The age of the family general practitioner has given way to the age of specialization. With more physicians practicing in highly specified fields, it is no wonder that doctors often get asked the same set of questions over and over again.
Frequently asked questions should be viewed as information that is in high demand. If patients are repeatedly asking the same questions, chances are good that this is information that will add value to your website and can even be used further as a marketing tool.
Valuable website content
The age of the family general practitioner has given way to the age of specialization. With more physicians practicing in highly specified fields, it is no wonder that doctors often get asked the same set of questions over and over again.
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Frequently asked questions should be viewed as information that is in high demand. If patients are repeatedly asking the same questions, chances are good that this is information that will add value to your website and can even be used further as a marketing tool.
Valuable website content
If your healthcare website does not already feature a “frequently asked questions” (FAQ) section—it should.
Making in-demand information readily available on your doctor’s website serves as a marketing tool. Patients should not have to hunt for this information. FAQs should be obviously visible, located on a single page, and easily accessible from the home page.
Frequently asked questions are an excellent primer for first-time patients or patients that are considering scheduling an appointment. This valuable resource will keep patients coming back to the physician’s website and will instill a sense of confidence that a physician is committed to thoroughly answering questions. A well-informed patient is more likely to have a positive experience because they are more likely to delve deeper into their health issues during an appointment.
Physician marketers may also wish to include disclosures and intake forms in the FAQ section. This allows patients more time to read and understand complex legal documents, and to complete lengthy intake forms before their visit to the office.
Website traffic
A frequently asked questions section can significantly increase traffic to a doctor’s website. Because this section addresses commonly asked health questions, patients searching for information on a certain condition may find answers on your physician’s website. Frequently asked questions, therefore, increase the SEO value of the physician’s website by offering relevant, useful content to potential and current patients. Marketers should consider using relevant key words and local modifiers in a the frequently asked questions section to maximize traffic.
Emails and blogs
Frequently asked question sections are the perfect place for marketers to mine content for email blasts and blogs.
Some frequently asked questions are straightforward and simple. Others are more complicated and require a more lengthy explanation than is practical on an FAQ site. Marketers can focus on these topics in greater detail in blogs and emails, providing patients with high-quality, desirable content that ultimately keeps patients engaged between visits.
Educated patients, more productive visits
Many patients rely on a physician’s website to provide information that will make their visit run more smoothly. Answering patient’s frequently asked questions better prepares them to have a productive visit with their physician, increasing the likelihood they will be satisfied with their experience. Conversely, physicians will appreciate the reduction in questions that stand in the way of providing the best care possible for their patients.
(FAQs for marketing / shutterstock)
