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The Website Mistakes Costing Clinics Patients · The Clinic Marketing Podcast | Local SEO & Healthcare Online Marketing Tips for Clinic Owners & Wellness Providers

• 0:25
  Darcy Happy AI try: Hey there, and welcome back to The Clinic Marketing Podcast.
• 0:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: I’m Darcy Sullivan from Propel Marketing and Design.
• 0:32
  Darcy Happy AI try: Today we’re talking about something that sounds simple, but it can make a massive difference in how your website performs in 2026.
• 0:40
  Darcy Happy AI try: It’s the new remove list, what you should delete, replace, or rewrite on your clinic website right now, because it may be hurting your visibility, hurting trust, and quietly lowering conversions.
• 0:53
  Darcy Happy AI try: And just to set expectations, this is not an episode about changing your entire website, hiring a designer, or rebuilding from scratch.
• 1:02
  Darcy Happy AI try: Although if you are interested in doing that, book a discovery call.
• 1:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: We’d love to help, and you can find the link in the show notes.
• 1:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: This episode is about removing friction.
• 1:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: Because a lot of clinic websites do not have an SEO problem.
• 1:15
  Darcy Happy AI try: Some definitely do, and if you think that might be you, you can book that discovery call.
• 1:21
  Darcy Happy AI try: But more often, the bigger issue is clarity and trust.
• 1:26
  Darcy Happy AI try: They have a clarity problem.
• 1:27
  Darcy Happy AI try: They have a trust problem.
• 1:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: They have a“this feels outdated” problem.
• 1:32
  Darcy Happy AI try: Or, and I see this way too often, they have a“this looks like every other clinic website” problem.
• 1:37
  Darcy Happy AI try: And in 2026, those problems do not just hurt conversions.
• 1:42
  Darcy Happy AI try: They can also hurt how you show up in search, including AI-driven search results.
• 1:47
  Darcy Happy AI try: Because the way people search and choose has changed.
• 1:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: Patients are still using Google.
• 1:52
  Darcy Happy AI try: But they are also using voice search.
• 1:55
  Darcy Happy AI try: They are using AI answers.
• 1:57
  Darcy Happy AI try: They are using maps, reviews, and comparison behaviors.
• 2:01
  Darcy Happy AI try: Which means your website has to do two jobs at once.
• 2:04
  Darcy Happy AI try: Job one is to be understood by search engines and systems that summarize businesses.
• 2:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Job two is to be trusted by humans, fast.
• 2:12
  Darcy Happy AI try: So today I’m going to walk you through a practical checklist.
• 2:16
  Darcy Happy AI try: What to remove.
• 2:17
  Darcy Happy AI try: What to rewrite.
• 2:18
  Darcy Happy AI try: What to replace it with.
• 2:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: And why each one matters in 2026.
• 2:22
  Darcy Happy AI try: Let’s jump in.
• 2:24
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number one.
• 2:25
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove outdated COVID-related information.
• 2:28
  Darcy Happy AI try: Please, please, please remove it.
• 2:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: I am shocked by how often I still see COVID banners and protocol copy on clinic websites.
• 2:35
  Darcy Happy AI try: This is the easiest trust win on the list, and it is one of the most overlooked.
• 2:39
  Darcy Happy AI try: A lot of clinics still have COVID holdovers sitting on their websites, and they may not even realize it.
• 2:46
  Darcy Happy AI try: It could be a banner at the top of the site.
• 2:48
  Darcy Happy AI try: A pop-up message.
• 2:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: A line in the footer.
• 2:51
  Darcy Happy AI try: A paragraph on the contact page.
• 2:53
  Darcy Happy AI try: A“telehealth update” page.
• 2:55
  Darcy Happy AI try: An old blog post.
• 2:56
  Darcy Happy AI try: Something sitting in the sidebar of your website or blog.
• 3:00
  Darcy Happy AI try: Or an FAQ that still references protocols that are no longer accurate.
• 3:04
  Darcy Happy AI try: Here’s why it matters.
• 3:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: Patients might not consciously think,“This site is outdated,” but they feel it.
• 3:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: They read a COVID banner from years ago and their brain makes a quick assumption.
• 3:16
  Darcy Happy AI try: If the website is not being maintained, what else is not being maintained?
• 3:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: And from an SEO perspective, outdated or irrelevant information creates noise.
