Impact of Online Reviews to Your Dental Practice

Did you know that 90% of today’s consumers (including dental patients) admit to allowing specific purchasing decisions — such as choosing dentists or other healthcare providers — to be influenced by online reviews?

Perhaps you’re familiar with dental patient reviews on websites like Yelp!, Google, and Zocdoc and chances are you’ve already received reviews on all of these. Patient reviews are extremely easy to access by anyone at any time. While prospective patients may not take the time to read each one, an online star rating is a visual factor that has the biggest influence on how customers judge businesses, such as dental offices.

It only takes six reviews for nearly 3/4 of prospective patients to form an opinion about your dental business. In fact, a survey of people between ages 18-34 shows consumers often trust online reviews more than the opinions of their family members and/or friends.

When it comes down to building online reputation for dentists, the impact is tremendous. 92% of prospective patients will read online reviews before scheduling an appointment in your practice, and around 67% of them will be directly influenced by the reviews visible online.

 

How to take control of your online reputation

 

It can be a full time job to manage your online reputation and earn a competitive advantage when it comes to how reviews are handled online. Unfortunately, most dentists don’t have the extra manpower or resources to work these strategies to their advantage.

Ranking high on SEO isn’t enough anymore. Micromanaging your office’s online reputation is more important than ever. Because people tend to turn to the internet of their own accord when they’re frustrated or angry with a local business, it’s essential that dentists take steps to counteract negative reviews and facilitate more positive ones.

Fortunately, sites like Health Grades, Vitals, Wellness.com and others allow it so that dental office review services can do the background leg work to build a great reputation online.

However, that’s just part of the equation… first you must start by driving your existing patients to these sites in order to make them accessible by future potential patients! I few ways to get more reviews are by:

  • Have your team encourage your patients to leave a review in the chair
  • Incentivize patients with raffles or drawings if they “Like” or “Check-In” on your Facebook page
  • Allow patients to leave reviews directly on your website
  • Use more review sites than other competitors in your area
  • Allow for a third party to take care of this for you (makes the most use of your time)

Most importantly, remember no one is always perfect! Sometimes you may receive a bad (or not the most flattering) review. Be sure to promptly follow-up on negative reviews in order to show you’re proactive about great patient care.

 

Where to Get Started

 

Chances you are in search of how to improve your online reviews. Just know you’re not alone! Many business and dentists struggle with getting more reviews coming in all together or to off set any bad ones.

DentalStores makes gathering reviews a breeze. We have direct one-on-one communication with your patient base, we’re able to gather online reviews for your office. If they’re in too much of a rush to complete a review while they’re leaving your practice, we’ll send them a follow-up email after their visit, with direct access to the online review service of their choice. It happens right through their email inbox.

Learn more by visiting DentalStores.com or calling 800-746-7657