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Recent scientific studies in consumer behavior revealed the changing trends in how potential patients select medical practices/practitioners and it highlighted yet again the importance of adequate plastic surgery website design.
In 2020, in a survey conducted by Kyruus, 57% of patients searched online to find a new medical service provider. A staggering 92% of patients stated they conducted their own research to validate a recommendation.
The trust in word-of-mouth referrals, whether from family and friends or physicians, is being replaced by word-of-website and public opinion via testimonials.
The growing trend of online searching and especially validation can’t be ignored anymore, especially when it comes to cosmetic surgery website design.
The importance of first impressions in plastic surgery website design
Along with the digital validation trend mentioned above, it is also imperative to keep the instant validation trend in mind for your plastic surgery website design. Due to the abundance of information available at the tip of people’s fingertips, a trait associated with impatience has been emerging for the last couple of decades. Consumers looking for something want it now and not a second later.
Now imagine the number of plastic surgeons in your area or surrounding cities easily accessible to patients. There is most likely an abundance of options for patients to access. Regardless of whether they were referred to a medical practitioner or not, the ninety-plus percent will go online to find validation.
If your potential clients do not find what they are looking for fast, they will simply do another search and start clicking from the top of the search results until they find something they like.
The fun in functionality
As you may have seen in some of your patience, beauty sometimes remains superficial. If that is the case with your website, it would have a detrimental effect on viewer retention.
Your website might be radiating style, blasted with eye-grabbing images and informative content, but if the functionality falters, your potential patient will hit the back button within seconds.
Your website’s layout must be easily navigational, clearly showcasing all your services and procedures. Equally important is the functionality. A broken link or page that takes too long to load will activate the instant gratification alarms in your potential client and send them running back to the search results in a micro-moment.
The importance of mobile compatibility of your website can not be emphasized more. According to the Digital 2022 April Global Statshot Report from Datareportal, 92% use mobile phones to access the internet.
More than half of the time spent online globally, and more than half of worldwide web traffic, is through mobile phones. For cosmetic surgeon website design, it is imperative to allow for smooth mobile responsiveness to turn leads into patients.
If your potential client’s browsing experience is in any sense aggravating, they will simply go look at the other options available out there, disregarding the recommendation that led them to your website in the first place.
Seeing is believing
Social proof is what the majority of the respondents of One Poll and Binary Foundation are looking for. In fact, 70% of respondents stated that they used ratings and reviews in the selection process of their physicians.
Reputation management and social proof provision will seal the deal for more than two-thirds of potential clients. Apart from your website being visually appealing, easily navigational, and working like a well-oiled machine, you’ll need to showcase how previous clients perceive your service.
The average consumer is more informed and also more paranoid than a decade ago. Fictitious testimonials are in the order of the day, and the modern consumer is very aware of that. You should, therefore, not just post static reviews on your page but provide the source or include a link to a third-party website where the testimonial was posted.
Transparency is as essential as providing testimonials in the first place. A tiny seed of distrust can germinate into a forest of refusal for your services, even if your services and procedures are renowned by your alma mater.
Widen the welcome mat
The focus so far has primarily been on potential clients that heard of your practice from either their inner circle or referral from another practitioner. For efficient plastic surgery website design, it is important to remember that you will also receive a significant number of walk-ins straight from cyberspace street.
It is frustrating when you have all the bells and whistles on your website that you believe should be there, but yet, your website appears very low on the search engine results pages. The lower you are on the ranking, the fewer feet you will obviously get through your digital doors.
SEO for healthcare providers is a tricky beast to master, and climbing up the search results is a daunting task. Posting relevant content on your website will undoubtedly help your cause, but the ever-changing almighty algorithms of search engines are sniffing for certain treats that most website owners do not know about.
Getting a professional SEO service provider onboard is the quickest and easiest way to overcome this hurdle and increase organic traffic to your site.
Summary:
- The percentage of potential cosmetic enhancement patients second-guessing physician referrals is increasing annually. They rely on online sources to validate their healthcare practitioner choices.
- It is an excellent time to be in the cosmetic surgery game, with the increasing public interest in aesthetic treatments. The competition is also growing. It is therefore imperative to have a website that is visually pleasing and functioning well.
- The functionality of the website will welcome or deter potential clients. The site has to be mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and without glitches.
- Having testimonials on your site is essential but referring to third-party sites where testimonials could be found is even better when it comes to building trust.
- Complying with all of the above might still leave your website ranking lower than your competitors. Increase organic traffic and the influx of potential clients by finding SEO professionals to help you rank higher.
Why should cosmetic surgery practices invest in experts to build or improve their websites?
Consumers are becoming more informed but also pickier. It is more prevalent in the higher-end market than anywhere else. If something leaves an unsavory taste in their mouths, they simply walk away and find the next best thing.
As explained above, times have changed, and so have consumer/client behavior. It is important to the future growth of your business to present potential clients with the best possible window into your business. One that is aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate, fast and stable, and offers everything the client is looking for, including those vital social proofs.
It is best not to gamble or cut costs when it comes to your digital presence. It is highly advised that you reach out to the professionals that specialize in this realm.
At Practice Tech Solutions, we specialize in Plastic Surgery Internet Marketing and designing and building fit-for-purpose websites are one of our fields of expertise, especially when it comes to plastic surgery website design.
For a no-obligation, free consultation, contact us here or fill out the form below.