• 3:27
  Darcy Happy AI try: It makes it harder for search engines, and especially AI-driven summaries, to confidently understand what is current and true about your clinic.
• 3:37
  Darcy Happy AI try: So what should you do instead?
• 3:39
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you still have current health and safety policies, keep them.
• 3:42
  Darcy Happy AI try: Just rewrite them so they are clearly current.
• 3:44
  Darcy Happy AI try: A simple way to do that is to remove dates and emergency language, and replace it with a calm, timeless statement.
• 3:52
  Darcy Happy AI try: For example, instead of“Due to COVID we are requiring,” you say something like:“We prioritize a clean, professional environment.
• 4:01
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you are feeling unwell, please reschedule.
• 4:03
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you have questions before your visit, call our office.” That communicates care without sounding outdated.
• 4:10
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you have a whole COVID page that is no longer relevant, delete it and redirect it.
• 4:15
  Darcy Happy AI try: Ideally, that’s a 301 redirect.
• 4:18
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you delete a page and do not redirect it, you can create a 404 error.
• 4:24
  Darcy Happy AI try: In many cases, you can redirect the old page to your homepage, or to a relevant“what to expect” or“new patient” page if you have one.
• 4:34
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you have a blog post about protocols that is no longer accurate, either update it into a broader“what to expect” post, or remove it.
• 4:42
  Darcy Happy AI try: This one change alone can make your site feel instantly more current.
• 4:47
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number two.
• 4:47
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove vague, generic hero headlines.
• 4:49
  Darcy Happy AI try: If the first thing your homepage says something like“Welcome to our clinic,” or“Helping you feel your best,” or“Personalized care you can trust,” that is not helping you.
• 4:59
  Darcy Happy AI try: It might sound nice.
• 5:00
  Darcy Happy AI try: It might feel warm.
• 5:02
  Darcy Happy AI try: But it is not doing its job.
• 5:04
  Darcy Happy AI try: Your hero headline is the top of your funnel.
• 5:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: It has to answer, in five seconds: Who do you help?
• 5:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: What do you help them with?
• 5:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: Where are you located?
• 5:12
  Darcy Happy AI try: And what should they do next?
• 5:14
  Darcy Happy AI try: And to be clear, this is the actual text on your website, not a flashy background video or a rotating image.
• 5:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: In 2026, people scan quickly.
• 5:22
  Darcy Happy AI try: They bounce quickly.
• 5:23
  Darcy Happy AI try: They compare quickly.
• 5:24
  Darcy Happy AI try: So instead of a headline like“Welcome to Smith Wellness,” a better pattern is:“Chiropractic care in Lake Worth for back pain, sciatica, and sports injuries.” Or,“Physical therapy in Austin focused on shoulder rehab and return to sport.” Or,“Acupuncture in Portland for fertility support, stress, and pain relief.” Then you support that with a short subheadline that makes your approach feel human, not robotic.
• 5:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: For example:“Modern care, clear plans, and appointments that start on time.” Or,“Evidence-based treatment with a focus on long-term results.” And then your call to action needs to match what patients are ready to do.
• 6:03
  Darcy Happy AI try: Book an appointment, request a consult, call the office, or check availability.
• 6:08
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number three.
• 6:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove sliders and rotating carousels.
• 6:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: Rotating sliders on homepages look fancy, but they almost never perform well.
• 6:17
  Darcy Happy AI try: Most people do not wait for slide two.
• 6:18
  Darcy Happy AI try: On mobile, they can be slow or hard to read.
• 6:21
  Darcy Happy AI try: They create mixed messaging, which is the opposite of clarity.
• 6:24
  Darcy Happy AI try: Replace a slider with one strong section: One strong headline.
• 6:28
  Darcy Happy AI try: One strong image.
• 6:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: One clear call to action.
• 6:30
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you want to feature multiple things, do it with a simple grid below the hero section so people can scan it.
• 6:37
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number four.
• 6:38
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove stock photos that feel fake, and photos that look dated.
• 6:42
  Darcy Happy AI try: I’m not saying you cannot use stock photos at all.
• 6:44
  Darcy Happy AI try: I am saying you should remove the ones that are clearly staged and clearly not your clinic.
• 6:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: The overly perfect smiling model photos.
• 6:52
  Darcy Happy AI try: The handshake photos.
