Digital Marketing

Website Optimization For Healthcare Organizations

80% of US adults search for health information online; therefore, having a user-friendly, optimized website is critical to the success of healthcare providers. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when optimizing a healthcare provider website.

Ease of Use The first question you want to ask yourself is how easy is it for customers to navigate your website? It should be simple and organized so that people can easily find what they’re looking for. Some common things people search for are phone numbers, directions, visiting hours, physicians, and medical information. We also recommend that you have search tools enabled on your website so that if a visitor can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they can enter it into the search tools and find it that way.

Mobile-Friendly Take a look at your hospital’s website on a smart phone. Can you easily and quickly locate important information? If not, you are not alone. 49% of health care organizations are missing the mark on mobile website optimization. In the past, this oversight did not have an enormous impact, but that is changing now that mobile Internet use has surpassed that of desktop/laptop use. In addition, next month Google is going to stop showing websites that do not meet their mobile requirements in search results when a person is searching from a smart phone. So, if your site is not optimized for mobile, it’s time to make it mobile friendly. Here is a link to test your website to make sure it meets Google’s requirements.

Updated Content This cannot be said enough, the simplest way to keep your audience coming back for more is relevant and frequently updated content. Regular articles or blogs on medical trends, health conditions, or hospital happenings will give your customers a reason to come back to your site and stay engaged with your brand. Events and programs should also be updated regularly.

Provide Customer Service Make it easy for your patients by incorporating tools that will enhance the customer experience, and stand out from the competition. Did you know, according to US News & World Report and Pew Internet Research:

• Only 1 out of 5 have online pre-registration documents available on their websites.
• 67% fail to offer online rehab and aftercare information.
• 1 in 3 fails to offer online bill pay
• 50% of all hospitals do not support post prescription refill requests online.
• At least 18% have detrimental site errors that hinder patient experience.

By offering services like online bill pay, medical records, and pre-registration forms you will be a step above most other healthcare organization’s websites. The health of your website is very important to the overall success of your healthcare organization. Start by asking yourself these important questions:

• Is my organizations website easy to use?
• Does it provide adequate services?
• Is it mobile friendly?
• Do you have relevant and frequently updated content?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, then it’s likely time for a website strategy and design update.