No matter how many times we’re told “don’t judge a book by its cover,” human nature cannot instinctively resist. For years, studies have reported that website visitors make a snap judgment about a website in just 3 to 5 seconds. And, this initial, brief interaction determines whether they stay on your website or leave. With that, the questions remains – after a visitor has decided to stay, how do you engage them long enough to convert them into a new patient? The answer: content.
Here are the top three ways your website’s content matters, quite possibly more than its design:
1. Content tells your story – Your design gives your website a pretty face, but your content shows visitors who you really are. Ultimately, people want to do business with people they like and trust; your story allows you to build these types of relationships with prospective patients.
2. Search engines see content – Unlike the visual elements of your website, search engines can see the content on your website. When crawling your website and determining its relevance in comparison to similar websites, your content is one of the major factors in establishing rank.
3. Content builds trust – Sure, your website’s design draws visitors in, but your content will prove you’re a credible, experienced professional. Your content gives visitors depth into your knowledge.
Essentially, people go online to find information. Whether wanting to learn more about a service you offer or treatment options available, prospective patients use your website as an educational resource. If it doesn’t provide valuable information, visitors are likely to abandon your site for a competitor’s.
What’s more, without quality content, your website may not even be found. Starting in 2011, Google began penalizing websites that had poor quality content, by removing them from search results entirely.
Does your website need a content update? Log in to your ProSites website now: http://www.prosites.com/member-login/.