• 6:54
  Darcy Happy AI try: The awkward“patient laughing while someone touches their shoulder” photo.
• 6:58
  Darcy Happy AI try: Patients are more skeptical than ever, and AI-generated content has made people even more skeptical.
• 7:05
  Darcy Happy AI try: When your visuals look generic, your clinic feels generic.
• 7:08
  Darcy Happy AI try: Replace them with real photos of your space, your team, and your actual environment.
• 7:13
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you do use stock, use neutral, believable images that do not try to pretend they are your people.
• 7:19
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number five.
• 7:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove long walls of text at the top of service pages.
• 7:23
  Darcy Happy AI try: Service pages often start with a long educational section before they ever say: Who this is for.
• 7:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: What problems you help with.
• 7:31
  Darcy Happy AI try: What a first visit looks like.
• 7:32
  Darcy Happy AI try: How to book.
• 7:34
  Darcy Happy AI try: In 2026, patients do not need a textbook at the top of the page.
• 7:38
  Darcy Happy AI try: They need clarity and next steps.
• 7:40
  Darcy Happy AI try: So the rewrite approach is: Start with a plain-language summary of who the service is for.
• 7:45
  Darcy Happy AI try: Add a short list of common symptoms or goals.
• 7:48
  Darcy Happy AI try: Explain what you do in simple terms.
• 7:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: And include a clear next step.
• 7:52
  Darcy Happy AI try: Then add the deeper educational content underneath.
• 7:56
  Darcy Happy AI try: That content is still beneficial.
• 7:58
  Darcy Happy AI try: Even if your visitor does not read every word, search engines and AI-driven systems can still scan it when deciding whether you are a credible resource to recommend.
• 8:08
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number six.
• 8:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove“we treat everything” lists.
• 8:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your website has a list of 45 conditions in one section, it can hurt trust and clarity.
• 8:17
  Darcy Happy AI try: It makes you feel unfocused.
• 8:19
  Darcy Happy AI try: It makes patients feel less seen.
• 8:21
  Darcy Happy AI try: It can confuse relevance signals for search.
• 8:23
  Darcy Happy AI try: Instead, choose your top services or conditions and build strong pages, or at least strong sections, for them.
• 8:30
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you have a longer list, organize it by categories and make it scannable, and link to the most important topics.
• 8:38
  Darcy Happy AI try: For example, you might have a“sports injuries” category and then list the key issues underneath, with links to the most important pages.
• 8:47
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number seven.
• 8:48
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove outdated trust badges and clutter.
• 8:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: Look at your footer and sidebar areas.
• 8:52
  Darcy Happy AI try: Old association logos that no longer apply.
• 8:55
  Darcy Happy AI try: A social widget that shows posts from years ago.
• 8:58
  Darcy Happy AI try: Badges that feel like old web design.
• 9:01
  Darcy Happy AI try: Delete them.
• 9:02
  Darcy Happy AI try: And please, I am begging you, remove the old Google Plus logo.
• 9:05
  Darcy Happy AI try: Google Plus has been gone for years, and yet the logo still lives on some clinic websites.
• 9:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: Replace clutter with modern trust signals: Recent reviews.
• 9:15
  Darcy Happy AI try: A clear“what to expect” section.
• 9:17
  Darcy Happy AI try: Credentials and specialty training if relevant.
• 9:19
  Darcy Happy AI try: A simple“why patients choose us” section.
• 9:22
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number eight.
• 9:23
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove confusing navigation labels.
• 9:25
  Darcy Happy AI try: A lot of clinic websites have navigation that makes sense to the clinic owner, but not to the patient.
• 9:31
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your menu includes Services, Treatments, Conditions, Modalities, and Specialties all at once, simplify.
• 9:37
  Darcy Happy AI try: Keep it clean and patient-friendly.
• 9:39
  Darcy Happy AI try: Home, About, Services, Conditions, New Patients, Reviews, Contact, Book.
• 9:44
  Darcy Happy AI try: Then organize within Services in a way that matches how your audience thinks.
• 9:49
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number nine.
• 9:49
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove weak calls to action.
• 9:51
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your buttons say“Learn more” everywhere, it is too vague for high-intent pages.
• 9:55
  Darcy Happy AI try: Use clearer, more direct calls to action: Book an appointment.
• 9:59
  Darcy Happy AI try: Request a consult.
