When potential patients search for your practice online, one of the first things they do is read online reviews. If you have a few reviews or proportionately more negative reviews, then you may be letting potential customers leave before they even walk in your front door. Below are a few tips to help your practice gain more google reviews.
1. Set up Google My Business For Success
If a patient wants to review your practice, make it as easy as possible for them. Filling out your Google My Business page can help your patients find your Google listing. Remember to add vital information like practice hours, location, photos, phone number, and website. Optimize it even more by adding frequently asked questions, services, attributes, an opening date, videos, and a 360 degree virtual tour of your office. All of these items will help patients find and recognize your practice quickly. Lastly, don’t forget to verify your Google My Business page. This will increase your credibility online among customers and Google.
2. Promote, Promote, Promote
Whether it is in-office or on social media, ask your patients to review your practice on Google. If they are interested, they will review you, if not, they won’t. It’s a win-win. The best way to promote is by using your office staff as your best advocates. Train your assistants, hygienists, and associate dentist, if you have one, when and how to ask for a review. For example, after a typical cleaning, the hygienist may say to the patient, “My team and I really appreciated having you here today. Could you write a review for us on Google?”. Then, make sure every team member knows how to write a review via android and apple phones, just in case the patient needs assistance.
3. What do I do about bad reviews?
Do you remember that one unruly, unfair patient who came into your office and wrote a scathing review on Google? Well, what should you do? Can you delete the review? Should you respond? This can be hard to talk about and difficult to deal with for many dentists. The best advice is to respond. With that said, do not respond in a rude, vengeful way. Respond in a helpful way that shows potential patients who are reading this review that you are willing to make things right. Remember, the patient is always first, even when the situation seems unfair.
When you respond, ask the patient to reach out to your office, instead of you reaching out to them. Most of the time, patients want to feel heard and vent. Lastly, don’t admit fault. If you follow these simple steps you will be able to conquer negative reviews! And, be mindful of about HIPAA rules and regulations. Don’t respond with any personal information or any information about their procedure. As for a bonus tip, the best way to increase your review rating is by increasing the number of positive reviews. Don’t ask Google to remove all of your reviews. Unfortunately, if it does not have a bad word or if it is not completely off topic, it won’t be removed.
In a nutshell, these are the best three ways you can continue to grow your practice through Google reviews. For more information on reviews or to speak with one of our dental marketing experts at Lucent Spot Marketing, contact us on our website, today! We would love to hear from you.
How do you manage your Google Reviews?
Comment Below!
Learn More About Digital Advertising