What makes an effective veterinary website?
'Too many veterinary practices are missing the trick - an effective rather than merely 'good' practice website has the potential to be a powerful sales tool, empower clients and reduce the workload of staff.
Furthermore, as an increasing number of existing and potential clients become regular internet users, the website will play an evergrowing role in forming their perceptions of your practice.
A good veterinary website has a professional appearance, sensible navigation and good content. It isn't difficult to create a good website, however, each practice has the opportunity to go one step further and to make its website effective rather than just good.
Building an effective website
An effective website is constructed with the needs and behaviours of its visitors in mind. Most websites try to 'sell to' the visitor, rather than address their needs. Effective websites require more planning and effort to create, but the rewards are worth it. These websites will:
Be search engine optimised
Work under all major browsers
Be attractive - that is, visually communicating brand values, not plain and boring and not cluttered or overwhelming
Be easy to navigate
Be 'sticky' (encouraging longer visit times and return visits)
Download quickly, especially the home page
Always be available - 'under construction' is not acceptable
Be interactive
Be current
Setting a clear goal
At the start of any project, there should be a goal or purpose in mind. It is no different when looking at redeveloping a website. Get a clear vision of what the website needs to do and write it down at the start. For example this could be: 'Our website will directly answer potential clients' questions and give them a clear reason to choose us. It will provide relevant resources and online services to empower users, help bond existing clients to the practice, and reduce the administrative workload of practice staff.' Everything else, in terms of functionality, content and design, will flow from the goal you set to begin with.
Know your audience
Are you aiming for prudent pensioners or flourishing families? It is important to develop a clear idea of who your web users will be. For example, are most visitors to your website likely to be male or female, young or middle aged, married or single, predominantly cat owners or dog owners? Do they view their animals as commercial commodities or like the child they never had?
One certainty is that your audience won't be like you, so care should be taken to avoid the common trap of developing something to your own needs and tastes rather than those of your audience.
In the companion animal market, communications tend to be tailored to appeal to females in their thirties or forties who have children. Typically, it is the female of a household that visits the vet with the family pet, and children remain a major catalyst for pet ownership. Once you have the average pet-owning web user in mind, it is important to anticipate their expectations and what will appeal to them.'
Quoted from Angela Taylor - In Practice Oct 2011 Volume 33
As a mother in her forties with children and pets, I feel that I fall into the category perfectly to tailor a site to the needs of your most common web user.