Why a Good Website Matters

In today’s world, if you’re an optometry practice, you need a good website. It’s how you get new patients and keep your current ones happy. Think of it as your online hub. Often the first thing that a potential patient will do is check out your online presence, so you need to make sure you are making a great first impression.

Simplicity and Organization are Key
First things first, your website should be easy to use and organized well. This means the homepage should have links to commonly searched information, as well as a button to schedule appointments, order contact lenses, and contact your office. Your website homepage should also have your practice’s address, phone number, email address, and hours of operation easily accessible. Finally, it should be mobile-friendly and fast-loading. As website users, we know what frustrates us. We don’t want to have to scroll from side to side to read things, or have everything look distorted when viewing on our phones, or want to wait forever for things to load. Don’t be that website. 

Customize to Your Style and Preferences
After you’ve accomplished those basics, you can add bells and whistles. Go ahead and show off your brand, but make sure you are consistent. You should be using the same colors, fonts, and logos on your website that you use in your office. This makes you recognizable.

Speaking of recognizable, you should be using real photos! Ditch cheesy stock photos and try to use as many images of your office and your team as possible. People want to see what your practice is actually like.

Educate Your Visitors
Another key component of a quality website: education. Give people information. Tell your website visitors what you do in plain English. No fancy medical words. Have a page with common services and what is involved with each one. Maybe have a blog where you share news articles about eye health to build credibility as an expert. Keep it updated with tips and news or videos about eye health. This helps people find you, as search engines love this stuff. This is what is known as SEO, or search engine optimization. Basically, these are the things that improve your likelihood of a potential or existing patient finding your website. 

Utilize the Latest Technology
Our patients want convenience, so another important thing to keep in mind when building your website is to make sure you are providing easy, 24/7 access for them to schedule appointments or order contact lenses. Meet patients where they are by having an online scheduling portal linked from your homepage. Have an option for placing an order for contact lenses. If you use a contact lens distributor, they probably have an option for this already, but if not, then a simple request form can work well. Link to your EHR patient portal so that patients have an easy way to see their prescriptions and receipts. 

Make the Most of Your Patients
Having an updated, informative website gives you the perfect platform to link to your social media channels, and vice versa. Utilize your social media channels and share how great you are! Hopefully, you are asking your patients for reviews, and you can share those on your social media accounts and website. That social proof will make new patients more likely to want to see why everyone thinks you are so great. There will also be plenty of ways for potential patients to find you – your website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. 

Keep Things Current
Finally, keep improving and updating your content regularly. If you have an event coming up, or you’re offering a new payment method, share that as a pop-up message on your site. Track your website’s performance and ask patients for their feedback on what they think of your website. 

Your website is the online face of your practice, and it can be an important factor in gaining new patients and keeping your current ones happy. Make sure your website is user-friendly, informative, and engaging and watch the positive effect it has on your practice. 

See Dr. Hornberger’s practice website here.