In today’s digital world, online presence is everything and it can directly contribute to one’s success or failure. In the medical profession, it’s no different. Before patients step into an office or schedule an appointment, most will perform their due diligence. Patients expect their dermatologist’s office to have a website, and in turn, for the physician, they’re seeing to have their own personal website. Without one, there’s an opportunity for potential patients to question a physician’s credibility. On the other hand, a dedicated website is an excellent opportunity for new and established dermatologists to make a good first impression and market their services.
Benefits of Having Your Own Website
In addition to being featured on your practice’s website, dermatologists should have their own dedicated website. Whether you work independently or for a group practice, a dedicated website has many benefits. It allows you to maintain an online presence, no matter where your career takes you, while also helping build your personal brand.
Enhance Your Reputation
An online presence is crucial for dermatologists to increase exposure. However, before patients step foot into an office, they will likely form an opinion of you based on the information they can find about you online. Therefore, a dedicated website is a perfect platform to enhance one’s reputation. Unlike being featured on a group practice webpage, having your own website allows you to control the narrative. Think of it as a way to show off your personality and be relatable, so patients can get a sense of who you really are.
Also, now is the time to boast about your achievements and put yourself in the best possible light. A personal website is where your academic qualifications can be displayed and you can showcase your skills and accolades. Of course, you want to do this in an authoritative way, ensuring that the tone comes across correctly. It can also be a place to dispel misinformation, which will help add to your credibility.
A dermatologist with a well-maintained website that’s rich with information is likely to be chosen by new patients. In comparison, a poorly designed website, a website that is not updated regularly or not having a webpage at all, could actually be damaging to one’s reputation.
Improve Online Visibility
In a 2018 study, it was found that 63% of participants would choose one medical provider over another because of a strong online presence. In addition, 80% admitted to using the internet in order to make a healthcare-related search. Before the physician-patient relationship even begins, it would seem that most people start by searching for a physician online. However, if patients can’t find you, they aren’t going to come to you.
This is where the visibility of your site comes into play. If they’re searching for a specific product or service that you specialize in, you won’t appear as a high-ranking site by chance. In fact, your website will likely only show up in the results (and hopefully on the first page) if you have an SEO-optimized webpage.
The best way to increase your reach is by using relevant keywords, linking to your social media and having engaging content, to name a few. In addition, you’ll also want your name, practice address, phone number and to appear on the site, as well as your hours—ensuring that all the aforementioned information is current and remains up-to-date.
Connect With Current or Potential Patients
Having a personalized website can help dermatologists connect with current or potential patients. In regards to the latter, it can assist in generating new leads, revenue and income—or at least increase your chances of being noticed. A well-optimized webpage will show up high in Google rankings. Meaning, it’ll be easier for people to find you online. In turn, the hope is that they’ll become interested in the services you provide or they can contact you for more information.
However, having your own website isn’t just about marketing yourself to potential patients. In terms of what a dedicated website can do for existing patients, there are options to implement certain online tools to increase engagement.
These features can include online bill pay, appointment scheduling, patient care information, a contact form and more. A website can reduce calls to the office while also boosting the internal staff’s productivity. If patients can find useful information through your site, there’s a greater chance of growing your network of patients and improving patient satisfaction overall.
