Let’s be honest: most people do judge a book by its cover. It’s a simple truth. First impressions are what drive human interaction because they give us a quick sense of what’s trustworthy and what isn’t – and in the world of searches and clicks, you only have about fifteen seconds to prove your practice worthy of your audience’s trust before they move on to the next name on their Google listing.
That means your website carries a lot of weight in your orthodontic marketing strategy, and everything from the layout to the photography counts toward that trust factor. When you’re building your own orthodontic website, you’ll need a few key features to drive your point home – so here’s what to look out for in an effective orthodontic website.
#1: Value Proposition
A little shameless self-promotion never hurt anyone.
At the core of any successful sale is a simple transaction. What will your patients gain from working with your practice over your competitor? The value you bring to your patients’ lives should be front and center on your homepage, giving your leads insight into what they can expect from treatment at your orthodontic practice.
Do you offer exceptional affordability? Innovative treatment types? Do you support local charities that are important to your community? All of these and more could be the hook that reels a new patient in – but if they don’t see these quick value-adds right off the bat, they might not know they exist.
#2: Treatment Page
Kid tested, mother approved. That’s the power of an effective treatment page.
Traditional braces. Invisalign. Clear braces. Inbrace. Whether you offer one or all of these treatments, this is one of the first things your patients will want to see when visiting your orthodontic website. Including relevant information about what these treatments are, how they work, and the ideal candidates for each type will help them decide how they want to proceed, and done right, you’ll have them picturing these new treatments on their teeth in the mirror in no time.
#3: Meet the Doctor
It’s time to show you’ve got the experience and the credentials to back it up.
After the treatment page, the next step on your patient’s research journey is probably your doctor’s biography. There are two key opportunities for trust building here that your “Meet the Doctor” page should tap into: experience and personality.
By highlighting your background education and past experience or specialty training, you can reassure your prospects that you’ve got what it takes to straighten their smile, no matter their orthodontic condition.
However, as hard as you worked for it, no one wants to read a curriculum vitae in its entirety. Instead, using this space to show your personality can help your website visitors to connect with you and envision themselves visiting your office.
#4: Financial Information
You had their curiosity. Now you’ve got their attention. It’s time to talk about finances.
Every effective orthodontic website should have a financing and insurance page. This page could help a potential patient determine whether you accept their insurance policy, or it could direct a current patient to their payment options for the future. Either way, your financing and insurance page provides a written code for how your office accepts payments, assists in financing, and helps with insurance claims so that your patients are clear on one of the most important aspects of their contract: the bill.
#5: Custom Photo & Video
Stock photos are fine, but custom photos can make all the difference.
It’s hard to connect with a stock image, but it’s easy to connect with photos of people you’ve actually met. And because connection drives any successful orthodontic marketing strategy, hosting photos and videos from real-life experiences at your office can make all the difference for future or current patients visiting your website.
By using shots that highlight your office, team members, and doctor in action, you’ll give your web visitors the digital tour they’re looking for – and this could be the reason they visit your practice instead of your competitor.
#6: Free Consultation Form
This is your hook – use it well and place it with intention.
Most orthodontic practices offer free consultations, which means one of the most prominent features of your website should be a link to schedule their first visit. When a patient fills out this form, a domino effect of actions brings them closer and closer to beginning treatment at your office. The easier you make it for them to fill out, the more likely they are to move forward.
Not only does this form alert your team that this patient is ready to start treatment, but it also gives you their contact information for future sales and promotions. Now, everything from email marketing to text message promos is accessible to your team, so you can find more methods for successful patient outreach that supplement your orthodontic marketing strategy.
By placing a “free consultation” link at the top of your home page and a full submission form at the bottom, you’ll cover all of your bases and optimize your website for more successful conversions.
#7: Reviews
No one’s voice speaks louder than your former patients.
User-generated content: it’s what everyone’s talking about these days. And while most people think of influencers when they hear the term “UGC,” there are actually many ways to make this strategy work for you. By mining reviews from your practice’s Google My Business page, you can show potential patients what your current patients are already saying about you, turning that 5-star review into a 5-star recruiter – because there’s no better way to market your orthodontic practice than to show the proof you’ve made someone else smile.
Redesign Your Website with Neon Canvas
There’s no doubt about it. Your orthodontic website is your patients’ first stop in determining if you’re the right fit for their needs. But at the end of the day, redesigning your website requires a team of individuals focused on your unique brand, offerings, and market – and that takes a lot of manpower. If you’re ready to redesign your orthodontic website, Neon Canvas is ready to help make it an easy process for you – call us to learn more today!