So many of our decisions we make are at least partly shaped by what we find online. When someone in your area needs to find a dentist, you can safely assume they will use their phone, tablet, or computer to learn more about who provides smile care around them. This is why SEO (search engine optimization) matters—the right site and the right activity make it more likely your website links will show up near or at the top of someone’s search results. Of course, people rely on more than just website links and social media activity when they judge a dental office or any other business. Many will make a decision after browsing digital reviews.
Online feedback can seriously impact your practice, and you can be hurt by more than just the presence of poor reviews. If reviews left for your practice lack responses, or if you have too few reviews, you can lose out on potential appointments. MDPM Dental Marketing makes reputation management part of our support package for our clients. We can help you secure more reviews from your patients, direct those reviews to the most beneficial spaces, and help you craft and share responses to negative feedback when appropriate. It is hard to overstate the influence that digital feedback has on the average consumer, which is why the feedback people give you on Google, Yelp, and other review sites should be taken seriously.
How Important Are Online Reviews To Your Practice?
Before someone decides to become your patient, they can learn about your office. Your website can tell them who you are and what services you provide, but many will want to know more. People often seek online reviews before committing to a service. Reviews often carry similar weight to personal recommendations, and they can have more influence than straightforward advertising. In other words, you can expect that many people who find your practice online will do more research before booking an appointment, and you can expect them to take what they see in online reviews seriously. Fortunately, the right support can help you solicit more positive feedback and manage any negative reviews in ways that make them less off-putting to people.
Reviews Carry Authority With Potential Patients
The number of reviews you have received, the average score you carry, and the content of reviews themselves can all shape someone’s impression of your dental office. Because people can interpret reviews as more honest than advertising and generally trustworthy, they can give them more weight as they decide between one practice and another. Does this mean you simply have to hope for the best and wait for more of your patients who enjoy your services to share their experiences? While digital feedback is shaped by patients, not your practice, reputation management support can help you shape takeaways from your reviews in important ways.
What People Look For When They Check Your Reviews
Review spaces like Yelp and Google can feature a prominently placed average score from your reviews. A perfect score is not necessary—in fact, the total absence of less-than-perfect feedback can make people suspicious of your reviews. With that said, many will have a minimum score in mind that they want to see to consider your practice further. They will also look at the content of the reviews. The types of feedback people share can vary, just as patients bring different priorities and concerns with them to their appointments. In addition to the reviews themselves, many will look to see what responses, if any, your practice leaves when your patients provide detailed reviews. Both negative and positive reviews provide opportunities for you to respond. Doing so helps you show your commitment to patients and to always delivering quality care.
How Can You Secure More Feedback From Your Patients?
Through your website, social media activity, and in person, you can encourage your patients to let people know what they think of the care you provide. The right approach to soliciting those reviews is important. While emotional appeals for reviews can be less effective, you garner more responses simply by sharing reminders that feedback helps you. Coming across as friendly and sincere in your requests can help as well. As part of our reputation management services, we employ carefully planned and researched strategies for boosting online reviews. Beyond simply raising your number of responses, remember that this kind of encouragement can protect you against skewed ratings. People who feel you are doing a good job may not think to say anything, but someone who is unhappy for any reason may feel motivated to vent their feelings with negative feedback. Fortunately, when this does happen, we can help you respond positively and mitigate the potential impact of undesirable posts.
Responding To Patient Reviews
What you say in response to a person’s review can shape how readers feel about the feedback and how it reflects your practice. The wrong response can amplify negative feelings and push away potential patients. However, something that takes their experiences into account and shows your commitment to resolving matters positively can lessen the impact of a low score and harsher comments. Our support can include guidance on how to respond to negative and positive reviews, which gives you a presence in your feedback and helps improve your potential standing with people.
Our Services Go Beyond Direct SEO Efforts
Direct SEO efforts make your website and social media links more likely to receive high ranks in relevant searches. This has clear advantages for any practice or local business interested in reaching their community members. With that said, we want you to understand that it is just one of several ways in which we can help you use your digital presence to your advantage. We offer different levels of support that can improve how you present yourself online, positively boost your reputation, and generally grow your practice!
Talk To MDPM Dental Marketing About Reputation Management Services And Your Online Reviews
Online reviews matter—if you do not take them seriously, they can undo your efforts at reaching people online and filling out your appointment book! If you would like to know more about how we can help, please contact MDPM Dental Marketing at 972.781.8861!