Your online presence is not generating new patient enquiries
A static or poorly optimised online presence fails to convert visitors into enquiries. Many consultants have websites that function as digital business cards rather than patient acquisition channels. Without search visibility, a compelling value proposition, and a clear call to action, traffic is low and conversion rates are negligible.
- steps
- 8
- steps
- to start
- 2 hours, then 4 weeks of logging
- to start
The short answer
Most consultant websites and profiles describe the consultant but not the conditions patients search for, and make enquiring harder than phoning someone else. Make every page and profile answer the three questions a patient asks before getting in touch: can you treat my problem, what will it cost, and how do I book. Give each main condition its own page, put a phone number and a short form on every page, claim your Google Business Profile, reply the same working day and record where every enquiry comes from. That is a few days' work, not a new website.
8 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 8 done
Set up Google Analytics 4 with an event for form submissions and phone-number clicks. Ask every new patient how they found you (GP, insurer list, Google, hospital website, directory or word of mouth) and record it in the source log
- Time
- 2 hours, then 4 weeks of logging
- Typical cost
- £0, or £20 to £60 a month for call tracking (Solvable estimate)
- Who does it
- Website supplier, you and your secretary
Done when: You can see monthly visitors, enquiries and where each enquiry came from
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this template
Enquiry reply template, call-back script and source log
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
Website enquiry reply (email)
Subject: Your enquiry to [Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname], Consultant [Specialty]
Dear [patient first name],
Thank you for getting in touch about [reason given in the enquiry].
[Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname] sees patients at:
- [Hospital or clinic 1], [day or days]
- [Hospital or clinic 2], [day or days]
The next available appointments are:
- [day, date, time, location]
- [day, date, time, location]
If you are insured: [Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname] is recognised by [list insurers]. Please call your insurer before your appointment for an authorisation number. Many insurers also ask for a GP referral.
If you are paying for yourself: a new consultation costs £[amount] and a follow-up £[amount]. A GP referral letter is helpful but not essential. Any tests or treatment will be costed in writing before they go ahead.
To book, reply to this email or call me on [phone] between [hours]. If it is easier, tell me a good time and I will call you.
Kind regards,
[Secretary name] Medical Secretary to [Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname] [Phone] | [Email]
---
Same-day call-back script (phone)
"Hello, is that [name]? It's [secretary name], calling from [Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname]'s office. You sent us an enquiry about [reason]. Is now a good time?
Can I check: will you be using health insurance, or paying for yourself?
[Insured] Which insurer is it? [Mr/Ms/Dr] [Surname] is recognised by them, so the next step is to call them for an authorisation number. Would you like to pencil in [date] while you do that?
[Self-pay] The first consultation is £[amount]. I can offer [date] at [location]. Would that suit?
I'll email you confirmation and directions now."
---
Enquiry source log
| Date | Patient initials | How did you hear about us? | Insured or self-pay | Reply time (hours) | Booked? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP / Insurer list / Google / Hospital site / Directory / Friend / Other |
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Sending every visitor to a homepage biography, or listing qualifications but not the conditions you treat in the words patients search for.
- Hiding the phone number on a contact page, or having several numbers across profiles, some going to a voicemail nobody checks.
- Leaving fees and recognised insurers off your profiles, so patients phone the consultant who shows them.
- Redesigning the whole site before measuring which pages get visits and whether enquiries are lost at the reply stage.
- Replying to web enquiries after two or three days, when the patient has already booked elsewhere.
- Asking only happy patients for reviews, which breaches Google's review policies.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll search for you and your conditions as a patient would, then try to enquire
What I need from you
- Your name
- Your specialty
- The town you practise in
- Your website address
What you get
- Screenshots of what a patient sees
- How many taps it takes to enquire
- The three changes that matter most
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Benchmarks
Practitioner Business Profiles may include a title or degree in the name, but not unnecessary information such as marketing taglines, services or location
Google Business Profile guidelines
Source: Google
PHIN publishes consultant profiles, including whether a consultant charges within insurers' rates, for patients comparing consultants
One of the profiles patients may land on when searching your name
Source: PHIN
Consultant websites typically turn 1 to 3% of visitors into an enquiry
Solvable estimate, not a published figure; varies widely by specialty and how much traffic is from patients. Measure your own in step 1
Solvable estimate
Replying the same day rather than the next can help you win the booking
Solvable view: many patients contact more than one consultant. Not a measured figure
Solvable estimate
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new website?
Usually not. Most gains come from condition pages, clear contact routes and quick replies, all of which can be added to an existing site. If you have no site, a complete hospital profile and Google Business Profile may be enough to start. A website helps when you see patients at more than one site.
Should I put my fees online?
Yes for self-pay consultation fees. Patients compare on price and many will not phone to ask. You already have to publish the fees you normally charge on PHIN, and under the CMA's Private Healthcare Order you must give patients written fee information when an outpatient appointment is confirmed. Putting them on your site too saves time on enquiries.
How quickly should we reply to enquiries?
Within two working hours if you can, and always the same working day. Many patients contact more than one consultant.
What can I say about outcomes?
Only what you can evidence, stated factually. The ASA's CAP Code applies to marketing on your own website, and GMC guidance says information must be factual and verifiable and must not exploit patients' vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge. Avoid guarantees and comparisons you cannot support.
Should I write the pages myself?
Write the clinical content yourself or check every word. A supplier can then edit for readability and search.
Is paid search worth it?
Sometimes for self-pay procedures with clear demand. Test with a small budget for a month and track bookings, not clicks.
How long before I see more enquiries?
Contact and reply improvements show within weeks. New condition pages usually take three to six months to be found in search (Solvable estimate).
Last reviewed:
The Solvable community
You're not the only one with this problem.
One problem solved every week, on WhatsApp.
One message a week. No sales messages. Reply STOP any time.