How patients choose a clinic online, and what your website needs at each step
Choosing a clinic is rarely a leisurely decision. People search when they or someone they love needs help, often on a phone and often in a hurry. Here is what patients look for at each step, and what your website should give them.
By Dylan MakoriUpdated 7 min read
Step 1: the search
Picture someone waking up with a bad headache in Nairobi. Before getting out of bed, they reach for their phone. What they type depends on why they are searching:
| Kind of search | For example | Their state of mind |
|---|---|---|
| Symptom | “dentist for toothache Karen”, “paediatrician fever Nairobi” | Needs help soon |
| Specialty | “cardiologist Nairobi”, “orthopaedic surgeon Kenya” | Looking for expertise |
| Location | “clinic near me”, “doctor Kilimani” | Wants convenience |
| Reassurance | the doctor's name, “reviews” | Checking a choice already made |
A single “Services” page cannot match all of these. Clinics that give important services their own clear pages, and keep their Google Business Profile accurate, give themselves a much better chance of appearing at this moment.
Step 2: the first look at your website
The patient is comparing a few clinics in different tabs. Within seconds, your homepage should answer five questions:
- Do they treat what I have? Name your main services plainly, in the words patients use.
- Are the doctors qualified? Real photos, qualifications and specialisations build trust quickly.
- Can I afford it? A guide consultation fee, and which insurers you accept, including SHA if you do, removes a major worry.
- How soon can I be seen? Opening hours, and whether you take same-day or walk-in patients.
- Where exactly are you? “Opposite the petrol station, 2nd floor” with a map beats “Nairobi, Kenya” every time.
Step 3: making contact
This is where many clinics lose patients: long waits on the phone, messages that go unanswered, or no clear next step. Make contact as easy as the patient wants it to be:
- A tap-to-call number on every page.
- A WhatsApp button that opens a chat with a helpful first message already filled in.
- Online booking, if your practice can offer it, with clear available times.
A good WhatsApp exchange can take a couple of minutes. For example:
- Patient: “Hi, I'd like to see a doctor about recurring headaches.”
- Clinic: “We can help. We have appointments tomorrow at 10:30 or 2:30. The consultation fee is KES 2,500. Which suits you?”
- Patient: “2:30 please.”
- Clinic: “Booked for tomorrow at 2:30. Here is our location pin. Please bring your ID and insurance card.”
The WhatsApp Business app's greeting and away messages, quick replies and labels make this manageable for a busy front desk. Read more in WhatsApp on your business website.
Step 4: the visit
The experience should match what the website promised. Small digital touches help:
- A reminder the day before, with what to bring.
- An optional form to fill in personal details before arrival, to shorten the wait.
- After the visit, a message with any instructions and an easy way to book a follow-up.
Step 5: reviews and referrals
Satisfied patients are your best marketing. Make it easy for them: after a good visit, send a direct link to leave a Google review, and make rebooking simple. Reviews also help your clinic appear for the next person searching nearby.
Where to start
- This week: put tap-to-call and WhatsApp on every page, and check your hours, location and fees are easy to find on a phone.
- This month: give your main services their own clear pages, and update your Google Business Profile.
- Ongoing: ask happy patients for reviews, and keep your website's information current.
Building a clinic website or a booking system? See how we approach websites and systems for clinics.