer a cleaning, x-rays, and exam for a flat fee. This gets patients in the door while providing affordable dental care, something many people don’t have access to. That’s a win-win! A great way to promote this special is by putting it in an information bar at the top of your homepage so anyone who lands there sees it: As you can see, this example isn’t intrusive, but it’s very visible on the homepage.

Add Patient Reviews/Testimonials To Your Site

It’s no secret that online reviews are an extremely important part of your dental marketing strategy. Adding your Google and/or Yelp reviews to your website is just one more way to give people the information they need to make a decision up front. You can add reviews to your site with a dedicated page, like the example above, or in a slider, like the example below: This provides social proof and inspires confidence in prospective patients. This goes a long way when someone is looking for a new dentist!

Add Dentist Bios

Another way to inspire confidence is by adding dentist bios to your site. Let prospective patients learn about the dentists at your practice and who will be treating them. List your credentials like your education and any special training or certifications you have. You can also inject a little personality by adding your hobbies or a little information about your family!

Add Individual Pages for Your Treatments

You offer a lot of treatments and your website should have a page for each of them: cleanings, fillings, root canals, orthodontia, and any other treatment you offer. Providing information about services can make a nervous patient feel more at ease and proves your expertise.

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Tags: Dental Marketing • Inbound Marketing