Every single patient has run into this frustrating problem. They click on a website and it's impossible to navigate. They're in pain and all they want to do is book an appointment, but they can't find where or how to book one. Or worse: They have to call during office hours to request an appointment, wasting more valuable time waiting for a callback.
The internet has completely taken over our world. Don't believe me? Try turning off the WiFi in your house for a day – or even an hour! People go nuts when they cannot get instant access to the information they want.
The Short Answer: Yes
With the amount of competition online, an acupuncturist could begin to question the usefulness of a website. Have you ever asked yourself, Do websites matter anymore? You're not alone. But the short answer is: yes, websites still absolutely matter. However, many acupuncture practice owners don't have their website properly set up to work for them. Far too often, their website is actually hurting their business ... and they don't even know it.
When your website has the three main components we're about to dive into, your website will automatically attract more new patients, convert them into loyal advocates who will stay and refer, and establish you as the go-to acupuncturist in your area. Let's see if your website checks all the boxes.
Get Found Online
Your online ranking is highly dependent on your website. If you want to be one of the top Google searches, you need a solid internet presence. Your website is a fundamental part of that presence. You need your own domain and your own unique content.
Your website also gives you instant authority. A strategically-designed, user-friendly, mobile-friendly website with valuable content goes a long way toward establishing trust.
If you're not visible as one of the top three results on Google Maps, Google Organic and Google Ads, you basically do not exist on the internet. With 57 percent of traffic clicking on the first search, if your website is not optimized to get found online, you're losing clicks every day to your competition.
But remember, getting someone to click on your website is just the first step. Now you need your website to convert your leads into patients.
Less Is More
Two common mistakes acupuncturists make on their websites: trying to give patients too much information or too many options. The average person will spend seven seconds on a website before leaving if they cannot find their desired action. Having a website that's hard to navigate creates a frustrating experience. Your website should be specific, logical and intuitive.
Why would a new patient come to your website? It's simple: There are two reasons a patient will visit your website:
To Book an Appointment. The future of appointment booking is here, and it's here to stay. Practice owners who can adapt to keep up with the new demands of patient needs will achieve success. Give your patients the option to book their appointments. For those who don't want to schedule online, they can still contact you; but you are losing leads every single day you're not offering online scheduling. It's easy enough to find another acupuncturist who will offer online scheduling and meet their needs
You should have an extremely obvious call to action to book an appointment. As an acupuncturist, you want to help more patients. Let them easily come to you!
To E-Meet You. In today's world, it's easy to go online and find options for services and products alike. People today buy from people they like. Does your website even introduce you? Or is it just filled with content from your website company that is solely for SEO purposes? You should have a video of you introducing yourself.
Converting From a Website Visitor to a New Patient
#1: Your website should make it easy and obvious for patients to book an appointment. Working for you 24/7/365.
#2: Your website should provide a "new-patient special." Get them excited to click.
#3: Your website should showcase your "social proof"; i.e., your online reviews.
Make the Most of Your Spend
When you have these three items, I've seen results double almost overnight for acupuncturists who had traffic already, but weren't getting leads from their website. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you do not have these three things, then just don't have a website.
The Future of Online Marketing
Google is working very heavily to keep searchers on Google.com. You can book your restaurant reservations, order takeout or delivery, book travel, etc., all while remaining on Google.com.
Your Google My Business Listing must be optimized to allow patients to get all the data from there and then reach out to you directly while staying on Google. Again, that is what Google wants, and it's their game you're playing.
Why does Google care? Because the longer people stay on Google.com, the more ads they will click – and the more money Google makes.
The Take-Home Message
Your website should be simple, clean and easy to navigate; not flashy with tons of moving items, animation, etc. Designers design pretty sites that do not convert. Sites that convert typically aren't beautiful; they are simple. Look at Amazon or eBay.
Websites still matter, but only if you can get people to them, and then get them to schedule with you. Otherwise, why have one?
As modern medical standardization continues, the field of traditional Chinese medicine has the advantage of comprehensive personalization. For rare or complex cases, deeper consideration of constitution is invaluable. Proper constitutional assessment, especially with first-time clients, can guide desirable and predictable outcomes. This leads to a higher rate of return, and greater trust between you and your patient.
Though the creation of a financially sustainable, health-promoting model feels far away today, we are casting a vision for a full return on health, believing that this compels us to keep one foot firmly rooted in caring for the sick and the other foot firmly founded in maintaining health. Shifting from a fee-for-service model to value-based care using a phased approach is paramount.
Laser therapy has emerged as a powerful tool in the realm of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This new modality fits beautifully into the toolbox of the modern acupuncturist, as it can be used as a hybrid form of stimulation to acupuncture points, meridians, organs, nerves, and symptomatic areas in a new way that blends both moxa and energetic needle-like responses.
