Walking the Talk: Reinventing the Digital Footprint of Care
Task
Competitor Analysis, Design Sprint, Usability Testing, Rapid Prototyping, SEO optimisation
The Foot Practice was founded in 2004, specializing in a holistic podiatry care for anyone above the age of 2. In 2017, they have only started its web presence in recent years and has been done up by an aspiring designer.
Based on comprehensive research and analysis, I identified several key challenges impacting The Foot Practice’s web presence:
Competitive Disadvantages in Digital Marketing
Competitors had made significant investments in Google AdWords and SEO strategies, which allowed them to rank higher in search engine results. Their websites were more accessible, offering information more easily compared to The Foot Practice’s website. Additionally, they achieved a wider brand reach through effective social media campaigns.
User Discovery and Engagement Issues
The majority of The Foot Practice’s customers found the business from referrals from other medical practioners or via Google Directory under searches like “podiatry near me,” pointing to a reliance on directory listings rather than direct website traffic. There was also a significant lack of awareness among these users about the available online appointment booking feature, which was underutilized.
Local Market Awareness and Engagement
It became apparent that the local population was still largely unfamiliar with podiatry services, with expats making up about 70% of the customer base. This demographic insight underscored a gap in market reach and highlighted the necessity for targeted marketing strategies, including the use of condition-based keywords to enhance local engagement and educate the potential patient base.
These challenges underscored the need for a strategic redesign of the website to improve performance, enhance user experience, and optimize content for better engagement and visibility, particularly among local users.
To address the multiple challenges identified during the initial phase of the project, we implemented several targeted strategies:
Optimization and Navigation Enhancements
To enhance The Foot Practice’s web presence, I prioritized optimizing website performance by transitioning to lighter content elements. This significantly reduced server load times and streamlined content delivery, improving the site’s performance and usability.
I enhanced user navigation by pinning the top navigation menu to ensure it was always visible and introducing clear, strategic Calls-to-Action. These navigation improvements made it easier for users to access booking options and inquire, thereby boosting online booking utilization.
SEO Improvements and Content Refinement
I undertook a comprehensive audit and overhaul of the website’s SEO practices, including optimizing content with relevant keywords, improving meta descriptions, and effectively utilizing alt tags. Local SEO strategies were also implemented, such as adding Google Maps and illustrated maps to location pages with detailed directional guides, which improved organic search visibility and user engagement.
Additionally, I addressed the design and content by reducing information clutter and redesigning the layout to focus on clarity and ease of use. The improved font choices and text hierarchy enhanced readability and aesthetic appeal, aligning with the brand’s identity. To further educate and engage our local audience, I added a series of educational articles describing common foot conditions. This content not only served to inform our users but also helped to optimize our site for condition-based keywords, increasing our visibility in relevant search results.
After implementing the redesign and optimization strategies, The Foot Practice experienced substantial improvements in both customer engagement and operational efficiency.
The comparison of data from a six-month period post-launch (March to September 2018) to the same period in the previous year (March to September 2017) reveals significant progress: