If you don’t have a website, your business might as well not exist. But is just having a website enough? Choosing the right dental web design agency is critical to ensure your site works for your business, helps deliver new patients, and services your existing clientele. Not all dental website design companies are equal. You must understand what is meaningful to your business and find a partner that develops a site that will drive your dental practice.
One study showed that 79% believe it’s absolutely critical or very important to interact with a trusted advisor. Thus your dental web design must invoke trust in the visitor. This blog will give you the tools to choose the best dental web design agency to fit your needs.
Define Your Dental Website Goals
Before you start your search, you must understand what you want your website to do for you. What goals do you need your dental website design company to meet? Take the time to define what you need the website to accomplish for your dental practice, realizing it’s more than just obtaining new patients.
Your dental web design is the public’s view of your practice; it’s likely their first point of contact. What information do you want to provide? How do you convey your experience, customer service, and trust? Will patients be able to book an appointment via your website without speaking to a staff member? Be sure you understand how to tailor your website for your patients and define the scope of work. Don’t overlook this step. This phase is critical to ensuring your website will accomplish what you need.
Make a Mobile-Friendly Website
Your dental web design must be ready for mobile users. A Google study revealed that 96% of consumers have come across sites that weren’t designed for mobile, with 48% feeling frustrated or annoyed the site wasn’t mobile-ready. Generation Y typically prefers to handle their transactions via their smartphone as over 50% of Americans own a smartphone. The good news is reputable dental website design companies are ready to handle your mobile web needs.
Search for Both Local and Nationwide Web Design Agencies
When you have your goals and needs together, it’s time to find the design partner that is best for you. It’s more important to find someone that understands dental web design than it is to find someone local. If you can find someone local, that’s an advantage, but not a necessity.
Research has indicated that 94% of first impressions of a website are design-related. With tools like Zoom, Teams, and Google Hangouts, it’s easy to work with people wherever they are. It’s more important that you find a dental website design company that fulfills your needs and gets you what you want. Be sure to look for agencies local and nationwide to ensure you get the best fit.
Review Their Dental Web Design Portfolio
When looking for the right partner, you want to review their work to see if it matches your needs. Ask to see examples of work they’ve done for other dental practices. See if those sites are in line with your needs and goals. Dental web design will have different needs than a website for a restaurant or auto dealership. If the agency you’re speaking to understands your needs and has relevant experience, it will be easy for them to show you relevant work. If they struggle to offer you suitable examples, consider looking for other partners.
What Is Their Agency Culture?
Understanding the culture of the dental website design companies you’re reviewing is another critical factor in choosing the best design agency. You will be working closely with your design team. If you can’t connect, it will be a frustrating process. Be sure to meet and speak with the actual team that will be doing your dental web design. Ensure the team understands what you are looking for and that you get along with them. It’s another step to ensure a smooth process.
How Does Their Company Website Look?
An often overlooked step is taking a close look at the websites of the dental website design companies with whom you are speaking? If you don’t like the look and feel of their website, it may be an indicator that you won’t like the site they design for you. Look for the features that you desire on your website. Make sure their site is mobile-friendly, is easy to navigate, and looks modern. An outdated look may mean that they are not following the latest design trends.
Read Their Testimonials and Speak to References
Dental web design companies often put a great foot forward and impress you with their knowledge and portfolio. That said, if they have a solid track record of experience, they likely have customer testimonials on their site. While companies always put glowing reviews from their clients on their websites, be sure to read them carefully to make sure there isn’t anything that might be a red flag.
Always ask to speak with client references. You want to talk to references that have similar objectives to yours from the start. Be sure to cover all bases when reviewing and speaking to references. Those references will give you insights into what it’s like working with that agency.
Key Questions to Ask Your Dental Web Design Company
Once you settle on your shortlist of dental website design companies, it’s time to compare those companies to figure out which is the best for you. Here are the key questions you should ask.
- On which platform will you build my site?
- Can you integrate that platform with my current software and other tools?
- Do you offer SEO services?
- Do you have experience in dental web design?
- Will you make recommendations for best practices?
- Can you provide ongoing security updates and maintenance for the website?
- Who will own the website when completed?
- Can I meet the design team that will create my site?
- Will you teach/train me to use my website and CMS?
Once you’ve selected your design agency, be sure to review their contract to make certain it covers the scope you’ve discussed, addressing your needs and goals, and is in line with expected pricing as you shouldn’t be surprised after you’ve signed the contract.
The proper dental web design can help propel your dental practice forward and increase your business. Check out our blog for more tips on web design to help you make sure your website is the best it can be.