How to Connect with Your Patients in the Grocery Store
We all have to wait in line at the grocery store. It can be a nerve wracking process, especially when you’re only getting milk, and behind a family shopping for a week’s worth of food. So you do what everyone does: hop on your phone to check out Facebook and email, and address all the things on your to-do list, like finding a dentist or perhaps Googling the hot new procedure mentioned on the cover of the magazine you’re staring at.
The simple fact is that browsing on your phone makes the time go by faster and helps you get through whatever situation you would like to escape. “In-line” mobile browsing can be a great opportunity to bring new visitors to your website. But getting them to you is only half the battle.
Be Prepared to Catch Mobile Traffic
The success of a mobile site boils down to ease of accessing information for a curious audience. Forced to wait in line, we turn our attention to photos and eye-catching headlines on various sites to distract us from the wait. The sites that win with the mobile audience are streamlined and easy to use. The days of pinching, panning, and tapping are quickly coming to an end as users demand information in an on-the-go format.
The latest approach to mobile websites, a responsive format puts your patients in the driver seat by creating the same website experience across all devices: desktop, laptop, smartphone, tablet and beyond. Once exposed to the easy transition between the full website and mobile site, patients can turn to your site whenever the thought happens to strike them.
Search is No Longer Only for Desktop Computers
Search behavior is changing as more people turn to the mobile web. Read our article on consumer use of mobile phones. One of the quickest ways to adapt to these evolving search habits is through responsive design.
As smartphones make it easier for us to access our email and other favorite online spots, more people turn to the mobile platform because it provides the same escape in a more personalized manner.
Easy Browsing Experience
Give your patients the ability to access your site at any time, and they will. Websites are a perfect way to answer questions potential patients are browsing for, at all hours of the day. Your site won’t be helpful to your business if it is hard to load or maneuver. Once users click onto your site, make sure it loads quickly or else they will leave and find a faster site.
With a responsive site, the layout of your website will be made for any size of screen. For mobile browsing, your site will be formatted with easy “call” buttons, a user-friendly navigation, and a more vertical layout to fit phone screens. Your mobile browsers will be able to easily find the information they were looking for without having to pinch and zoom across your site.
Don’t Forget the Milk
By having a mobile site you will be ready for the stream of mobile searchers who are browsing simply as a way to kill time. If your site loads quickly, is organized well with relevant content, and offers one-click contact options, chances are high that your users will have a positive experience. Perhaps one that will turn into business for you. So the next time you are waiting in line at the grocery store, get out your phone and see how well your site measures up.