Websites are becoming increasingly important to pharmacies as patients increasingly search online for services such as flu jabs and prescription deliveries. This means that a poor website experience can soon send a potential customer away in search of a competitor.
Unfortunately, many pharmacy websites are outdated or do not prioritise the customer experience. Here are some common pharmacy website design mistakes and how to fix them.
Slow loading times
According to Google, over half of all users will abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load. Many pharmacy websites are slowed down by unoptimised images, clunky plug-ins or outdated hosting.
Fortunately, these problems can be corrected without a complete rebuild, although engaging a web development company that specialises in pharmacies to streamline the code and compress images could be beneficial. A fast user experience not only helps you to attract and retain customers, but also boosts your rankings in Google.
Not mobile-friendly
Over half of potential customers are likely to be searching on a smartphone, so if your website isn’t mobile friendly, then you are seriously limiting your potential customer base.
Visitors may struggle to find services, navigate the site or make bookings. Make sure that you use a responsive design that adapts seamlessly to screens of all sizes.
Poor navigation
Clear navigation is crucial to the success of pharmacy websites, particularly if they offer NHS services such as travel vaccines and flu jabs.
Make sure that key services are listed with clearly visible links or buttons, and create a dedicated page for each service with clear call-to-actions.
No online booking service
Customers now expect to be able book appointments online, and if your pharmacy doesn’t have this capability, then they are likely to go looking elsewhere. It’s relatively easy to integrate a simple secure booking system into an existing website, which will not only boost conversions, but also reduce admin time.
Outdated design/content
Old fashioned design and stale content signals that your pharmacy is unprofessional or even out of business. Aim to refresh the visuals every two to three years in order to keep it looking sleek and modern, and keep the content regularly updated.
For example, post information about the latest travel advice and health alerts, and include a blog page with regular posts about products, services and healthcare advice that adds value and is written or verified by a medical professional.
Lack of trust signals
Establishing customer trust is crucial for pharmacies: you are serving their health and wellbeing needs. If your website does not clearly show that you are NHS-affiliated or GPhC registered, it raises questions about authenticity.
Make sure that your website displays your pharmacy registration number, NHS logos, staff qualifications and customer testimonials.