Full Transcript
Lauren: So my friend is a chiropractor in Paso Robles. She's been in practice for like fifteen years, super good at what she does. But she keeps saying the phone isn't ringing like it used to... and I looked at her website and honestly? It looks like 2015.
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor... We make interwebs and website stuff make sense... Let's get into it.
Honor: So here's the thing most healthcare providers don't realize. Your website is your waiting room... before the waiting room.
Lauren: Okay, what do you mean by that?
Honor: When someone in SLO County needs a new chiropractor or dentist or physical therapist, they're not asking friends anymore. They're Googling. And they're judging your practice in seconds based on what they see online.
Lauren: Seconds... that's harsh.
Honor: It is. And here's a number that surprised me. 44 percent of patients say a practice's website directly influences whether they even call. And 16 percent would switch to a different provider just because your website looks outdated.
Lauren: Wait, they'd leave you... for a website?
Honor: Yep. An old website signals an old practice. Whether that's fair or not, that's what patients think.
Lauren: That's like... judging a restaurant by whether the menu has pictures from a flip phone.
Honor: Exactly! And it gets even more interesting with reviews. 79 percent of patients read reviews before choosing a provider. That's not surprising. But here's what gets me... 53 percent won't even consider you if you have fewer than 4 stars.
Lauren: Oh! So you could be amazing at what you do, but if you've got a 3.8, you're invisible.
Honor: Pretty much. And it gets worse. Over half of patients now avoid providers who have zero reviews entirely. No reviews feels risky to them.
Lauren: Like being the first person to try a restaurant that just opened. You're like... has anyone actually eaten here?
Honor: Right! You want to see that other people survived. But here's the good news... 70 percent of patients say when a provider responds to a negative review, it actually improves their opinion.
Lauren: Oh! So it's not about being perfect... it's about showing you care enough to respond.
Honor: Exactly. How you handle criticism matters more than avoiding it.
Lauren: Okay so... website matters, reviews matter. What else?
Honor: The big one is this... 82 percent of patients give a provider just one or two chances before switching.
Lauren: One or two chances? Like total?
Honor: Total. So if your website is hard to use, or they can't find your phone number, or it looks sketchy... that might be the only interaction they ever have with you. They're gone.
Lauren: Wow. So what should my friend actually do about this?
Honor: Here's the simplest test. Pull up your website on your phone right now and ask yourself... can you find the phone number in three seconds?
Lauren: Three seconds, that's it?
Honor: That's it. Because 65 percent of patients are looking at your site on a phone. And 88 percent of healthcare appointments are still booked by calling. If they can't find the number fast, they're calling someone else.
Lauren: So the moral of the story is... if someone on their phone can't figure out how to call you in three seconds, you're losing patients to whoever makes it easier.
Honor: Exactly.
Lauren: And if you want a website that just... works... give YouGrow a call!
Honor: Yeah. We build websites for healthcare practices on the Central Coast. Chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists. 79 dollars a month, everything included. Your phone number is front and center, it loads fast on phones, and when you need something updated... you just email us. We handle it. Month-to-month, cancel anytime. And I'm local... I'm in Arroyo Grande... you can actually call me.
Lauren: Love it. Alright, this has been 805 Web Minute. Thanks for listening.