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You’ve invested in a custom website that makes your dental practice look sensational online. That’s great. But how can you know that the site is actually bringing in new business? If you have a solid SEO strategy, your site should rank well organically (in the search engine results pages or SRPs). You can also supplement with pay-per-click advertising from Google Adwords. Adding a blog is always a great idea for SEO.

Be sure to include your website address on marketing materials, such as business cards, appointment cards, invoices, mailers, and advertisements. If you’re doing these things, you’re certainly doing your part on the front end. So how can you know if you’re getting good ROI with your website?

Tracking Website Traffic
Tracking the traffic on your site is pretty easy. At TNT Dental, for instance, an SEO liaison is always available to review traffic reports and explain what they mean.
• If your SEO reports show that visitors are coming to your website based on keyword searches that match your keyword list
• If your website is listed on the first page of Google results for your keywords and location
• If your traffic increases, then maintains at a good number

…your SEO strategy is working.
Tracking Conversion – Contact Only
Tracking conversions – website visitors who become new patients – is more difficult. One option is to order a phone number that only shows up on your website. When people call this line, you know they are calling because they found your office online. This service is called call tracking, and the calls are recorded in a record so that you can know when they came in, whether the phone was answered, and how long the calls lasted. One problem with call tracking is that you can get solicitor calls on the phone line.

Another option is to have website visitors complete an email form and submit it online. They provide you with contact information and preferred appointment times, and your office calls them back to set the appointment. Not every website visitor will do this. In fact, many won’t. Some people believe that it’s easier and more personal to just pick up the phone and call.

Tracking Conversion and Retention – The Whole Enchilada
Your website can bring the patients to your door, but your customer service and quality clinical care are imperative for conversion, as well as retention. This is the backend part that you must control.
Patients will choose your practice (or not) based on factors such as:
• How quickly their call is answered
• The friendliness and knowledge of the receptionist
• Ease of getting an appointment
• Convenient appointment times
• Whether you will treat their children
• The services you offer
• The cost of a new patient visit
• Whether you accept their insurance
• How comfortable they feel in your office
• How they are treated by every member of your staff
• How long they have to wait in your lobby
• Whether they agree with your treatment plan
• How much out-of-pocket expense they face
• Whether you offer financing and/or payment plans
• Your before-and-after photos and/or testimonials
• Your expertise and experience
• The sedation and/or anesthesia you offer

If you would like a comprehensive review of conversion, consider creating a Conversion & Retention Form for your patients’ files. It might address these points:

1. Upon the potential patient’s first call, your receptionist should ask the patient how he or she heard about your practice.
2. At the end of the patient’s first visit, ask him or her to complete a short survey that addresses the bullet points above. You can also post this survey online. If you prefer, include an incentive for completing the survey.
3. After each of the patient’s visits, have him or her rate the experience as 1 to 10 in customer service, comfort in the tx room, and value. Ask, will the patient refer you to friends and family? If not, why?

This type of tracking will allow you to become familiar with how patients view your practice, which can ultimately improve conversion, retention, and profitability.
If you’d like to know more, call TNT Dental today and speak with a dental webstie expert on our sales team.