Positive online reviews are one of the strongest tools in your online patient marketing toolbox. Choosing a new doctor or dentist is a much more significant decision than purchasing a new shirt or deciding where to eat lunch. Hence, people almost always do substantial research and read reviews before settling on a new provider. According to a 2022 study by Reputation.com, Inc., approximately 70% of patients searched for online reviews before selecting a doctor. If your practice has a collection of good testimonials, make sure your marketing strategy makes these reviews easy for new patients to find.
How to make positive online reviews stand out
People may consider a handful of providers at once and make their decision based on convenience and accessibility of information. Because positive reviews are so impactful, making these front and center on your website and other marketing outlets can influence patients to contact your office.
Highlight the top reviews
If your practice is well established, you may have many good online reviews and testimonials on record. While these reviews may already be displayed on social media online or directories like Google My Business or Yelp, you can highlight your favorites in social media posts, advertisements, and on your website.
When selecting which reviews to feature on the home page of your website or in a paid advertisement, look for the following qualities:
- Longer reviews that provide specific details
- Success stories that reveal positive change or transformation
- Satisfied patients describing a positive patient experience during appointments
- Testimonials that highlight a specific service you want to promote
Look for variety in the reviews you choose to spotlight. While some can remark on your medical team’s professionalism and expertise in the field, others should point out how friendly the staff is or how nice the waiting room and amenities are.
Gather more positive reviews
It is possible that your practice only has a few reviews online. This can affect your medical PR by making it seem your practice is uncredible or unestablished. Put together a strategy to collect more reviews from your current clientele.
One way to do this is by simply asking patients to leave a review after an appointment. A staff member can verbally ask the patient, hand out a review card, send out a follow-up email, or request a review using social media. Some practices offer incentives such as gift cards or discounted services for patients who take the time to provide feedback online.
Address negative reviews
Just as positive reviews can cause a patient to choose your practice over others in the area, a negative review can steer someone away. Rather than ignore negative comments left on Google or Yelp, follow this advice to address visitors’ concerns and leave a response. Also, consider flagging or consulting with a legal representative specializing in reputation management for doctors if you believe a harmful comment is fake or libel.
Use positive reviews effectively
We understand how effective positive reviews are at boosting your practice’s reputation and gaining you new patients. Call us at 877-477-2311 to work with our team at Doctor Genius and get the word out about your services.
Doctor Genius, located at 16800 Aston Street, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92606, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
