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Hey again — it's Steve with Healthcare Marketing Vitals!

When patients are looking for a new provider, your website is often their first real impression of your practice.

Like meeting someone for the first time, those initial seconds make a lasting impact on whether they'll choose you for their care.

Yet most healthcare practices are still using outdated websites that confuse patients rather than convert them.

That's a massive opportunity for your practice to stand out in your market—without building a complicated website with bells and whistles.

This is about creating a clear path for patients to understand your services and book appointments before your competitors capture their attention.

This week, we're diving into the essential pages every practice website needs to address Healthcare Marketing Roadblock #1 (No Visibility), Roadblock #2 (Inefficient Acquisition), and Roadblock #3 (No Market Differentiators).

In This Week’s Email:

• [1 min] Thoughts for the Week: Premise, Character, Conflict

• [4 min] Spotlight: What Your Website Needs

• [30 sec] By the Numbers: Why Your Website Matters

• [30 sec] In the Know: Measuring Patient Satisfaction, The Virtual Care Market, and Local Marketing Strategy from…Rolling Stone(?!)

TOGETHER WITH MASTERS IN MARKETING

Achieve More With Limited Resources: 15 Small Budget Success Stories

Strategic marketing doesn't require enterprise-level spending. Our latest case studies reveal how 15 small brands achieved remarkable outcomes through creativity and smart resource allocation.

• Innovative tactics that delivered exceptional ROI with minimal investment

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• Data-driven techniques for maximizing impact when resources are limited

Looking for ways to stretch your marketing budget further? These 15 mini case studies show exactly how these small brands made such big waves without breaking the bank.

Get the case studies for free here.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Premise, Character, Conflict

Recently, I finished reading The Art of Dramatic Writing, a book written in the early 20th century by a Hungarian playwright, Lajos Egri.

I’ve read several other books on story and writing, but this may be my favorite.

The focus is around 3 elements to a play (and they hold true to a movie, novel, etc., as well—though almost all examples in the book are plays):

• Premise

• Character

• Conflict

I won’t attempt to do the book justice here, however, the basic formula is that the conflict must flow naturally from the substance of the characters, and the story that ensues must prove the writer’s premise.

By its nature, this forces the writer to create deep characters with consistent personalities that only change when impacted to do so.

To me, that’s the clearest and most precise understanding of human nature—though magnified for the stage.

When we’re marketing to prospective patients we need to have in mind where they are in their healthcare journey, what’s causing them to seek us (or in my case, what’s causing them to seek my clients), and what we can offer to impact them.

Further, we need to recognize that they know treatment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens with a trusted provider who empathizes with them.

Your website is your first opportunity to address the rich character of your prospective patients in a way your competitors don’t.

While all patients are different, their questions, fears, and needs are similar and you can win them over by providing the answers.

A MESSAGE FROM 1440

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SPOTLIGHT

The Perfect Website for Your Practice

4 min. read

Having just any website isn't enough—you need a strategically designed platform.

But don’t worry, that’s not as scary as it sounds once you break it down.

Think of it this way, your practice website has 3 responsibilities:

• Attract prospective patients (SEO)

• Convert them into patients

• Maintain that relationship

I’ve mentioned this before, but 77% of patients search online for doctors when seeking healthcare services. Even more telling, 68% of patients would switch providers to gain access to digital conveniences like online booking.

So every piece of your site should be geared toward those goals. Even if you engage in “thought leadership” (which we recommend), the purpose aligns with those 3 goals.

Two notes: 1) I’m telling you what you need to do to win. It’s a clear map, but yes, it takes some work if you DIY it, or some money if you pay someone else to do it for you, 2) There’s not enough space in this article can’t cover the detailed SEO tactics or exactly how to write these pages. I’ll cover that in later issues of the newsletter.

Remember, you’re competing against other practices for the same patients. There’s no way around that fact. You can’t settle if you want to beat them out—you need all of these pages for SEO, and to answer your patients.

Essential Pages for Your Practice Website

Last week I explained how practices and providers can use video to get more patients, so if you missed it—check that article out for details.

Suffice to say those points stand. 

1. Homepage: Set the Stage

Your homepage is the most critical page of your website. Most site visitors end up there—where they form an impression in just 50 milliseconds, meaning your homepage must immediately convey who you are, who you serve, and what you do.

Key elements to include:

• A clear headline stating your primary service and value proposition

• High-quality images of your actual practice and providers, with links to bios that highlight their expertise (bonus points for video intros)

• Preview of core services with easy navigation

• Patient testimonials that build immediate trust

• Prominent appointment booking call-to-action (CTA) and buttons

2. About Us Page: Building Trust Through Storytelling

Patients have limited information when it comes to selecting a provider. Give them something that makes your practice stand out so they say, “this is the right place for me.”

