Want consistent, voluminous, well-focused, long-term traffic to you site?
Of course, but you also want more.
You want people to "Pull the Trigger" and "Take Action"
For some, you want to have the patient pick up the phone and call. For others, you want them to click on a link to buy something or sign up for something or click on a Google AdSense link and earn you some money.
What to do about the "Browsers" or "Shoppers"?
1) YOU NEED TO CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION! That is where good copywriting skills are needed. Compelling Headlines, explanatory sub-headings, and great explanations of information are what keep people reading and exploring and re-visiting you until they are ready to take action on your site.
2) You want them to give you their name and e-mail address so you can keep in touch with them. Today's "shopper" may turn into a future, long-term valuable patient/client/customer. I use these terms interchangeably since a variety of people will see this blog and I hope it will grow to be a resource for many dentists, physicians, surgeons, health care and non-health care Internet-interested people.
3) You want them to feel comfortable with you and your site -- so web design and ease of navigation are essential.
4) You want them to click on your navigation buttons and explore your site. In this way you establish rapport with them. Just as you may have favorite personalities on the radio or TV that you know, and with whom you feel a connection, you want the visitor to your web site to begin to feel as if they know you and are already your client.
Now the question is "How Do People Find Your Web Site?
1) Rich content on the site so you site gets indexed in Google, Yahoo, Ask, and the other search engines.
2) Tweak your site with Search Engine Optimization, known as SEO in Internet marketing circles.
3) Write a blog -- search engines index them as well and when people come to your blog, you have the opportunity to encourage them to explore your site.
4) Do you have a blog? If so, you can use Technorati and other Blog indexing sites to increase traffic to your blog.