7 minute read
Charting Success
Charting Success
Strategies to Build and Maintain a Stellar Online Reputation
Ashli Klingaman
First impressions have the power to make or break the way patients perceive dental practices. Often, practice owners will spend the time and money required to create welcoming lobbies and world-class facilities while dedicating themselves to hiring and training staff members who provide exceptional patient care. However, as important as all of that is, a new patient’s first impression is typically going to come from a practice’s online reputation.
As with most things today, patients rely on the internet when it comes to research. And choosing a dentist is no different, as potential patients turn to online reviews to learn about a practice and what other patients have had to say about their experiences there. In fact, according to a study by RepuGen, 81% of patients use online reviews to select a healthcare provider.
In an era where potential patients will be reading reviews and investigating your online reputation before they ever even come through the door, reputation management has become imperative to a practice’s continued success. Our goal here is to look at the strategic impact of attracting positive reviews, handling negative ones, and addressing other common challenges associated with online interactions with patients and potential patients.
Building Positive Online Reputation through Patient Reviews
The foundation of a practice’s success rests not only on clinical expertise but also on the perceptions and experiences of patients. Beyond routine dental procedures, the key to earning positive online reviews lies in providing a positive patient experience and encouraging those patients to spread the word about the good work you do with others online.
A recent study (Whitespark) found that reviews are the second highest ranking factor when trying to appear in Google’s 3-Pack or Local Map Pack. Increasing the number of positive reviews will rank you higher in local searches, which helps your practice attract new patients. Further, a study by BrightLocal found that businesses with a 5-star rating on Google get 25% more clicks from the search results page than businesses with a 3-star rating.
Patient testimonials are an effective way to attract a larger pool of patients. When showcasing the positive reviews you’ve garnered on either your website or social platforms, it is best to use reviews that highlight the unique strengths of your practice or specific services that you would like to generate appointments for.
Leveraging a communication tool that directly syncs back to the practice management system like PracticeMojo or ProSites Reviews opens the door for an automatic review collection strategy. Review campaigns can be triggered immediately after a patient’s appointment, creating more opportunities to consistently gain positive reviews. Linking to review platforms like Google, Facebook and Yelp makes leaving reviews easier for the patient, increasing the likelihood of them leaving a review.
What Responding to Online Reviews Says About Your Practice
Responding to online reviews can shape the narrative of your dental practice. Monitoring online reviews is the first step, and utilizing tools such as ProSites Reviews to monitor multiple review platforms helps staff track feedback. Composing thoughtful responses to positive or negative reviews that are generic but reflect the voice of your practice can save time and make responding to reviews more efficient.
Responding to reviews is a chance to show your dedication to patient satisfaction and enhances your ability to control your online reputation. Additionally, proactively responding to reviews helps improve your SEO (search engine optimization), so that your listing appears more frequently (and higher up) in search results. Google has confirmed that review response rate is a significant factor in how they rank businesses in Google search results.
Negative Reviews Can be Source of Valuable Feedback
Crafting the right response to negative reviews requires a balance of acknowledging patient concerns and showing your commitment to continuous improvement. In a study by ReviewTrackers, more than half (53%) of consumers expected a response to a negative review within a week of the original posting, signaling that not responding can have a greater negative impact than addressing one. Using client feedback as constructive criticism and finding areas of improvement shows existing and prospective patients you care about what they have to say.
Recognizing that no practice is immune to occasional setbacks, negative reviews provide your practice with an opportunity to demonstrate to patients that you value transparency and are willing to learn from patient experiences.
Addressing Common Challenges When Managing Your Reputation Online
Anonymous online reviews often create challenges, such as fake reviews. For whatever reason, someone
may share misinformation intended to negatively impact a practice’s credibility. There are two ways to address a suspicious review. First, like credible negative reviews, it is always best to respond directly to suspicious ones rather than ignoring them. Alternatively, if a fake is obvious, most online review platforms have a reporting process to dispute suspicious reviews if you have reason to doubt their veracity.
Another common challenge with reputation management comes with the complexities surrounding the protection of patient privacy. As your practice focuses on transparency, patient confidentiality must remain safeguarded from public eyes. A practice can be fined for responding to online reviews with patient information, such as name, insurance information, treatment plan or cost information. Fines may also apply if your response merely confirms that the patient visited your practice.
To protect your practice from litigation, responses to both negative and positive reviews should use generalities. Fines or settlements for civil HIPAA violations can range anywhere from $137 to $68,928 per violation, depending on the level of liability (The HIPAA Journal). Respond with polite phrases like, “We take your feedback seriously,” or “We strive to always improve our patient experience.” Even general responses such as a simple “Thank you” show appreciation and a commitment to improving the patient experience.
To address these common challenges efficiently, reputation management tools like ProSites Reviews allow your staff to be notified of new reviews and to reply to reviews with pre-written responses, saving your staff time from tedious tasks and mitigating the risk of violating HIPAA compliance.
Implement Reputation Management Strategies into Staff Training
Each staff member plays a role in shaping a patient’s experience with your practice and should understand the impact they can have when it comes to garnering positive reviews. Train the entire staff to be mindful of the important role they play when it comes to leaving a good impression on patients from the moment the patient walks through the door. From reception to treatment rooms, ensure staff members are consistently communicating the practice’s values to the patients, making them more likely to share their experiences with others through online reviews.
Reputation management reaches beyond the basics of patient interactions; it transforms every staff member into a steward of the practice’s online reputation. The ability to generate more positive reviews will position you as the trusted dental professional in your community and make your practice stand out from the competition to potential patients.
Connecting with Patients Through Your Online Reputation Builds Trust
Online reputation management can shape the course of success for every practice and reflect your commitment to providing excellent patient care in your community. By nurturing patient experiences, responding thoughtfully to feedback and leveraging the power of positive reviews, you are in control of what your online presence and reputation look like to any patient looking for dental care.
ProSites, a NYSDA-endorsed vendor for dental marketing solutions and website design, provides comprehensive marketing services, including reputation management, to help practices thrive by growing their online presence and maintaining a steady flow of new patients. To learn more and claim exclusive NYSDA discounts, visit ProSites.com/NYSDA. Ashli Klingaman is content marketing manager for ProSites. She arrived at her position with experience in sales, training management, human resources, and marketing within the retail and Software as a Service industry. At ProSites, she consistently seeks innovative ways to bridge the gap between human capital development and business success.