Effective About pages include:

• Your practice's origin story and mission

• Provider credentials, training, and experience

• Staff introductions with professional photos

• Values that guide your approach to patient care

• Video intros from owners/partners (and all clinicians for a smaller practice)

3. Provider Pages: The Faces Behind Your Care

A 2023 study found that 65% of patients consider provider information and photos to be among the most important elements on healthcare websites.

• Professional photos of all providers

• Detailed but readable biographies

• Education, board certifications, and specialties

• Special interests or areas of focus

• Personal touches that reveal character

4. Conditions Treated Pages: Show You Understand

For each major condition you treat you need a condition page.

This is a page that describes the condition, demonstrates your empathy and expertise, and that links to treatment options you provide.

Each of these pages should:

• Demonstrate authority and in-depth knowledge of the condition

• Empathize with anyone suffering from the condition

• Contain HIPAA-compliant before and after treatment testimonials (if applicable) from patients with the condition

• Have links to related service pages (more below)

• Include a condition-specific call-to-action

• Contain FAQs

5. Services Pages: Educating While Converting

Create a dedicated page for each major service or treatment area rather than cramming all services onto one page.

These focus on what you provide (i.e. how you solve the problem) instead of what the problem is (which is what your conditions pages do instead).

For maximum effectiveness, each service page should include:

• Clear, jargon-free descriptions of the service

• Who the service is appropriate for

• What patients can expect during appointments

• Benefits and outcomes

• Visual content explaining complex procedures

• Service-specific call-to-action

• FAQs

6. Testimonials/Reviews Page: Social Proof in Action

Not only are reviews on your site crucial for SEO, but further 72% of patients use online reviews as a first step to finding a new clinician.

To take full advantage of this you want a testimonials page that showcases patient experiences while maintaining HIPAA compliance.

Best practices include:

• Testimonials from diverse patients (with proper permission)

• Organizing testimonials by service and condition

• Including specific results rather than generic praise

• Integration with Google reviews

7. Contact/Locations Page: Making Access Easy

Your contact page should make it effortless for patients to reach you and find your location.

If you have multiple locations, each location needs its own page.

Must-have elements include:

• Complete NAP information (Name, Address, Phone)

• Interactive map with directions

• Hours of operation

• Multiple contact methods

• Insurance information

• Parking and accessibility information

8. Appointment Booking Page: Converting Interest to Action

Because 80% of patients prefer clinicians who offer online scheduling.

If you have a booking widget and not a freestanding page that’s okay, but ideally you’ll also have a specific booking page for linking on your Google Business Profile.

An effective appointment page includes:

• Online scheduling functionality

• Clear instructions for new patients

• Links to downloadable or fillable forms

• Insurance verification information

• What to bring to appointments

Key Takeaways

Previously I’ve talked about what makes patients book with you. All of that still holds true.

Use those principles coupled with what you’ve read here today to audit your website and see what pages you’re missing.

In future newsletters I’ll provide more detail you can use to drive up appointment bookings even further.

BY THE NUMBERS

Why Your Website Matters

1. 60% of patients say ease of appointment booking is key to a 5-star review, underlining the importance of streamlined scheduling options

2. 80% of consumers believe the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services, emphasizing the critical role of user experience on healthcare websites

3. 5% of all Google searches are health-related, highlighting the importance of SEO for healthcare websites

IN THE KNOW

Key Articles this Week

1. How to Measure Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare: A Digital-First Approach - Forbes Agency Council offers insights on implementing modern measurement approaches beyond traditional surveys. Their article outlines how healthcare providers can leverage digital touchpoints to capture more accurate patient feedback, emphasizing that comprehensive satisfaction measurement drives both better patient outcomes and business growth. Read more

2. U.S. Virtual Care Market Set to Reach $69.2 Billion by 2034 - A new report forecasts explosive growth for virtual healthcare services at a 29.2% CAGR over the next decade. This transformation is being driven by improved technology infrastructure, changing patient preferences, and healthcare system recognition of telemedicine's value. For practice websites, this signals the growing importance of integrating virtual care options and highlighting these services prominently. Read more

3. 5 Ways to Leverage Local Online Marketing - Rolling Stone Culture Council shares essential strategies for healthcare practices to enhance their local online presence. The article emphasizes the importance of optimizing Google Business Profiles, creating location-specific website content, and building local backlinks. These tactics are particularly valuable for healthcare practices focused on attracting patients from their immediate geographical area. Read more

When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help

I help brand new, small, and medium practices fill their appointment slots through digital marketing using blended search marketing campaigns.

1. Hit "reply” to any email and drop me a line. Tell your story, share your marketing struggles, or just say hi. I read every email.

2.  Get in front of our audience of healthcare leaders & professionals.

3. Join my waitlist for new clients by replying to this email with “waitlist” and you’ll be the first to know next time I have openings.

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That’s All for Now

Have a great week—and remember to make a good first impression!

See You Next Week,

Steve