Sep 20
2023
How Mobile-First Websites Can Influence More Patients to Reach You
By Bjoern Sjut, co-founder and CEO, Finc3.
It is challenging to ignore mobile smartphones’ influence on our day-to-day lives. Sometimes it’s the first thing you see in the morning and the last at night. The global usage of social media has surged to 4.48 billion users from 2.07 billion in 2015, with each user engaging with an average of 6.6 platforms. While the annual growth rate has declined from 12.5% to 9.2% between 2019 and 2020, the pervasive impact of social media remains substantial.
Regardless of the uncertainty, adopting a mobile-first approach is necessary, as it is a crucial part of the customer experience. It serves as a means for health or other sectors to effectively interact with potential customers. The mobile-first approach in the healthcare sector can help to design and optimize healthcare services, information, and technologies primarily for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This strategy recognizes the increasing reliance on mobile devices and aims to provide consumers with convenient access to healthcare resources, often on the go.
Importance of a Mobile-First Approach in Healthcare Ecommerce
Using a mobile-first approach has several benefits and addresses specific considerations in the healthcare industry. However, here are some mobile-first approaches critical to healthcare e-commerce:
- Mobile UX Optimization for Healthcare Websites
The importance of UX design in the healthcare sector cannot be overemphasized. In recent years, the healthcare industry has experienced a notable transition to digital platforms. Patients now turn to websites for medical insights, appointment scheduling, telehealth services, and interaction with healthcare experts. A well-optimized healthcare website can achieve this primary objective.
To excel in a competitive field and meet rising patient demands, healthcare providers must emphasize and pay more attention to UX design. Crafting intuitive, visually engaging, and user-friendly websites that users can navigate easily is essential.
- Accelerating Mobile Page Load Times for Better Conversions
Hence, when it comes to a website, the faster, the better. Accelerating mobile page load times is crucial for improving conversions in the healthcare sector, where user experience, trust, and accessibility are paramount. A page that loads slowly can result in a higher bounce rate and lower engagement, negatively impacting your business.
- Leveraging Mobile Apps to Engage Healthcare Consumers
Notably, healthcare apps are an effective channel for engaging with millennial patients. These demographic places a premium on convenience, making these apps seamless for scheduling appointments, exchanging health information, and overseeing preventive care. To tap into this trend, consider establishing partnerships and extending support to various health-oriented mobile apps. To create your mobile application, thoroughly researching your target audience is crucial, and planning on a budget is equally essential. It emphasizes the app’s swiftness, user-friendly interface, robust promotional backing, and consistent updates to ensure its long-term success.
- SMS Marketing Strategies for Healthcare Products
SMS marketing is important for effectively promoting healthcare products and reaching your target audience. Within the healthcare sector, proper communication is essential between the provider and the patient. However, it’s crucial to approach SMS marketing for healthcare products with care and consideration due to the sensitive nature of the industry. This is an exciting and effective practice that allows you to build lasting connections with your patients while at the same time keeping patient satisfaction levels high. You can reach out to patients by:
- Notify Patients about Test Results via SMS
- Special Offers and Promotions
- General Wellness Tips
- Improve Internal Communications
A mobile-first approach is crucial whether you’re preparing to launch a website, revamp your existing site, or embark on a digital transformation journey. This mindset should extend beyond your website and become a fundamental aspect of all your business endeavors.
Your primary focus should be crafting a seamless user experience tailored to mobile users. You’ll naturally draw in users from other devices by effectively captivating and engaging mobile users with your digital product. Embracing the mobile-first philosophy safeguards your business’s alignment with your customer base, regardless of their location or device preferences.