Physiotherapy clinic owners need every edge they can get in their quest to secure a steady patient list, regular cash flow and respect from their peers. Many private practitioners readily turn to the Internet in the hope that a website will be the missing piece towards achieving their business goals.
Unfortunately, your Internet presence can be a double-edged sword. Yes, a well-designed website that is updated on a regularly with quality, relevant content can be a tremendous asset, provided that it is targeted at the right audience. However, a poorly designed, outdated website is a massive liability, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of potential patients looking for real help with various injuries.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression…
Ask your administrator to track your website’s performance over a thirty or sixty day period. Are you getting appointments through the website? Anecdotally, ask patients and colleagues about their impressions of the site and what can be done to improve it. Once a consensus is reached, think about making changes, up to and including a complete rebuild if necessary.
Why would you consider a website, especially if your practice seems relatively healthy? Here are some compelling reasons:
- Get good placement on Google and other leading search engines when prospects look for services in your area.
- Become a “go-to” source of physiotherapy and health related information for visitors.
- Maximise repeat visits by ensuring existing patients don’t forget about you.
- Use your website as your “salesperson”.
- Use your website as a public communications hub.
- Don’t be left behind in eyes of prospects, by your competitors who have websites.
- Help relieve various tasks such as offering patient intake forms and appointment requests online.
Revamping your website yourself is akin to being pennywise and pound foolish. Your efforts are worthy, but you are a physiotherapist not a website designer, developer or marketer. Investigate the field and find specialists who have a background in physiotherapy websites. Thanks to proper due diligence and clear instructions for your designer from the start, you should expect the following:
- Your website will be successfully promoted and you will increase your search engine rankings.
- Website will have a more focused design and be highly usable by visitors.
- Visitors to your website will spend more time learning about your clinic and more self-referred patients will find you.
- Your appointments will increase.
- Improved communications.
- Ability to easily try new technologies and ideas with your website.
- You will spend less time chasing help or getting your site updated, and more time with your patients and business.
Physiotherapy websites are an important marketing weapon for practices looking to position their business against established clinics and upstarts alike. Make sure that you invest the necessary time and effort insuring that the end result helps, not hurts, the bottom line. Contact us to get started.