What a doctor's website needs: a guide with real examples

Before visiting a doctor, a patient will usually search online first. A doctor's website is where the patient first meets the physician, and within a few seconds it has to answer these questions: "Does this doctor treat my condition? Can I trust them? How do I book an appointment?" In this post we explain what doctor and clinic websites need, with examples from the physician websites we have built.

1. On the first screen: who, and in which field?

The first screen of the home page should say clearly the doctor's name, title, specialty and the city where they see patients. The patient shouldn't have to scroll to think "I'm in the right place". For doctors who work in several fields, the areas should be separated from the home page with a single tap; this is how treatment areas are reached on Prof. Dr. Zafer Kozacıoğlu's website.

2. A separate page for every treatment

Patients often search for their problem rather than for a doctor: they type the name of a treatment or a complaint. Giving each treatment its own page, instead of listing everything on one, is far clearer for both patients and search engines. The patient lands directly on the treatment they were looking for, and Google can see exactly what each page is about. On Op. Dr. Özlem Yüksel Coşar's website, rhinoplasty, eyelid aesthetics and every other treatment are explained this way, on separate pages.

Each treatment page should contain:

• What the treatment is and who it is suitable for,
• How the process works and what the patient will experience,
• The questions patients ask most often,
• A link that leads to an appointment request in a single step.

3. A doctor profile

When deciding on a treatment, patients want to know the doctor: education, experience, the institutions they have worked at, their approach. A real photograph and a plain description are more reassuring than a long CV list. For doctors with academic work, the list of publications can have its own section; on Kozacıoğlu's website this list is updated from the admin panel.

4. Frequently asked questions

It is natural for patients to ask the same questions again and again: how is the procedure done, how long does the process take, what should I pay attention to? Answering them on the site eases the patient's worries and takes some of the phone load off the secretary. On Uzm. Dr. Bermet Junushova's website, frequently asked questions and patient information articles each have their own sections.

5. Make appointment requests easy

When a visitor decides to book, nothing should stand in the way:

• The phone number should be callable with a single tap on mobile,
• The appointment request form should be short (name, phone, a brief note),
• The request link should be reachable from every page of the site,
• Below the form there should be a link to a privacy notice explaining how the information is used.

Appointments can be set up in two ways. On most doctors' sites the patient sends a request through a form and the secretary gets back to them. If the hospital or clinic has its own appointment system, the site can send patients straight to it; the appointment link on Bermet Junushova's website works this way.

6. Mobile-friendliness and speed

A significant share of patients come to the site from their phones. A wide list of treatments should be easy to browse on a phone, and pages should open fast. A site that loads slowly or looks broken on a phone weakens the patient's trust, however good the doctor is.

7. Publishing in more than one language

If you see patients from abroad or patients who speak another language, your site needs to be in that language too. Treating each language not as a plain translation but with its own page structure and content is better for both patients and search engines. On the doctor websites we have built, there are versions in English, Russian, German or Arabic alongside Turkish, depending on each doctor's patient profile.

8. A measured, informative tone

There are regulations on promotion and advertising in the healthcare field. When preparing the copy of the site, they need to be kept in mind, and the tone should inform rather than promise. We don't give legal advice; we write the copy in a measured, informative tone. We recommend clarifying the scope of the promotion rules with the professional body you belong to or with a legal adviser.

9. Being able to update it yourself

You shouldn't have to write to the agency every time you want to add a treatment, publish an announcement or correct an article. Being able to update the content from an admin panel is the easiest way to keep the site alive. Regular informative articles also help patients find you in search engines.

One more note for clinic websites

A clinic website differs from a personal brand site in one respect: it needs to introduce the team. On Spine Motion Klinik's website, alongside the services there are clinic and physiotherapist profiles, frequently asked questions and online appointment requests; the client sees from the start who will be treating them.

How long does a doctor's website take, and what determines the price?

The timeline and price vary with the number of treatment pages, the number of languages, the scope of the admin panel and the appointment flow. We explain these factors in detail in How long does it take to build a website, and what determines the cost?

Conclusion

On a doctor's website, patients look for three things: whether this is the right physician, whether they can trust them, and how to book. The items on this list are the answers to those three questions. In our corporate website service, we prepare doctor and clinic websites from design to launch with a single team. If you'd like to work out together what your site needs, write to us.