The homepage for your practice website is akin to a first impression, so your instinct may be to put all of your experience, services, and equipment on that single page for the world to see. It’s a great way to let potential patients know, in one fell swoop, what you have to offer, right? Wrong. Consider, for a moment, how much time you’re willing to devote to reading every word on a web page, a newspaper article, or even a greeting card. Time is precious, so if you’re interested in making a great first impression, the better strategy is to use benefit statements that resonate with your audience.
The Problem With Information Overload
There are undoubtedly many things you should be proud of when it comes to the business you’ve created. Your education, your affiliations, and special qualifications all matter when it comes to the quality of care you’re able to provide. The same can be said of the treatments you offer, the technology you use, and state-of-the-art equipment that you’ve invested in. The problem is that your audience is ultimately going to scan for the information that matters most to them – which is what your practice has to offer that others don’t.
Set Yourself Apart
Even if it’s against your nature to boast, you’ve got to be willing to do a little self-promotion on your homepage. Identify three or four things you truly excel at doing and highlight those. Are you great with putting dental phobics at ease? Are you the go-to practice when it comes to dental implants? Have you had unparallelled success helping your patients sleep soundly by providing sleep apnea appliances? Once you’ve determined your strengths, your message needs to be conveyed in a way that matters. For example, if your equipment is what sets you apart from the practice down the street, you have choices when it comes to promoting it to your potential patients: you can talk about the equipment and all of the bells and whistles OR you can talk about how the equipment benefits them. Does it save them time? Does it make treatment relatively painless? THAT is what matters to people who are looking for a new dentist.
Wait…Don’t Go!
In order to keep the attention of your audience, you must make sure that the information you provide on your homepage is to the point and scannable. It’s more effective to use a few savvy sentences and include a link to learn more than it is to overload someone with information. You might also consider using text features such as subheadings and bullet points to make it easier for readers to get to your point quickly. The bottom line is that if you bombard your audience with information they’re more likely to back out and click on another site. Make it easy for them to digest your information and you’re more likely to hold their interest.
This strategy is an absolute for your homepage copy, but is also ideal for extension pages on your site, blog posts, even emails that you send your patients. Any time you have an opportunity to reach people through writing, think of what matters most to them and how you can convey that information in a clear and concise way.
