Today’s pharmacies are no longer just places to pick up a prescription or some painkillers: they serve multiple functions, including delivering flu and Covid vaccines, carrying out blood pressure tests, and providing consultations for a range of minor illnesses and ailments. Advanced pharmacists also have the authority to make diagnoses and issue prescriptions.
However, as recent feedback about initiatives such as the Pharmacy First scheme show, many people are unaware of the full range of services available. If your bricks and mortar pharmacy has an online counterpart, here’s a look at how you can raise awareness of the services available both online and in-store.
Ensure your website is user friendly
The pharmacy website design should act as a digital storefront, with a visually appealing layout, intuitive navigation and clear ways for visitors to identify the next steps. Choose colour combinations that reflect the values of your brand.
For example, the healthcare sector is traditionally associated with cool colours such as blue and green, which are seen as calming and authoritative. The content should be written with an accessible tone and style. Consider who your target audience is: if they have special needs or English is likely to be their second language, aim for a low reading age such as ten.
Create dedicated service pages
If there is a particular service that you want to promote, create a dedicated page for it and optimise it for the relevant keywords, such as ‘flu vaccinations near me’ or ‘blood pressure test pharmacy.’ Provide detailed information about what the service involves and an online booking system where customers can schedule appointments in advance.
Make use of local SEO
Your customers will make online searches for products and services that they need, even if they don’t intend to buy or seek a consultation online. Therefore include location-specific keywords in your website content and meta descriptions.
Completing your Google Business Profile will help your website to rank more highly in search engine results pages, and will also give more credibility to your business. Ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews to help build trust and boost web traffic further.
Make use of social media marketing
Social media is a cost effective way to widen your audience reach and build up a loyal customer base. Select the most appropriate platforms for your customer base, and schedule regular posts. Aim to include informative and educational material about your specialist services, backed up with infographics or even short videos to provide demonstrations.
Run seasonal campaigns
Pharmacies often have season-specific services, such as flu jabs in the autumn and winter, hay fever treatments in the spring, and travel vaccinations in the summer. Tailor your online content and keywords to reflect this.