At Roya, we’re dedicated to supporting optometry practices like yours. That's why we’ve teamed up with Akrinos to provide valuable insights on starting a new practice, growing your existing one, or navigating the purchase of an established business.
When it comes to effective eye care web design, the stakes are high. Your website is more than just a digital business card—it’s a powerful tool for patient acquisition, practice growth, and establishing your authority in the optometry field. Whether you're launching a new site or refreshing an outdated one, this checklist will guide you through every essential step to ensure your website supports your practice's success
Ready to dive into the steps for designing and launching your eye care website? Let’s get started!
Analyze Your Existing Eye Care Website
Before diving into the new design, it's essential to understand what worked and what didn’t on your old site. These insights will help you identify gaps and set clear objectives for the new site. Consider questions like:
What is the purpose of a new design or overhaul?
What hasn’t been accomplished with the existing site?
How will a new design better serve your current practice goals?
Understanding Your Website's Performance
Google Search Console is a helpful tool that gives you basic insights into how your website is doing. It shows you which pages are indexed by Google and alerts you to any errors that might affect your site's performance. However, if you want to dig deeper into your website's structure and metadata, you might need a more advanced tool like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb.
Another useful approach to improving your website is through heat map data, which helps track how visitors interact with different parts of your site. At Roya.com, our development team uses heat map data to inform design decisions, ensuring that high-priority content is placed where it's most likely to engage users.
These tools provide a detailed look at your website, helping you identify any issues that could affect your site's performance. Using them can ensure a smoother transition when making updates or changes, so you don’t lose valuable content or risk dropping in search engine rankings.
Identify Your Goals for the New Website
Having specific goals for your new site is key. Each goal will shape the design and structure of your site. For example, if the current site is clunky and outdated, it might be time to invest in an SEO-friendly design with an intuitive user experience (UX) that’s visually engaging. Ask yourself:
Are you looking to attract more patients?
Educate visitors about your services?
Or maybe highlight your specialties like pediatric eye care or dry eye treatment?
Choose a Solid CMS (Content Management System)
A solid content management system (CMS) is the backbone of your website. Popular platforms include WordPress, Wix, and Drupal. While these platforms are widely used, we recommend Canvas® from Roya.com as the top choice for well-thought-out, customized promotion for your business.
We developed our proprietary Canvas® platform from the ground up to be the most accommodating solution in the industry. It prioritizes security for medical practices while offering superior reliability and functionality for your marketing needs. Canvas® simplifies website management and features an easy-to-use interface specifically designed for optometrists.
Another advantage of Canvas® is its educational content, which is designed for medical professionals. Our eye care articles, for example, include over 90 pages of optometry-specific content, keeping users engaged on your site as they browse through trending and educational topics.
Pre-Launch Eye Care Website Checklist
Before launching your eye care website, it’s important to have a solid plan in place. A well-thought-out approach to search engine optimization (SEO) can help your site stand out, attract visitors, and improve patient engagement. Here’s a checklist to help you get ready for a successful launch:
Develop Your SEO Strategy
Keyword Research
Focus on terms like "eye care web design" and "websites for optometrists" to capture your target audience.
Content Strategy
Ensure your content reflects these keywords while providing valuable information to visitors.
SEO Structure
Review your site’s architecture, content hierarchy, and metadata to ensure search engines can easily crawl and index your pages.
Key Features for Conversion
User Experience
Lighthouse in Chrome DevTools checks how well your site performs on mobile, offering tips for improving SEO.
Fast Loading Times
No one likes a slow site. Optimize for speed to keep visitors engaged.
Clear Navigation
Make it easy for patients to find information about your services, office hours, and contact details.
Check Security and Privacy Compliance
SSL Certificate
It can take up to two weeks to obtain an SSL certificate, so start this process early.
HIPAA Compliance
Confirm that all forms on your website are HIPAA-compliant to safeguard patient information.
Privacy Policy
Include a clear privacy policy explaining how patient information is collected and used.
Post-Launch Eye Care Website Checklist
After the launch, it’s time to promote your new site. Once your website is live, it’s time to spread the word and ensure it’s performing well.
Promote Your Website
Create a Marketing Plan
Develop a strategy that includes social media announcements, email campaigns, and outreach to existing patients.
Resubmit Your XML Sitemap
Make sure to submit your sitemap to search engines to help index all your pages.
Monitor Performance
Use Google Analytics
Set up Google Analytics to track website traffic, user behavior, and conversions.
Regular Updates
Continuously review your site’s performance and make adjustments as needed to keep it running smoothly.
Optimize for SEO and Local Search
Local SEO Strategy
Use geo-targeted keywords like “optometrist near me” to boost your local search visibility.
Google Business Profile
Ensure your profile has accurate business information, including your hours, services, and location.
Are You Prepared to Launch Your Eye Care Website?
Ready to take the next step? A professionally designed website tailored to your practice’s needs can make all the difference. Book a demo today to learn how our team can help you build a high-performing, custom website that grows your practice.
Looking ahead, be sure to check out our next article from Akrinos, titled Getting Off the Ground: Building a Thriving Eye Care Practice. This piece will explore how you can leverage Akrinos’ expertise in business planning, financial forecasting, and practice management to successfully cold start or grow your optometry practice.
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