Is-your-website-for-your-wellness-practice-up-to-snuff

Is your website for your wellness practice up to snuff? Find out here, plus get action-packed tips to help you have a more patient-centered website.

How to Have a Patient-Centered Website

As a healthcare practitioner, your focus is on helping your patients live healthier lives. You understand their symptoms, listen to their struggles, and offer them solutions to help. From the moment they pick up the phone to call your office or actually walk through your front door, you want them to have an exceptional patient experience.

Could you say the same thing if they were to visit your website? 

In this digital world, your ideal patients have spent lots of time online, checking out their options with regard to their health concerns. They’ve been to multiple websites, looking for reviews or other information to confirm their decision, long before they call your office. In fact, they’re probably stalking your social media account right now! 😀

But when they visit your website, do they feel just as welcomed as if they were in your office? If you’re unsure how well your website rolls out the red carpet for your prospective patients, it’s time to take a closer look. Here are some tips to get you started:

Marketing Strategy Tip #1: Who’s The Spotlight On?

When writing for your website, the spotlight is usually on one of two places: you as the practitioner or your ideal patient. How can you tell who the spotlight’s on? Well…

  • If the spotlight’s on you – your language is focused more on your passion, your accolades, and your superpowers.
  • If the spotlight’s on your audience – your words are centered around their problems, their needs, and their goals.

Unfortunately, most of us tend to get this wrong – yes, even for clinicians like us who focus our entire careers on serving others! If you’re reading this and thinking, “Greeeeat. I have to redo my entire website” – rest easy. This doesn’t mean you need to scrap your whole site. Oftentimes, all it takes is a subtle shift in your language.

So, how do you do that? Let’s walk through an example using the headline on your Home Page…

Let’s say you’re a pre and postnatal chiropractor whose headline reads, “Your Chiropractor in Toledo, OH.” This headline tells what you do and who you are, but it doesn’t let the visitor know how you help HER.  She is most likely one of the 70% of pregnant mamas who experience back pain during pregnancy and needs some help!1 

So, take that headline and rework it to be more patient-focused. You could say something like, “Helping Pregnant Mommas Feel Great Through Delivery and Beyond.” Or perhaps, “Helping Mommas and Their Babies With Gentle Chiropractic Care.”

Your headline is incredibly important since it’s the first thing your visitor sees when they click on your Home Page. So, start there and begin working your way through the different pages on your site.

Marketing Strategy Tip #2: Creating the Perfect About Page

Speaking of your different pages, we highly recommend spending some time on your About page. This is where visitors (AKA: your ideal patients) learn more about who you are and what you do. It’s a critical spot for establishing yourself as a credible authority in your field.

Your About page is one of the most important pages on your website. If you get it right, it’ll:

  • help you connect with your ideal patients more powerfully.
  • position you as the go-to specialist in your field.
  • inspire your visitors to trust you by showing you’re reliable and have a proven track record.

It’s just as important to know what your About page is NOT. It’s not:

  • your “Contact Us” page.
  • a drawn-out list of all your credentials, awards, and accomplishments.
  • an autobiography of your life.

We know this may come as a surprise, but your About page really shouldn’t be all about you. Yes, you read that right!

While a well-written About page describes you, it really should position you in a way that shows your visitor how YOU can help THEM. It’s okay to start off about yourself, but be sure to transition into how you can help solve their problems.

Marketing Strategy Tip #3: Making Sure Your Site Uses Patient-Centered Language

Nothing draws in a prospective patient better than having a message that resonates with their needs. So be sure to use language that speaks to them and helps them solve a problem. As you work through each page, and ask yourself if your website:

  • communicates clearly about the transformation they will obtain from having you as their practitioner.
  • acknowledges their health concerns and explains how you solve them.
  • showcases testimonials and case studies from past patients.
  • overcomes common objections that might prevent them from scheduling an appointment with you.
  • is free of clever phrases, industry jargon and complicated explanations.
  • provides clear direction about the next steps for them to take.

There’s no doubt that this is a bit of a project so don’t feel like you have to make all these changes overnight. If it helps, have a colleague or a friend who is similar to your ideal patient  avatar take a look at it and provide feedback.

Once you’ve finished, be sure to set a reminder to revisit and repeat this project at least once a year. Marketing platforms may change, the needs of your patients may evolve, and you may decide to move in a different direction with the types of patients you serve. 

Just make sure the messaging on your site still speaks to your ideal patient, letting them know that you are absolutely, 100% the right person to work with! 

Need Some Ideas From Another Perspective?

Having a second set of eyes on your site really can help – especially when that second set is trained and knows exactly what to look for. At Clinical Catalyst, we’ve helped hundreds of practitioners have websites that highlight what they do in a way that naturally draws the right patients in the door. 

And we’d be happy to do a quick audit of your website at no charge to you – just because we want to help. 

Sign up for a free evaluation to see how you can start improving your site right away. There’s no obligation or pressure. We’re here to help your practice thrive!

Sources

1. (2018, November 19). Musculoskeletal pain and symptoms in pregnancy: a …. Retrieved January 1, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6262502/

Ronda Nelson

Hi, I’m Ronda Nelson and I help wellness practitioners grow thriving, profitable practices that allow them to work with ease, live a life they love and make an income they can be proud of.
Scroll to Top