People consult apps like Yelp to find the next special restaurant or a new go-to shop. Overall ratings and direct consumer feedback are important to us and affect what we choose.
When it comes to health decisions, people consider online reviews in a similar way. Before scheduling an appointment, they’ll do a little screening. What people say about your dental office can shape your image and directly influence the number of people who give you a chance. And of course, the more positive feedback, the better it is for your brand, reputation and online presence.
So as you think about ways to boost your online presence, it’s vital to steer clients to your online review platforms where they can comment on all your good work with a smile.
Where will people go for reviews? Google, Facebook and Yelp. These are the most trusted and popular review sites.
As the world’s most powerful search engine, Google is an obvious vehicle for online ratings. When someone searches for a nearby dental office, for instance, they will find relevant results that prominently display the number of stars for each dental office and highlight a review. The number of positive reviews is consequential for search engine optimization (SEO). Your dental office is more likely to display near top results as more positive reviews come in.
Encourage your clients to use their Gmail, Google Play or YouTube accounts to leave a review. When they Google your business, they will find a direct link and button to leave feedback.
As the ultimate social media platform, Facebook reviews carry extra weight. The magnetic power of a trusted friend recommending a business on Facebook is substantial. With Facebook’s wider audience, dental offices can cast a wider net when encouraging their patients to leave a review.
Yelp is a preferred platform for restaurant reviews, but it’s also a big player in the dental office category. Practices can claim their business on Yelp to establish a formal relationship with the platform and its users. By the way, staying active on Yelp can also increase web traffic via Google. For instance, Yelp or Angi reviews can leapfrog toward the top of Google searches. Being a part of “best of” lists is also possible. Furthermore, these list provides fuel for additional web traffic. So go ahead and claim your business and build a profile. The Yelp business center is a great resource for getting started.
Once familiarized with each platform, you can begin implementing tactics that make it easy for your patients to access the platforms. Creating a Google review link that directs folks to the review page or embedding social media into your existing dental software are two big ways to get ahead. For other best practices, consider putting links in your email signature, creating QR codes and asking for a review in person.
Here are some additional tips:
- Highlight your reviews in the office, print them out and post them on a “Review Wall.”
- Thank your patients at their next appointment if they left a review previously.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for a review from each patient.
- Utilize your internal patient communication platform to send automated messages after each appointment that asks for a review with a direct link to the platform.
Adams Dental Consulting works with clients like you who continue to push the envelope online. We empower you to do what you do best — which is care for your patients. At the same time, we can help you realize your other objectives, like building a greater online presence or optimizing your financial operations. This empowers you to broaden pathways of success and improve your overall operations.
Contact us to explore our dental consulting offerings and to learn more about how we can work together on elevating your practice so you can continue to serve patients at the highest possible level.