Why Do I Have So Few New Patients When My Website Has So Many Visitors?
In this episode, Jerry addresses a question he received multiple times in one week from chiropractors: Why are there so many website visitors and so few new patients? He breaks down this common concern and explains why these numbers often don’t align in the way chiropractors expect. The episode offers perspective, highlights common misconceptions, and gives practical advice for improving website conversion. The Misunderstanding: Expectations vs Reality Many chiropractors expect a high percentage of website visitors to become new patients. In reality, this is not how online marketing works—especially with cold traffic. Chiropractors who believe they should convert 50% or more of website visitors into patients are setting themselves up for disappointment. Even a 6% conversion rate on cold website traffic is considered very good. Jerry explains that in his experience with info products and affiliate marketing, getting a 3% conversion rate was difficult. A 6% conversion would have been life-changing. Chiropractors need to calibrate their expectations and understand what’s normal. Cold Traffic vs Warm Leads One of the biggest issues is confusing cold traffic with warm leads. Cold traffic includes people who: Find your site through Google or ads Have no prior relationship with you Haven’t been referred and don’t trust you yet These people convert at a very low rate. In contrast, warm leads are: Referred by friends or family Already familiar with you through social media or community presence Former patients or those who’ve interacted with your brand Warm leads should convert at a much higher rate. If you’re only converting a small percentage of these, something is seriously wrong. Website Traffic Doesn’t Equal Potential Patients Looking at gross visitor numbers assumes every visitor is a potential new patient, which is simply not true. Website visitors may include: Bots or spam traffic Competitors Existing patients checking hours or contact info People outside your service area Accidental clicks Unless you’re running a tightly controlled ad campaign with a direct funnel, gross website numbers are a poor indicator of performance. Conversion Isn’t Always Linear Unless your practice relies 100% on online scheduling, you can’t assume that every new patient came through the website. People may call, text, message you on social media, or walk in. If your site visitors and new patient numbers aren’t lining up, it could be because they’re taking other paths into your practice. Trying to compare total website visits with total new patients is misleading because: Not every visitor is a qualified lead Not every new patient visits the website before booking A Volume Reality Check Jerry gives a basic example of how conversion typically plays out: 500 website visitors 3% click on the “schedule now” button = 15 people 50% of those actually schedule = 7 to 8 people 75% of scheduled appointments show up = about 5 to 6 new patients This is a realistic scenario and shouldn’t be considered a failure. In fact, it’s fairly normal. Google Business Profile (GBP) Can Be Even More Misleading Many chiropractors see huge views on their GBP listings—1,800 or more in a month—but still get only a handful of new patients. That gap can be discouraging, but again, it’s common. The takeaway isn’t that you should ignore these numbers but that you need to understand what they really mean. Visibility without conversion isn’t useful unless your site and profile are compelling enough to get people to take action. How to Improve Website Conversion Jerry offers several practical ways to improve your chiropractic website’s performance: 1. Simplify and organize your site. Avoid clutter. Too many chiropractic sites overwhelm visitors with too much information and no clear direction. Think of your website like a path through the woods—give people obvious cues about where to go next. 2. Make your content easy on the eyes. Presentation matters. Use formatting that’s readable, clean, and skimmable. Don’t dump a wall of text on your visitors. 3. Use patient-centered language. Skip the jargon. Don’t talk about “optimizing health potential.” Focus on problems and solutions your ideal patients care about. 4. Add trust signals. Include real photos, staff bios, patient reviews, video introductions, and even relevant social media content. Authenticity builds trust. 5. Make scheduling easy. The best options are texting and online scheduling. Phone calls are okay. Email is the worst—slow, unreliable, and frustrating for both sides. Final Thought Unrealistic expectations are one of the biggest killers of progress. Chiropractors often get discouraged because they’re comparing raw numbers without understanding what those numbers mean. Not all traffic is equal, not all visitors are prospects, and not all new patients will come through the same channel. Focus on what you can control—clear messaging, simplified navigation, strong calls to action, and easy ways to schedule. Want Help Growing Your Practice? Jerry offers business coaching, website design, SEO, and Google Ads services specifically for chiropractors. If you're ready for less stress and more momentum, visit RocketChiro.com. Free Website/SEO Review: https://rocketchiro.com/chiropractic-practice-assessment Best chiropractic websites: https://rocketchiro.com/best-chiropractic-websites Chiropractic SEO: https://rocketchiro.com/chiropractic-seo Coaching for Chiropractors: https://rocketchiro.com/join
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