With the millions of websites and all the information out there on the Internet today, search engines have become an indispensable tool for Internet users to find what they’re looking for. In fact, most visitors – and potential patients – coming to your site will likely do so through a search engine. But if your website and the pages within it aren’t optimized for the search engines, who knows where you’ll wind up on the results list, if you show up at all that is. You most likely won’t be in the top twenty, let alone the coveted top ten, of search results, and most users won’t look beyond that to find your site. For that reason, your plastic surgery marketing plan for the Internet should include search engine optimization, or SEO.
Though certainly worth the effort, search engine optimization can be a long, complicated process. For that reason, you want to ensure that your SEO efforts aren’t being wasted. Though SEO can effectively bring lots of targeted traffic to your site, it’s your website itself that must turn those visitors into actual patients. Even with the best SEO efforts, if your site doesn’t function properly or appeal to visitors, all of those targeted visitors that come to your site will simply leave. Your SEO efforts will have been wasted and your website will be less than a success.
Your plastic surgery marketing plan must include efforts to ensure that your website design can support your SEO efforts. Your website design must convey a feeling of trust, it must be easy to use, and it must be aesthetically appealing with a pleasing color scheme.
Trust is a big issue when it comes to the Internet. People are still leery about what they find on the net. It’s important that your site allow visitors to trust you and your practice. There are many ways that you can convey this sense of trust on your website, including using a professional design and color scheme and having testimonials from previous satisfied patients. Whenever requesting personal information, be sure to display your privacy policy.
Easy navigation is also an important aspect of good website design. Visitors want to be able to find what they want easily and quickly. If visitors are frustrated with your site’s poor navigation, can’t find what they’re looking for or get lost within your site, they’ll most likely leave and never come back. Keep your navigation simple and provide a site map and even a search feature to help visitors find what they’re looking for. Also try to keep your graphics and images to a minimum to ensure quick download times.
Lastly, your website must include an aesthetically appealing design and a pleasing color scheme. Don’t choose too many or too outrageous colors that will only offend the eyes. Keep your color scheme and your overall design professional. Visitors will feel more at ease and more secure if you use professional colors as opposed to many bright neon colors.