(This post was originally published on February 18, 2013, and has been updated to be even better!)No matter how many pet owners visit your website, if it doesn’t include compelling reasons for them to connect with your practice, then it isn’t fully effective. The ultimate goal of your website is to convert visitors looking for a new veterinarian into loyal customers.
To improve your chances of turning more of your site visitors into eager clients who contact you, you need to make sure that your content provides ample invitations for visitors to choose your practice.
What makes a veterinary website more inviting?  These 5 ideas can help.

5 Ways to Convert Website Visitors into Clients

First, consider what a pet parent might consider before deciding to call you for care. When visiting your site, a potential client may be thinking, “What makes this practice right for me and my pet?,” “Does this practice look like a nice place?” or even, “What can I expect when I bring my pet to them?”
Then, to answer those questions for a site visitor, invite them to see what you’re all about. Here are 6 ways to do that:

1. Include friendly pages that help the visitor get to know you and your team.
   For instance, a Meet Our Team page or What to Expect page can be extremely helpful to a new prospect, especially if the content is conversational and focused on the prospect’s concerns.
2. Invite visitors to tour your hospital with photos.
   Show them the front of your building (so they recognize it when arriving for the first time), plus your lobby, an exam room, boarding area, water therapy room (if you have one), etc. Ideally, your photos include staff and animals (not just rooms and equipment) so prospects can picture being there.
3. Include cheery “Join the conversation!” social invitations.
   Facebook is a top social network for practices because it’s a popular place to share funny photos, community pet news, answers to common questions, team member news, events at your practice and more. Include your social media buttons prominently on your site, so visitors can find your social accounts.
4. Bring your practice to life with videos. Veterinary video marketing is huge because it allows pet parents to experience why your practice is a great place to bring their pets. When you tell them, in your words and images, why you chose the animal health industry, how you take a caring approach to pet health, and how your team works harmoniously to provide an exceptional experience, prospects can’t help but feel comfortable choosing you. When posting videos on your site, include a sentence on why they should watch it! Don’t make them guess. The practice shown here invites visitors to “Meet Dr. Todd.”
5. Ask visitors to get helpful news via a newsletter or specific service feature.
   Pet parents sign up for email newsletters when there’s an incentive to do so. In the screen shot here, the practice is offering “advice on being a better pet parent.” Who doesn’t want to be a better pet parent? This practice also offers new information on wellness plans, another invitation to learn more.
6. Add a New Clients section to your website.
   The easier it is for a pet owner to connect with your practice, the more likely it is that they will. Create a section in your navigation designed specifically for new clients. Include pages such as “What to Expect,” “Make an Appointment,” “Take a Tour,” or even “Register With Our Clinic,” if that is an option on your website. By mentioning them, you can immediately grab the attention of new clients and direct them to the pages on your website that will benefit them most…making it far more likely that you’ll see them walking through your practice doors.

Videos, newsletters and other invitations engage your veterinary website visitors so they’re more likely to choose you.

It’s the little touches that make your practice website more inviting to prospective clients. By considering what new clients are looking for when they look you up online, you can anticipate their questions and provide the answers right away. The easier you make it for them to discover how wonderful your clinic is, the more new clients you’ll see coming through your doors thanks to your website!