Imagine running a healthcare company that has no trouble providing amazing services. You also have a motivated team that’s ready to help you reach your goals.
However, you can’t seem to get your brand in front of the right audience online. More often than not, your company’s website is the first point of interaction people will have with your company. You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression, and approximately 94% of users say business websites should be easy to navigate.
There are certain healthcare website design tips you need to keep in mind when moving forward to get the best results. Let’s explore the key information you need to know.
Let’s Discuss Your Website Goals
Streamlined Website Navigation
No matter how good your site’s content is, it’s essential to make your site easy to navigate. Your audience should be able to find information in the most logical place, allowing them to minimize the time they search through your site.
You should also categorize different pages within menus. Cascading tabs are popular designs. You should use short menu titles when creating your menus, as well.
The last thing you want is for your menus to look cluttered. Having streamlined navigation will also increase the amount of time people stay on your site. If people quickly leave after arriving, it will increase a metric known as your bounce rate.
This is an index Google uses to assess the quality of your site. A high bounce rate will lower your search rankings and make it more difficult to find your site.
Maximize Website Accessibility
You don’t want to exclude people in your demographic who have disabilities. This includes those who have auditory, visual, and physical impairments.
Maintaining accessibility allows disabled individuals to perceive, understand, interact with, and navigate your site without issues. It’s worth noting that web accessibility also comes with other benefits.
Those using different input modes or with slow Internet connections. There are official accessibility guidelines in place you can follow to ensure your healthcare website is easy to navigate and pleasant to use for all demographics.
Maintain Data Security
Data security is something you can never overlook. Companies in the healthcare industry are lucrative targets for hackers. Even a single overlooked vulnerability can have catastrophic consequences.
Part of keeping your site safe involves updating your software as often as possible. You’ll also need to understand common threats that your company faces, such as ransomware, phishing attacks, etc.
Routinely back up all your information so you can recover from data loss if it occurs. Keep your website secured with an SSL certificate so you can keep the connection between your site and users’ browsers encrypted.
All business vendors you work with should sign agreements that dictate how they manage, store, and transfer your company’s data. Without this protection in place, you could encounter a large number of issues.
Training your team is also necessary. They should understand what course of action to take if threats arise. Without contingency plans, issues could quickly get out of control.
It’s best to assess these strategies periodically throughout the year to see if they still meet your needs. As new threats arise, you can modify them to be more effective.
Don’t Breach HIPAA Standards
Under no circumstances should you neglect the regulations set in place by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These rules aim to help companies properly secure data in their organizations.
Violating these comes with many consequences, such as fines, fees, and damage to your company’s reputation. It’s essential to regularly assess your company’s operations to ensure they’re HIPAA-compliant.
Prioritize Adaptive Design
Adaptive design refers to websites that properly display across different devices. To clarify, your site should display appropriately on tablets, smartphones, and desktop computers.
Otherwise, people will leave your site and likely visit a competitor instead. It’s essential to thoroughly test your site across different devices before publishing it.
You don’t want to assume everything’s fine and then have users discover certain pages are formatted incorrectly. You’ll need to review your site across different devices after making updates, as well. There’s always a chance something goes wrong.
Work With a Professional
One of the most important steps you can take toward designing your website is working with a professional. They have the tools and resources to help you get the outcome you need.
When searching for someone to work with, consider their past reputation. See what other people have to say about the results they got from hiring them.
Keep an eye out for fake reviews when browsing through past feedback. These typically contain many of the same keywords and have similar formats. Their pricing is also important to consider.
You typically get what you pay for when choosing a provider, and you should avoid the cheapest options available. However, this doesn’t mean you need to spend as much as possible. Somewhere in the middle of the industry’s price range is likely the best option.
Are they enthusiastic about your project? If they don’t seem interested in helping you, it’s best to search elsewhere.
You can assess how motivated they are by paying attention to how many questions they ask about your needs. Reputable companies will want to know as much as possible about your goals.
They should also offer ongoing support and be easy to get in touch with. It can be difficult to resolve issues on your own, so choose a company that has a solid customer support policy.
Never Neglect Healthcare Website Design
Healthcare website design is one of the most important attributes of a successful healthcare facility. The information in this guide will help ensure that you make the best decisions for your company’s needs.
Neur is a custom web design and digital marketing agency with nearly two decades of experience in the industry. We work with our clients every step of the way to help them achieve the web presence they desire. You’ll learn more about the many benefits we provide when you book a consultation today.