Form or Function?
When it comes to form versus function on orthodontic websites, you can’t choose one over the other because both are equally important. A website that takes too long to load or doesn’t allow visitors to easily find what they are looking for will be quickly abandoned. An unattractive website can suffer the same fate even if it opens easily and functions well.
A high-performing website is a perfect combination of both, providing a positive user experience and encouraging visitors to stay and take a look around. The longer they stay on your site, the better the odds that they will contact you by phone, email, or chat to learn more about your practice and the services you offer.
The importance of a mobile-first website
With up to 80% of internet users doing their searching on a mobile device, it’s more important than ever to have your website be appealing and functional on a small screen. But what exactly does mobile-first mean?
When mobile devices first started being used to view websites and social media, businesses were encouraged to make their sites “mobile friendly.” Mobile-friendly websites show up as miniature versions of the regular site and can be used in the same manner, albeit with some growing and shrinking of pages or fields by the user.
Today, the most effective orthodontic websites are mobile-first. This type of site is designed specifically to be used on a mobile device and may differ from the desktop-sized website in both appearance and functionality to make it more user-friendly for people using cell phones or tablets.
Not only do patients and prospects appreciate a site designed for mobile, Google does too. Websites that cater to cell phone and tablet users are ranked higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs) than those that only work well on a desktop or laptop.
