Web Series: Want To Write Your Homepage Like A Pro?

You’re an optometrist, confident that you offer superior services and products.  But are you equally brave at writing catchy content for your practice web site?  If not, you can be.  Here are some tips.

Eye-opening reality. In this cyber-based marketplace, you’re not only challenged by the competition down your street.  You also contend with competitors who’ve already created an appealing web presence.

More and more consumers – including your patients and potential patients – choose to surf for information when it’s convenient.  At any time of the day or night, they are glancing at your online practice the way someone might when walking past your door or windows.

So how do you hook those consumers?  How do you get them booked for an eye exam instead of losing them to your competition?  By writing the most effective web content, that’s how.

To increase your confidence – and add value to your web site – it helps to know you’re doing everything you can to:

• answer questions patients have about you, your staff, your practice and your products
• create a warm, inviting style and tone
• convince patients that they will love their vision care experience at your practice

Start with a winning home page
Most visitors come to your web site looking for something specific, whether to find info or make a purchase.

You have mere seconds to grab their attention.  According to web usability expert Jakob Nielsen, 77% of web visitors don’t read a page, they scan it.  Make every word and message count.

• Give them a reason to visit.One way to attract potential patients is by encouraging them to “self-diagnose.”  This captures their attention and gives them a reason to look further:
  • Are your eyes itchy?
  • When should my child have her first eye exam?
  • Are your eyes dry at the end of the day?
  • Over age 40 and need longer arms to read the newspaper? 
    Provide a link where surfers can access more.  And now they’re in!
• Focus on a single message. Is there one message you want to communicate?  Family-oriented practice?  State-of-the-art technology and equipment?  Special services that differentiate you from the competition?  While it’s tempting to put everything important on your home page, don’t.  Avoid confusing your audience by trying to say too much before they’ve even crossed your welcome mat.
• Make them an offer they can’t refuse. For those budget-conscious sale-seekers, entice them with a special offer.  Link to a coupon that promises something free with their purchase.  Or a discount on their purchase.  Motivate speedy action with an expiry date.  Keep your home page fresh by regularly posting new offers.
• Keep it clear and clutter free. When writing for your home page, there is no simple formula.  But think variety: short fragments can be combined with longer explanations.  Chop and trim wherever possible.  When in doubt, go short.  Clear communication applies to your entire web.

Think of your home page as a make-or-break opportunity.  For first-time visitors, a home page becomes the “face” of your practice.  So don’t delay – put on your best face!

Web writing not your strength?  In upcoming issues we’ll focus on key pages you need and how you should write those pages for your web site’s greatest impact.

Daniel is the Managing Director of EyeCarePro.net (http://www.eyecarepro.net), a preferred Provider of the American Optometric Association for building web sites for optometrists.  Daniel also specializes in SEO for optometrists and is the Editor of Optometry Web, a newsletter singularly focused on helping optometry practices make the most of their web sites.

“... ... Patients ARE finding us ..."
- Dr. Michael Kling
Re: Localeyes pay-per-click advertising

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