We’ve reviewed hundreds of small practice websites—and most of them are making the same mistakes. Not because the doctors don’t care, but because they’re busy, and no one ever explained how to make a website actually work for patients.

This post is a straight-shooting rundown of the most common problems we see—and exactly how to fix them.

❌ Mistake #1: Everything Important Is Below the Fold

If your contact info, location, or “Schedule Now” button isn’t visible within the first 3 seconds, you’re losing people.

Patients are in a hurry. Make it easy or they’ll bounce.

✅ Fix: Use a sticky header with your phone number and a visible call-to-action above the fold on every page.

❌ Mistake #2: You’re Talking to Yourself, Not Your Patients

Too many sites lead with the practice’s origin story, education, or mission statement. That’s fine, but it’s not what patients are looking for.

They want to know: What do you treat? Do you accept my insurance? How do I book?

✅ Fix: Rewrite your homepage with the patient’s goals first.

❌ Mistake #3: Outdated Design That Feels Untrustworthy

If your site looks like it hasn’t been touched since 2014, patients will assume the same about your medical equipment, your process, and your care.

Perception is reality.

✅ Fix: Update your layout, fonts, and color palette. Use warm, real photography and mobile-first design. Bonus points for branded elements in-office.
👉 See patient-friendly websites

❌ Mistake #4: Generic Stock Photos

We all know the guy in the lab coat shaking hands with the smiling patient. That image does nothing to build trust—it just screams “template.”

✅ Fix: Use real staff photos or invest in simple lifestyle shots that reflect your space, your team, and your tone. Don’t want to do a photoshoot? Even one or two real images makes a big difference.

❌ Mistake #5: No Blog, No Updates, No Signal

A dead blog or a website that hasn’t been touched in 3 years is a red flag to both Google and your patients. It says: “We don’t keep things current.”

✅ Fix: Start with 3–5 evergreen posts that answer common patient questions. Need ideas? Pediatric or family-focused?

❌ Mistake #6: Missing or Broken Forms

This is a silent killer. Your contact form doesn’t work. Your appointment form goes nowhere. You never get the messages—or worse, the patient thinks you ghosted them.

✅ Fix: Test every form on your site. Weekly. Better yet, have someone else test it like a patient would. If you want us to run a quick test or help fix the issues:
👉 Send us your site—we’ll tell you in plain English what needs fixing.

Final Takeaway

Your website doesn’t need to be flashy. But it does need to be fast, clear, modern, and patient-focused.

The bar for healthcare websites is low—which means it’s easy to stand out when you get the basics right.

Want a human to tell you what’s working and what’s not?
👉 Send us your site—we’ll give you honest feedback and fix what matters.