Optometric Websites – Time For Enhancement

There is an art to designing optometric websites—if you do it right, you’ll see an instant boost to your practice. And while a basic website is better than no website at all, going the extra mile can really expand your patient base. This is one case where attention to detail really pays off.

Here are a few tips culled from successful optometric websites that will have your own site getting all kinds of buzz:

Keep it User-Friendly. Given that many of your visitors might have varying degrees of vision impairment, this is a given. Providing a user-friendly environment gives your patients confidence in what you do and the services you provide.

Address the Basics. It may be hard to believe, but new websites often leave out important information like hours, directions, and services. Think about what you’d definitely want to see if you were a patient, and make sure it’s included on your website. Go a step further, even, and solicit feedback before going live—just to make sure you didn’t miss anything important.

Talk about Yourself. People want to know about you, so include some general “about” information, like the history of your practice, and short, individualized biographies of key staff. This will build trust and familiarity among your patients, a key step in actually retaining them.
Make Your Site Known. If people in your area don’t know about your site, they should. Get the word out through search engine optimization so your site will appear in local searches on Google, Yahoo, and other popular search engines. Sign up with Yahoo Local and Google Maps, too, so that patients know exactly where to find you.

Give Patients a Reason to Visit. Incentives, incentives, incentives! Including special offers, coupons, an opt-in newsletter, and other services that people will find useful will be a big plus for your website.

Go the Extra Mile. What can you put on your website that will benefit your patients the most? Interactive features like a glasses suggestion tool or real-time online scheduling rank high on this list. Including features like these will help your site stand out and will ensure return visits from your patients.
Optometric websites that focus on what patients want and need are generally successful. By following the tips above, you’ll be well on your way to establishing your presence on the Internet and using it to build your patient base.