Anyone with a connection to the internet can find information on a range of medical conditions, much more than they could a decade ago. Yet it’s the Medical Marketing usability of a medical website that encourages surfers back to that website and keeps that portal in their minds whenever they have a medical question.
The NHS have spent oodles of money and years Healthcare Website Design of research on making sure their website is always up to date, easy to navigate and always available. This ensures that their name is at the forefront of a user’s mind when they seek answers they’d rather not bother the doctor with.
There are five factors that must be taken into consideration when launching a medical website
Composition
A person will not read a website the same way they would read a magazine, and knowing this is key to bringing your website alive. Generally copywriters use the rule that they start at the left top corner (logo and phone number should go here), scan the middle (Important information about your services), then the right top corner (Back the information up with a good motto or contact us button) and finally the bottom right corner (a testimonial to secure the deal is always a good idea here). Rarely do users spend enough time on the website to read any information in the bottom left corner, making any information placed here obsolete.
Learnability
Whether it’s a practiced surgeon or a home user that encounters the site, text needs to be arranged so it flows well and can be easily learned. Skipping from one subject to another will only confuse the user, and leave them wondering why they didn’t pick another site from their Google search. Try to arrange the text in steps as you take notes, or use a good copywriter who can organise the information. It is also important to keep information up to date as a medical student may look foolish or a home user may self-diagnose incorrectly if not. It’s a huge responsibility but one that can easily be handled.
Navigation
From the homepage to the contact page, your website should be simple to navigate. Users may spend time trying to find the right page on their first visit but it almost a guarantee that they will choose your competition the next time they need the same information. Keep important information clear and links to it on each page, as well as a clear home button, so if they do get lost they can always find their way back.