If your cosmetic dental office isn't seeing as much business as you want, you probably need to revamp your dental website's design. On average, potential clients spend at least 10-20 seconds on your website before they decide to leave or stay. If your site lacks visual appeal or easy-to-find information right away, clients can and will leave as soon as they click on your link.

In addition, website content that isn't trending or updated properly can also hurt your status online. You lose the opportunity to bring in new clientele, as well as increase your practice's revenue. Here are two signs that your cosmetic dental website isn't working for you.

Your Images Look Too Unrealistic

When visitors come to your website, they're looking for best and quickest ways to fix their teeth and gums. But if your stock images look to unrealistic, most of your potential clients may leave your site. People who do choose to stay on the site may develop unrealistic expectations of what your cosmetic treatments will do for them.

It's a good idea to use images of everyday people, rather than images of professional models who may or may not already have perfect smiles. If you don't make your clients look exactly like the people they see on your dental site, you may end up in court if they decide to sue you for false advertising.

Although you didn't intend to mislead your clients, the court can find you liable for the misrepresentation of your stock images, which can cost you money your practice needs to stay operable.

Your Content Lacks Engagement

Your website's content is another factor in how long future clients stay on your site. It can also help clients decide whether or not to choose you for their cosmetic dental needs, or if they should check out the next lead on their web search. Content that doesn't engage your visitors when they click on your blog, about page, treatment options, or even contact us page may end up hurting your practice instead. Here are two ways you can make your site better:

Keep It Simple

Clients may not want to read fancy dental terms they can't pronounce or easily decipher, such as cosmetic apicoectomy and gingival cleaning. Instead, use common terms clients hear about all the time, such as root canal and gum cleaning. Remember, web readers only need a few seconds to decide if they'll stay with you or go somewhere else for what they need. They shouldn't have to do a search on your dental terms just to find out what you offer them in the office.

Keep It Fresh and Helpful

Also, keep your content fresh and exciting by adding helpful, easy-to-do tips clients can use when they can't visit your office right away. The tips won't keep your clients away from the office because they need you to fix their problems permanently. But if there's a simple way to remove minor teeth stains at home, tell your visitors about it. Once the stains return, so will your business.

You can make a few other changes to your content to keep it engaging, including these below:

• Create a blog on the latest dental trends and add content for each type of client you treat: This may include adding trendy tips for new moms who want to get back into the swing of things, as well as young professionals who want to impress their prospective employers with the newest, more attractive dental veneers.
• Add interactive tools to your site: Make your cosmetic dental site stand out by adding interactive games or slideshows to it. The games and slideshows may include how to whiten your teeth with strawberries, or how to cap a tooth with porcelain crowns.
• Promote your social media pages: Add links and apps to your social media pages to help clients stay in touch with you. Your potential clients may want to see what's trending in your office—and not just in the world. If you decide to use cosmetic lasers in your office for the first time ever, let your new clients know about it.

Once you make your changes, your website's visitors may become actual clients. If you want to increase your cosmetic dental site's traffic and your practice's income, consult with a professional dental website designer for more tips, details and options.