How Your Patients Choose an Optometrist (And How You Can Be Their Best Option)
Have you ever wondered what truly distinguishes one optometrist from another in the sea of eye care professionals?
If you don’t have a background in optometrist marketing, the answers may surprise you.
What Really Sets Optometrists Apart (it isn’t what you think)
What about qualifications, range of services, available vision technology, etc.?
Those things are definitely important. However, recognizing patient intent and knowing what patients seek from the best optometrists is even more important. We review patient intent in more detail in our FREE ebook – the ultimate optometry marketing guide. Click the link to receive it now.
This blog post will focus on what patients look for when searching for an optometrist online.
Optometry is a competitive field. Depending on your location, your potential customers might have several eye doctors available to them.
To expand your online footprint and attract more patients, you should understand the key factors influencing their choice. It’s not just about vision correction or the technology at your disposal; it’s how they PERCEIVE you as a provider.
Their perception begins forming as soon as they start seeking eye care solutions. According to a study by Netsertive, nearly 80% of consumers do online research before making significant in-store purchases, with two-thirds turning to Google when researching local businesses.
The Benefits of Being Their Best Optometrist Option
If you are their best option, not only will you be providing exceptional eye care, but you’ll also position your practice in a way that reflects trust and expertise.
According to one study highlighted by the American Association for Physician Leadership, a strong online presence is critical in patient recruitment and revenue growth for doctors and healthcare practices.
Here’s why a strong online presence is beneficial as an optometrist:
- It lets you communicate your vision, values, services, and patient success stories.
- Ensure long-term loyalty; they will perceive you as the most reliable and patient-centric option for their eye care needs.
- Attract more patients.
Now that you understand the importance of being the best option, let’s dive into how patients choose an optometrist.
Understanding the Patient Decision-Making Process
A patient seeking the best optometrist won’t simply go with the first one they find. They will weigh several different factors, the most important of which are:
- Convenience: how close is your location, and what is the appointment availability?
- Reputation: patients will assess this through online reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. They may also look at any history of malpractice claims/disciplinary actions.
- Expertise: expertise is a sum of qualifications, specializations, and the technology you employ. Qualifications are non-negotiable, but they aren’t everything. Patients will also look at experience in the field, training, and skills for treating various eye problems.
- Personalized care: how well can you tailor your approach to each patient’s needs? The best and highest-rated optometrists combine credentials, experience, excellent communication/interpersonal skills, and empathy.
As you can see, your credibility and professional image play a large part in their decision-making process. Speaking of which…
Building Your Trust and Credibility as an Optometrist
It’s crucial to level up your credibility to attract patients and keep them coming back in the future.
Earlier, we mentioned qualifications as an important factor. You should prominently showcase specific certifications to assure patients of your expertise.
A study by Software Advice found that 90% of patients use online reviews to evaluate physicians. Thus, you’ll want to share positive patient testimonials – these can encourage potential patients to book an appointment.
So start asking patients to leave good feedback if they had a good experience!
If they didn’t have a good patient experience, reach out to them before they post their negative experience online.
Bad reviews can hurt any business, but this is usually preventable. Very few people will actively try to spite you – most people just want to feel heard.
Of course, it’s best to prevent bad experiences from happening altogether by…
Providing an Exceptional Patient Experience
From first contact to ongoing eye care, the patient experience is everything. Your practice will need:
- efficient visit scheduling
- friendly staff with good communication skills and interpersonal skills
- comfortable environment and facilities
In addition, you should utilize advanced technology and offer comprehensive eye exams with personalized treatment plans.
Many optometrist practices haven’t implemented the latest advancements in optical technology. However, according to the website Modern Optometry, optometry has evolved significantly over the years, with recent technological advancements improving precision and efficiency in eye care.
With the latest medical capabilities at your fingertips, you’ll be able to provide progressive, cutting-edge vision services. The caliber of your assessments and care will improve, resulting in even better customer reviews.
Delivering the best patient experience also lays the groundwork for personalized eye care.
Tailoring Optometrist Services to Meet Patient Needs
The best optometrists will try to understand and address every individual patient’s unique needs and preferences.
For starters, tailor your eyewear options to include a wide range of glasses and contact lens fittings. That way, you’ll be able to accommodate every person’s ocular health and lifestyle requirements.
But what about specialized vision services? These are important, too. These offers cater to more unique eye health needs. While these services may seem difficult to provide, doing so will position your practice as a leader in patient-centered care. Thus, you’ll attract a broader range of clientele seeking personalized solutions.
These satisfied customers will also lead to referrals – another bonus to your reputation and profitability.
Speaking of referrals, you can also become your own best referral by including internal links in your website’s content.
How You Can Start Leveraging Internal Linking
Internal linking connects different pages of your website. It makes navigation easier and improves your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) while helping search engines understand your website’s structure.
Here is an example of an internal link. In that link, we linked to another related blog post on our website to help you understand this topic better.
Tips for Optometry Practice internal linking:
- Connect blog posts to service pages: for example, a blog post about eye health tips could link to service pages for eye examinations or contact lens fittings.
- Use keyword-rich anchor texts: for instance, “comprehensive eye exams” or “latest eyewear trends.” This will not only aid in SEO but also help guide users naturally through your website, improving the user experience.
- Engagement: keep engagement in mind when using internal links and how to inform readers about your full range of services.
Conclusion
You now know the key factors patients consider when choosing an optometrist. With this knowledge, you can differentiate your practice and build a stronger online presence.
But this is only half the battle. The other half is learning about user intent and how to use that information to reach the right patients with the right messages at the right times.
If you’re ready to accelerate your growth without spending additional time at the office, schedule a private strategy session with us today!