• 10:01
  Darcy Happy AI try: Call now.
• 10:02
  Darcy Happy AI try: Check availability.
• 10:03
  Darcy Happy AI try: Start as a new patient.
• 10:04
  Darcy Happy AI try: Also reduce competing buttons.
• 10:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: One primary action per section.
• 10:08
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number ten.
• 10:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove content that exists only for SEO.
• 10:12
  Darcy Happy AI try: SEO is important.
• 10:14
  Darcy Happy AI try: It really is.
• 10:15
  Darcy Happy AI try: I am not talking about quality SEO content designed for your target audience.
• 10:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: I’m talking about thin pages like“best chiropractor near me,” where the content is repetitive and awkward.
• 10:27
  Darcy Happy AI try: In 2026, thin content is a liability.
• 10:30
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you have location-related content, make it genuinely useful, with real details, real photos, and clear next steps.
• 10:38
  Darcy Happy AI try: If you already have awkward pages, delete them or rewrite them into real service area pages.
• 10:44
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number eleven.
• 10:45
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove the resume-style about page.
• 10:47
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your about page is mostly a list of degrees and certifications, it may feel professional, but it is not building connection.
• 10:55
  Darcy Happy AI try: Add: What you believe.
• 10:57
  Darcy Happy AI try: Who you help best.
• 10:58
  Darcy Happy AI try: Your approach.
• 10:59
  Darcy Happy AI try: What to expect.
• 11:01
  Darcy Happy AI try: Credentials, but as support, not the main story.
• 11:03
  Darcy Happy AI try: A real photo.
• 11:05
  Darcy Happy AI try: A next step.
• 11:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number twelve.
• 11:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove slow, heavy page elements.
• 11:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Video backgrounds, autoplay videos, huge uncompressed images, heavy animations, popups that block the screen, and chat widgets that cover booking buttons on mobile.
• 11:19
  Darcy Happy AI try: If it slows the site down or blocks the action, it is not helping.
• 11:23
  Darcy Happy AI try: Use video intentionally, embed it where it supports the page, and make sure it is not hurting mobile.
• 11:30
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number thirteen.
• 11:31
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove inconsistent NAP info across your site.
• 11:34
  Darcy Happy AI try: NAP refers to your name, address, and phone number.
• 11:37
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your header shows one phone number, your footer shows another, and your contact page shows something different, clean it up.
• 11:44
  Darcy Happy AI try: Consistency still matters for local visibility, and it matters for AI summaries too.
• 11:49
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number fourteen.
• 11:50
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove duplicate location pages if you have multiple locations.
• 11:54
  Darcy Happy AI try: If your location pages are basically the same with the city swapped, rewrite them.
• 11:59
  Darcy Happy AI try: Add real details that make each page uniquely true.
• 12:03
  Darcy Happy AI try: Team, services, local landmarks, parking, photos.
• 12:06
  Darcy Happy AI try: Number fifteen.
• 12:07
  Darcy Happy AI try: Remove risky claims and compliance landmines.
• 12:09
  Darcy Happy AI try: Over-promises.
• 12:11
  Darcy Happy AI try: Guaranteed outcomes.
• 12:12
  Darcy Happy AI try: Vague medical claims.
• 12:13
  Darcy Happy AI try: Testimonials with too much detail.
• 12:16
  Darcy Happy AI try: You want confidence without exaggeration.
• 12:18
  Darcy Happy AI try: Now here’s the key takeaway.
• 12:20
  Darcy Happy AI try: In 2026, you do not win by stuffing your website with more pages.
• 12:24
  Darcy Happy AI try: You win by making your best pages clearer, more trustworthy, and more current.
• 12:29
  Darcy Happy AI try: Clean sites rank better.
• 12:31
  Darcy Happy AI try: Clean sites convert better.
• 12:33
  Darcy Happy AI try: Clean sites make it easier for Google, and AI-driven search systems, to understand what you do and who you help.
• 12:40
  Darcy Happy AI try: And if listening to this made you realize your website has a few of these issues, start with the easiest win, remove outdated COVID info.
• 12:49
  Darcy Happy AI try: Then go straight to your homepage headline and your main service pages.
• 12:53
  Darcy Happy AI try: Those three changes alone can make a noticeable difference.
• 12:57
  Darcy Happy AI try: Thanks for listening, and I’ll catch you in the next one.