It’s a fact of life, one to which healthcare marketers must pay close attention. The number of people seeking health information online is growing exponentially, and smart hospitals and health systems are ramping up to not only meet this demand, but also exceed the expectations of these online consumers. The share of online Americans who say the Internet has greatly improved the way they get information about healthcare has grown to 20 percent, up from 17 percent in March 2001.

Get S.M.A.R.T. With Your Site
Although great strides have been made in the past few years, healthcare Web sites in general haven’t had a reputation for being cutting edge. While most count content, ease of use, design and copywriting among their strengths, healthcare provider sites have historically scored low in innovation and use of technology.

The opportunity for healthcare providers to enhance their Web sites to heighten the experience and information visitors receive is paramount, as is the ability to determine the efficacy of the site in terms of market share increase and brand awareness. The Internet is rapidly becoming a standard vehicle in an organization’s media toolkit. Measurement—by hits, clicks and eventual patient capture—is perhaps the easiest and most accurate of the typical marketing vehicles.

A smart Web site is not all about bells and whistles, text and pictures. A smart Web site exceeds the expectations of your visitors, your community and your organization.

How can you make your Web site smarter? By applying a five-step S.M.A.R.T. philosophy that will make it:
1. Strategic
2. Market-oriented
3. Attractive
4. Reasonably priced
5. Technologically advanced

STEP 1: Strategic—Does this describe your Web site?

Web sites that are launched without a clear strategy often suffer from poor organization, content management and navigation. They lack an integrated design with other marketing tools. They are not user friendly, which has a negative impact on traffic to the site.

Your online strategy must also be targeted and results-oriented. Just as you focus on a specific audience when developing a traditional advertisement, you need to focus on your targeted Internet audience and the message you want delivered to them. The lack of a clear strategy results in lower return on investment, increased maintenance, higher redesign costs and frustrated visitors.

STEP 2: Market-oriented —Is your site meeting the needs of your targets?

A S.M.A.R.T. Web site clearly defines the target user, helps them find the site and provides the type of information and resources they want and need. If your site simply regurgitates your printed materials, it isn’t adding any value for your target audience. Play to the strengths of the online medium by providing varying levels of personalization, interaction and response. Pay close attention to the ease and logical flow of navigation that will get your visitors from your home page to the specific information they seek. By using an integrated marketing approach, you can attract more traffic to your Web site and provide the opportunity for a better return on investment (ROI ). With a strong Web site infrastructure and a clean and concise navigation system, your visitors are more likely to make the natural progression from using the Web site to research health topics to attending a hospital program or event, finding a doctor or service and ultimately making an appointment.

STEP 3: Attractive—Does your site combine balance and organization?

Your Web site needs to be attractive and visually engaging. It needs to communicate your brand, reinforce your messaging and uphold your position in the market. At the same time, it needs to be functional, intuitive, easy to navigate and fast to load. A S.M.A.R.T. site is balanced and organized—the two most important elements in Web site design. Balance keeps brand-supported imagery in consistent locations so pages look symmetrical. Organization puts related items into the same areas, which helps bolster navigation and makes for a strong user experience.

STEP 4: Reasonably Priced—Have you asked the right questions of your outside partner?

Sometimes there just aren’t enough internal resources to take on a major Web site creation or redesign project. When considering an outside resource, be aware that there is a wide range of services and price points. Cheaper is not always better as additional costs may be required to fix an inferior product. A partner who provides an integrated approach between online and print media means basic materials need only be developed once—translating into greater efficiency, better coordination of marketing initiatives and timelines and, because you are dealing with only one partner, less time spent communicating your needs.

STEP 5: Technologically Advanced—Does your site apply the latest technology while keeping the visitor experience in mind?

Because Web sites are rapidly becoming the first customer touch point for many organizations, a robust and technologically advanced site is an imperative component to a strategic marketing plan. It helps you attract potential patients, prospective employees and possible donors.

Don’t get caught up in pretty pictures and over-the-top design with lots of links and clicks that do nothing to enhance the visitor experience. Content and design must go hand in hand. Effective design drives the visitor deeper into the site.

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