Proven Methods to Improve Your Practice’s Online Reputation

In today’s society, a business’s online reputation means everything. Gone are the days of flipping through a phone book to find a doctor near you. Every day, 7% of Google’s queries are about healthcare providers. It may not seem like a lot, but when there are almost 70,000 searches each minute, that adds up to approximately 1 billion medical queries every day.

According to one study, 95% of respondents claim that reading online reviews about a doctor has swayed their decision to find a provider. Even when patients have been referred to a doctor by another physician, 40% of them still check online and read reviews.

It can take consistency and intentional effort for medical practices to build up an excellent online presence, yet it only takes a handful of negative reviews to tear it down.

Many healthcare practices have learned they have very little control over what is said about them on social media and digital platforms. However, listening to their patients and their feedback can improve their online standing and reputation. Often, by addressing a negative review head-on, practices can get in front of the problem before it causes too much damage.

Methods to Improve Your Practice’s Online Reputation

Here are a few ways you can help improve your practice’s online reputation: 

Maintain Your Practice’s Website

An online reputation can only take you so far – but a good website helps. Keep your website updated as new designs and technology emerge. Stay on top of trends and adapt accordingly. A mobile-friendly website is crucial these days, as  54.8% of online traffic comes from mobile devices. Every new trend does not have to be adopted, but regularly reviewing your website, and its content keeps it fresh and relevant. Scan for outdated content, broken links, and even employees who may no longer work at your practice. 

Be Present on Organic Channels

It’s vital to stay vocal and present for your audience on social media outlets, a blog, and even forums with other professionals in your field. By establishing yourself as a leader in your field, potential and existing patients will learn more about you, your practice, and the services you offer. The more authentic and relevant your content, the better your reputation will be – reviews will be sure to follow! Getting positive feedback and engagement on social media and your blog help show others that your practice is the best of the best. 

Actively Work to Get More Reviews

Online reviews are key to improving your online reputation. But it’s not enough to get a few positive reviews for every bad review. The more reviews you receive, end in more patients and more revenue. Be active in getting more reviews for your practice and utilize a review management system to help get more positive reviews and get in front of negative reviews. 

You can get more reviews by:

  • Having a sign with a QR code in your office that leads directly to a review platform
  • Posting links to Google or Healthgrades on your website
  • Sending a follow-up email to patients after an appointment with a short survey that gathers an online review. 

Regardless of the type of review, it’s imperative to respond to it right away. This shows potential patients that you are engaged and value your patients’ feelings. It also signals to Google that you are active and can help boost your local SEO.

Display Your Company’s Values

When patients feel connected to medical practice, they are more likely to have a positive experience and leave a good review or become returning patients. Especially in a world that is becoming more and more virtual, patients like to feel a sense of connection to their medical providers.  We frequently saw this during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many physicians only saw patients virtually. A heartfelt, value-forward post from the practice that spoke to their patients’ needs and desires resonated well and helped boost their reputation.

Use Tools to Monitor and Manage Your Online Reputation

One of the most essential things a practice can do to manage and improve their online reputation is to claim every local listing and keep them updated with crucial information about their practice. 78% of medical provider information listed online is incorrect. Imagine how many more patients you would acquire if your data across all platforms were accurate…

How We Can Help

Valet Health’s LaunchPad service guarantees total accuracy of all your local listings and online profiles, as well as the management of these profiles to ensure a positive online reputation. Our review and reputation management increases online ratings using review capture campaigns and by responding to each new review as it comes in.

Our partners who use this system have experienced an average of 535% return on their investment. This data is measured using proprietary software that our specialists build and manage for you to focus on what matters the most: providing quality care to all o your patients. This reporting dashboard delivers performance updates to show the value that LaunchPad delivers to your practice continuously. 

To learn more about Valet Health and LaunchPad, click here to schedule a discovery call.