How to Design a Medical Website
Consumers turn to medical websites to make some of life’s most important decisions. Whether your client is a physician, dentist, therapist, or other kind of medical professional, they’ll want to make their first online impression count.
Effective medical websites help patients feel confident, informed, and at ease. They simplify key processes, like booking appointments or finding contact details, and provide clear information and easy-to-follow next steps. Additionally, websites can help your client build trust with new and existing patients, reassuring them that they’re in good hands.
By leveraging essential tools—like Acuity Scheduling and Email Campaigns—you can design a medical website that resonates with both medical professionals and their patients. You can also signal the kind of quality care your client provides every patient.
Design a clear and welcoming website
Your client’s medical website should be as thoughtfully designed as their office. When new and existing patients visit the website, they should feel as comfortable as possible and know where to turn to find important information.
Start by clarifying the purpose of the website. Will patients use it to book appointments, compare medical providers, or access care information? Because medical websites appeal to both new and existing patients, this question may have several answers. So identify the key patient goals driving visits to your client’s website and optimize the site around them.
Help patients confidently navigate your client’s website with clearly labeled pages and user-friendly menus. Feature critical information in prominent places. For instance, if a patient wants to book an appointment or access their medical record, they should know exactly where to turn.
As you peruse Squarespace’s best-in-class web design templates for inspiration, look for something simple and intuitive. While your client’s medical website can feel warm and welcoming, its design should never distract from the patient’s intentions when visiting the site.
When you’ve covered these bases, you can find creative ways to deliver even more value for your client. Help your client reach new patients by leveraging Squarespace’s built-in search engine optimization (SEO) tools. Work with them to build a brand identity that captures their expertise and authority. Lastly, use custom fonts, colors, and logos to create a consistent experience that patients can recognize, whether they’re visiting your client’s website or sitting in their office.
Build trust with bios and testimonials
A medical website is a great place to build trust with patients. The credibility you help your client establish online can translate to stronger patient relationships offline.
Start by creating an about page that tells your client’s story. When building medical professional websites, this page can be solely dedicated to your client. Likewise, when creating medical practice websites and medical office websites, you can use this page to introduce the whole team.
Whether you outsource copywriting or offer it as an added service, help each medical provider craft a biography that shares their educational background and professional history. Tell the story of how they became interested in medicine and signal their credibility by citing certifications, recent publications, and other accolades. Include photos, so patients can easily recognize your client when they meet them and build additional rapport by sharing a few fun facts.
This information is particularly helpful for establishing relationships with new patients. By showcasing your client’s passion and personality, you can help them stand out in a sea of qualified medical providers.
You can also help your client attract new patients by adding testimonials. Look through the reviews patients have left your client and pick a few standout quotes. Then, spotlight those quotes in prominent places, like on your client’s homepage. By highlighting the great experiences other patients have had, you can help new patients feel confident in their decision to book an appointment.
Simplify the appointment-booking process
Booking a medical appointment can be a tedious experience. But it’s also your client’s first opportunity to impress: By simplifying the appointment-booking process, your client can show patients they’re invested in their experience—even if they haven’t met them yet.
To eliminate the back-and-forth involved in booking an appointment, leverage Acuity Scheduling. With Acuity Scheduling, patients no longer have to call your client’s office to find available appointment times. Instead, they can view your client’s hours online and choose a time that works for them. When they need to, they can also reschedule appointments right from their computer or mobile device.
Help patients keep track of their appointments with custom confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups. Outfit these communications with the same fonts and colors you used on your client’s website for consistent branding and program them to send automatically.
Acuity Scheduling can save your client considerable time so they can focus on meeting with patients. Set up automatic calendar updates, so last-minute appointments are always reflected on your client’s schedule. You can also help them streamline the patient onboarding process with custom intake forms, and you can keep track of important client information like preferences, allergies, formulas, and more with client notes.
With a few extra steps, you can also ensure your client’s Acuity Scheduling platform is HIPAA compliant. To do this, set limitations around what kinds of health information your client and patients are exchanging. You’ll also need to enter into a Business Associate Addendum (BAA) with Squarespace.
Use email marketing to create lasting relationships
Great doctor-patient relationships aren’t over the moment an appointment ends. At their best, they’re lifelong partnerships. Patients should feel comfortable reaching out when they have questions or concerns, and they can schedule regular check-ins to ensure they’re staying healthy.
One way to help your client connect with patients between appointments is to use email marketing. Help them automate Email Campaigns with valuable content for patients, such as reminders to book appointments, tips for healthy living, and other relevant updates. Ensure that each email feels thoughtfully assembled by adding custom design details and personalized elements.
Help your client grow their email list by adding newsletter blocks and promotional pop-ups to their website. If they have an existing email list, help them migrate it to Squarespace so they can keep their marketing efforts in one place.
Depending on your client’s area of expertise, they may also want to start a blog where they can write about healthy habits, relevant case studies, and other helpful information. When paired with a thoughtful SEO strategy, these blog posts can reach new and prospective patients. Your client can include them in their newsletters to reach existing patients as well.
Finally, walk your client through the analytics tools at their disposal. They can use on-site analytics to see how their blog posts are performing, and they can use email analytics to track newsletters. This can help them strengthen their relationships with new and existing patients. Once they know which messages resonate with patients, they can reach out to them more effectively.
By leveraging these strategies when building medical websites, you can help medical professionals reach new patients and establish stronger relationships with existing ones. The world of healthcare has the potential to be stressful, confusing, and at times, even overwhelming for patients to navigate. A best-in-class medical website can help patients feel confident, informed, and at ease in their initial interactions with your client.
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