Is Your Website Costing You Patients?
Top Conversion Killers

If your clinic’s website looks good but isn’t bringing in new patient enquiries, something’s not right. At our medical marketing agency, we see it all too often: doctors investing in websites that look the part but completely miss the mark when it comes to conversion—the critical moment where a curious visitor becomes a booked appointment.

Your website is your most powerful lead generation tool. But even a professional-looking site can have hidden conversion killers that quietly cost you new patients every single day.

So, how do you know if your website is helping or hurting your practice? Let’s take a look at the biggest website design mistakes we see in healthcare—and how to fix them fast.

1. Slow Website Speed

Today's patients are time-poor. If your site takes more than a couple of seconds to load, they’re gone—off to your competitor who offers the same service, but with a website that loads instantly.

The fix:

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site.
• Compress image files and remove unnecessary plugins.
• Ask your web developer about hosting upgrades and caching tools.

Pro tip: A 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 7%, and even impacts your SEO (where your website ranks in search engine queries!).

2. Confusing Navigation

If a patient can’t find the information they’re looking for within 2 clicks, your navigation needs work. Cluttered menus, too many drop-downs, and unclear headings can lead to frustration and lost trust.

The fix:

• Stick to 5–7 main menu items.
• Group services under clear, logical headings (e.g. “Skin Treatments” or “Surgical Procedures”).
• Include a search bar if your site has many pages.

3. Weak or Missing Calls to Action (CTAs)

“Contact us” is boring and vague. “Book Now” is better. Patients want direction, not a scavenger hunt. Every page on your website should tell your visitors exactly what to do next—and make it easy.

The fix:

• Use strong, specific CTAs: “Book Your Consultation,” “Call Our Team,” “Request a Call Back.”
• Place CTAs above the fold, at the end of service pages, and in your site’s sticky header on mobile.
• Include click-to-call buttons on mobile devices.

4. No Online Booking Capabilities

If you’re still asking people to call during business hours, you’re missing after-hours patients—especially the ones researching late at night when they finally have a moment to themselves.

The fix:

• Integrate a medical-specific online booking system (e.g. HotDoc, HealthEngine, or your PMS).
• Highlight the ability to book 24/7.
• Make it accessible on every page—especially service pages and the homepage.

5. Outdated Design and Images

Your website might’ve looked fine in 2016, but web standards and patient expectations have moved on. If your site looks outdated or amateurish, people may assume your clinic is too.

The fix:

• Invest in a modern, mobile-first design tailored to the healthcare sector.
• Use real, high-quality clinic photography or professionally curated medical stock images.
• Keep branding consistent—fonts, colours, and tone should match your physical clinic.

6. Poor Mobile Experience

Over 70% of healthcare-related searches are done on mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile responsive, pinching and zooming will frustrate users—fast.

The fix:

• Check your website on multiple devices.
• Avoid pop-ups that block mobile content.
• Make sure text is legible and buttons are large enough to tap.

7. Lack of Trust Signals

Patients want reassurance that you’re qualified, reputable, and experienced. Without trust signals, even interested visitors may hesitate to take the next step.

The fix:

• Include Google and Healthshare reviews, before-and-after images (where appropriate and allowed by regulations), and professional association logos.
• Add a doctor bio page with credentials, experience, and friendly photos.
• Highlight your clinic’s safety practices and hygiene protocols.

8. No Clear Value Proposition

Why should someone choose you over the clinic down the road? If your homepage doesn’t clearly explain who you help and how you help them, you’re missing the mark.

The fix:

• Add a headline that sums up your core service and point of difference. For example: “Melbourne’s Leading Skin Clinic for Early Intervention Treatments”.
• Back it up with a short paragraph and CTA.
• Include proof points—years in practice, special training, unique approach.

9. Thin or Generic Content

Patients want details, not fluff. If your service pages are vague or sound like every other clinic, Google won’t rank them—and people won’t trust them.

The fix:

• Add service pages for each treatment with detailed, patient-friendly explanations.
• Answer common questions like “Who is this treatment for?”, “What’s involved?”, and “Are there any risks?”
• Include FAQs at the end of each page to improve SEO and conversions.

10. No Analytics or Tracking

You can’t fix what you don’t measure. Without Google Analytics and call or form tracking in place, you won’t know which pages are driving patient enquiries—and which aren’t working.

The fix:

• Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and track conversions such as calls, form fills, and online bookings.
• Monitor bounce rates and exit pages to identify drop-off points.
• Use heatmaps to see where users are clicking and where they lose interest.

11. No Local SEO Optimisation

If your clinic isn’t showing up in local search results, you’re missing out on patients actively looking for a provider nearby. Many medical practices overlook local SEO, assuming their website alone will attract traffic—but without the right location signals, Google won’t rank you where it matters.

The fix:

• Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile.
• Add location-based keywords throughout your website (e.g. “dermatologist in Leeds”).
• Include your clinic’s full address and embed a Google Map on your contact page.

12. No Proof of Patient Outcomes or Experience

Patients want to see that others have trusted you and had a positive result. Without real-world examples, testimonials, or case studies (where appropriate), your site may feel impersonal or unproven.

The fix:

• Add patient testimonials with permission and if allowed in your country—text, video, or screenshots of reviews.
• Include anonymised case studies or before-and-after galleries (if regulations allow).
• Feature star ratings from platforms like Google, Healthshare, or RealSelf.

Online Marketing for Doctors specialises in building high-converting, medically compliant websites that turn visitors into real patient bookings. With proven strategies and deep industry expertise across the UK, Australia, and the USA, we help clinics grow through smart design, SEO, and paid campaigns tailored to healthcare.

What Happens When You Fix These Issues?

We’ve helped clinics across Australia, the UK, and the USA transform underperforming websites into powerful patient-generating machines - just check out our exceptional work portfolio or read about our success stories and our case studies for real results. When your site is designed to convert, you don’t just get more traffic—you get more booked appointments.

Want Help Diagnosing Your Website?

At Online Marketing for Doctors, we specialise in creating conversion-focused medical websites. As a leading global medical marketing agency, we understand the healthcare industry, regulatory compliance, and how real patients behave online. Whether you’re a solo GP or a multi-location surgical group, we’ll build a digital marketing strategy—and a website—that works hard for your practice.

Book a free strategy call with our team and find out if your website is helping or hurting your growth.