Online Patient Reviews & Reputation Mangement
Majority of U. S. Adults Conduct Online Research
According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, 58% of Americans reported they typically conduct online research when considering various products and services. This means that on average, 3 of every 5 potential patients have visited your website, your competitors’ websites, and searched for reviews of your practice through sites such as Yelp or Angie’s List. When was the last time you checked-in on your online reputation?
Watching your Online Presence?
Online reputation management means accepting that the internet can have a tremendous impact on the success of your practice. Actively monitoring your online presence is no longer a question of necessity. On the contrary, the question now concerns the amount of time and resources needed to properly manage your practice’s virtual representation. Answering the questions below will help you determine the state of your current management system.
- When was the last time you read through your website content?
- Have you recently conducted a search for your name and practice?
- Do your patients post reviews of your practice online?
- Who’s currently in control of your online reputation?
By addressing each of these questions, you will not only begin to recognize the importance of online reputation management, but also begin to develop some basic ideas concerning the strategy and process behind a successful online presence.
Virtual Word-of-Mouth
With nearly 25% of all internet users posting reviews online according to the Pew Research survey, your current patients can be one of your best resources for endorsements of your aesthetic practice. Harnessing the power of online reviews presents a unique and extremely valuable opportunity for virtual word-of-mouth as an increasing number of patients turns to the internet for information regarding your practice. By developing a system to support online reviews, you will enhance your ability to connect with those who have expressed an interest in your practice and the procedures you offer.
Enhancing the First Impression
Whether patients are conducting open-ended research on a type of service, such as “plastic surgery in San Diego,” or looking for you and your practice specifically, “Dr. John Doe cosmetic dentist,” they are most likely to rely on a combination of two options: your practice website or websites providing reviews of your practice. With online reputation management, you can create the best opportunity to provide those patients with a positive impression of your practice and the truest assessment of your professional performance.