You know that online reviews are a crucial component of your medical PR strategy. However, did you know that the effectiveness of those reviews relies heavily on the platform on which patients leave them?
3 reasons to make Google reviews an integral component of your medical PR strategy
When it comes to review websites, two major ones come to mind: Google and Yelp. While it cannot hurt to have reviews on both platforms, those left on Google likely serve you better in the long run. Not only are Google reviews easier for patients to leave and more visible to searchers, but they also offer less competition and more opportunity. If that sounds too good to be true, check out these three reasons more medical practices are marketing to patients online via Google reviews.
1. Google reviews can help with your medical practice ranking
Local SEO is crucial for business. According to the data, 34% of people who conducted a search on a computer or tablet visited the business’s physical location within one day. 50% of people who used a mobile phone to conduct a search did the same. A whopping 78% of local-based searches ended up in an offline purchase. A 2017 Local SEO Guide assessed the various ranking factors and found that of the top 10, nine involved Google reviews.
Google, which determines its rankings based on how likely the results will satisfy users, likely uses its reviews because they offer a simple and indisputable way to gauge customer satisfaction. With Yelp, however, Google cannot know for sure if reviews are legitimate. This uncertainty leads to distrust, which means Google is unlikely to deliver Yelp reviews in the top results. The bottom line is, if improving your medical practice ranking is a priority, using Google reviews over Yelp is a must.
2. People have trust issues with Yelp
People rely on reviews, period. According to one survey, 85% of people trust online reviews from strangers as much as they do personal recommendations from friends or family. Of those, 73% say they trust a business more if it has more positive reviews. So, reviews are reviews, right? Not necessarily.
There have been several very public grievances concerning Yelp’s practices and the legitimacy of its reviews. When presented with one review from Google and one from Yelp, potential patients are likely to give more weight to the one from Google.
3. Google lets you ask patients to leave reviews
Per Yelp’s policy, you cannot even hint to patients that you would like them to leave reviews. Yelp assumes that you will only ask for reviews when you know it is going to be a glowing one. Google, on the other hand, has no such rule. In fact, the search engine giant wants to make review garnering easier on you by providing an official review link. People are more likely to leave positive reviews if asked to do so, so prioritize Google and then ask away.
Get help setting up your Google reviews account
Make Google reviews an integral part of your medical PR campaign. Contact Doctor Genius at 1-877-477-2311 to learn more about how we can make your reviews work harder for you.
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.
