Patient acquisition: 5 online strategies to explore

Patient acquisition has become a major challenge for medical practices. With increasing competition and changing patient expectations, innovative strategies are essential. In this article, we’ll explore how you can easily increase your visibility to acquire new patients for your practice.

Your wbesite: The backbone of online patient acquisition

Your website is your patients’ gateway to your services. It’s often the first thing your (future) patients will find online. It’s therefore essential to make a good impression.

It’s estimated that the average user needs 50 milliseconds to have a first impression on a site. 50 milliseconds are enough to have a negative impact on patient acquisition. In fact, 75% of your potential patients will judge your credibility based on the design of your website. A carefully thought-out design is therefore essential to making a good impression and giving patients confidence from their very first visit!

SEO: Appear on the top search engines results

In addition to an attractive, professional design, it’s important to work on your website’s SEO. Behind this acronym lies a concept that’s simpler than it sounds: “Search Engine Optimization”.

In short, the key to good SEO is to emphasize the search terms your patients will use in the text content of your website. As a medical practice, this would be, for example, “Medical practice [name of your practice] [city]”. You can also highlight medical terms related to your specialty.

Sounds complicated? Don’t panic, there are free plugins that are easy to install on your website, such as Yoast SEO.

Online appointment booking: less hassle, more patients

Integrating an online appointment booking system is an essential step in optimizing the visibility and accessibility of your medical practice. By offering patients the option of booking an appointment at any time, from any connected device, you simplify the booking process and reduce potential obstacles that could discourage patients from making an appointment.

This added convenience can translate into a significant increase in the number of appointments booked, as patients are more likely to choose a healthcare professional who offers them this flexibility. At Physio 7, for example, 30% of appointments are booked exclusively online.

An online appointment booking system can also help reduce no-shows and late arrivals. Thanks to automatic SMS reminders, your schedule stays full!

Implementing such a system makes life easier for your patients and team, but also helps boost your business by attracting more customers and improving their overall experience.

Google Business Profile: A free ally for patient acquisition

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) offers you many benefits and is one of the most important tools you can use to boost the online visibility of your medical practice. This free solution provides you with the equivalent of a virtual business card, enabling potential patients to easily find essential information such as your address, opening hours, patient reviews and practice photos.

A Google Business Profile helps you appear at the top of local search results, attracting more patients to your practice. This platform also gives you the opportunity to interact directly with patients by responding to their reviews and providing useful information, reinforcing the trust and credibility of your medical practice.

Social networks: An asset not to be overlooked

40% of patients search for medical information on Instagram, and they could be searching for it on your profile! By posting on social media, your medical practice can expand its online presence and offer new touchpoints to your potential patients.

Social networks not only boost your online presence but also allow you to share medical content in a different way, showcasing your expertise and your team.

For example, Stories on Instagram offer an ideal platform for sharing moments from the day-to-day life of the medical practice, creating a more personal connection with your patients. Unlike your website, content published on social networks can be more informal and focused on engagement, offering a unique opportunity to generate interest and interaction with your patients.

By integrating social networks into your communications strategy, you can increase your visibility for free and attract new patients to your medical practice.

More touchpoints for better patient acquisition

With these different strategies, you can easily increase your patient base without changing the way you work. By offering more ways for your patients to find you online, you increase the chances that they’ll book an appointment with you.

Sources:

• 210 web design statistics: gamification, user experience, and future – linearity.io
• 40+ UX Statistics (from 130,000 hours of UX Research) – baymard.com
• 40+ Website Statistics Every Marketer Should Know in 2024 – webfx.com