May 25, 2016
A long time ago, your website might have been a work of art. But unlike fine wines and cheeses, websites only get worse with age. How can you know if your website is up-to-date? Is it still strong, or is it leaving your patients with a sour taste in their mouths? These three quick tests will help you figure out where you stand in as little as 10 minutes.
1. Your website fails the “thumbs test.”
Mobile technology has taken the world by storm, and that means your patients are navigating the web with their thumbs rather than a mouse. When you pull up your website on a smartphone or tablet, what does it look like? Ask yourself these questions:
- Is it easy to navigate, or do you have to resize, zoom and pinch for it to be readable?
- Are the buttons big enough to be located and pressed easily?
- Will your patients need their glasses?
If your website does not display perfectly on smartphones and tablets, you might be pushing new patients away. It could be time to upgrade to a responsive design.
2. You need to call a developer for every edit.
A modern website should allow you to make small changes on your own, easily and conveniently, without requiring any knowledge of how to code or design a site. If you have a time-consuming developer on speed dial, it might be time to upgrade.
3. Your website is only a website.
If your online marketing starts and ends with a website, it’s a small fish in a very big pond. The online competition is stiff, so successful online marketing demands something more than a website; it demands a complete web presence designed to turn every corner of the web into a marketing asset. Any single site, no matter how good it is, will get lost in the vast expanse of the internet without additional measures like social media, search engine optimization and blogging, The bigger your online footprint, the easier it is for new patients (and Google) to find you.
In 2016, a modern website is the starting point, not the finish line. Success begins when you start thinking beyond your website and instead start focusing your attention on the larger online footprint.
Regardless of your additional efforts, be sure your website is something you can be proud of—a place you feel confident displaying your name and your livelihood to the world. After all, a website is a first impression, and the first impression is often the most powerful.
CDA-Endorsed Officite Can Help
If you’re ready to upgrade, Officite is ready to help with quick, easy, customizable websites. The CDA and nearly more 30 state and national dental associations trust Officite to provide their practices with modern, effective web presence Solutions built for one purpose: to attract new patients and help practices grow. For more information, visit the Officite website or call 866-203-1580.