Online Reputation Management for Doctors | Tips & Advice

With technology being at the forefront of everything these days, having an online presence and maintaining a good reputation online has become a pre-requisite – no matter what service or business you run. This is also because the internet has become a tool for prospective clients to look up the reputation of the business or service online before committing to the services on offer. That being said, online reputation management works in a manner which makes sure that the online information about your business, organization, or service is portrayed as positive as possible – while deflecting any sort of negative commentary or quotations.

For medical care professionals, online doctor reputation management services can help elevate your business online by offering your potential clients the best possible view of your business thus bolstering your online branding in the process. The truth of the matter is that if your online reputation is left unmanaged, it can cause irrevocable damage if left at the mercy of a few unhappy clients. Which is why pro-active ORM services should be part of every doctor’s online reputation management for doctors risk mitigation strategy. Besides, in healthcare marketing reputation is an ever-present ingredient and plays a huge role in helping attract new patients to your medical practice. After all, who you are online is who you are to most people.

Needless to say, online reputation management for doctors acts as the first impression for many patients. The internet works in a similar fashion to the human brain which basically means that any negative connotations will gain more attention as compared to good results. To that end, the human brain tends to have a slightly negative bias and is more sensitive to negative news. A robust reputation management strategy begins by being proactive about your approach – effective management is often the differentiating factor between a thriving practice or struggling one. Which is why we have outlined a few pointers which can help you establish a sound reputation management strategy:

Ask yourself:

Are you reliable?
How are you currently viewed by patients?
How often does your practice get new referrals?
Are you meeting the expectations of your patients?

If you’re seeking answers to these questions and more – looking yourself up online is the sure-shot way of finding out.  By checking your ratings doctor reputation online, you will be in a better position to understand what people say about you while getting a first-hand look at any reviews, complaints, ratings, comments, and news published about you. Once you get a firm understanding of this, you can take corrective measures to remedy any damage done before it’s too late.

Probably the best way to get online business reviews is to run email or SMS campaigns. The right time to seek such reviews is immediately after fulfilling the order. It ensures that the customers remember your product or services. Statistics show that customers are more likely to post reviews when you prompt them to do so. Reminding them to leave reviews is a good idea. After all, it is your business, and you are one who needs the reviews.

Make it easy for your customer to place reviews. Never make the customer go through several pages to submit a review. Make it as easy as possible. You do all the hard work. Do not make the customer log into a website to post their review. Initiate an SMS campaign where you provide the readymade answers. The customer has to choose any one among the option and click the ‘Send’ button. The point is that the customer should have it easy. The more comfortable you make it for them, the higher are the positive reviews you receive.

Be careful about the timings of your request. Seek your reviews at the time when you expect the customers to be in the mood to respond to them. An example of the right time is when the customers come back to work after finishing their lunch. They might not be in a mood to rush to their work. You can make then squeeze their reviews in between.

Offering incentives to customers to place their reviews is also an excellent way to earn them. However, some websites penalize businesses for offering incentives to seek reviews. Check up with the websites before offering your incentives to the customers. People are more likely to provide reviews when they get rewards or incentives for doing so. The incentives can be in the form of discounts on their next purchase. It could be an entry into a raffle draw or a coupon they can use anywhere else.

Another way to induce people to leave reviews is to provide links on your website for your customers to click and submit their reviews. The advantage of seeking reviews in this fashion is that you ensure the customers stay on your site for an extended duration. It is an achievement today because the attention span of customers is reducing day by day. The more you manage to engage them on your website, the more are the chances of conversion. You can induce them to buy some other product in the bargain.

There is a profound connection between eCommerce and social media. The customers use social media more to share their views. The reach of social media is unimaginable. You might not realize that your review might travel halfway around the globe within a fraction of a second on social media. Secondly, social media content has the potential to become viral. Try to get as many reviews on the favorite social media channels like Facebook, Google+, and so on.

How do you ensure that your business gets more online reviews? Will providing great services prove enough to get you online reviews? No, they will not, because not all customers leave reviews online, especially if they are positive experiences. On the other hand, people do not waste any time in exchanging negative online reviews. You cannot avoid it. It is normal for people to do that. Let us look at ways to generate more online reviews.

The best way to get online reviews is to ask your customers to provide one after experiencing your goods or services. One has to concede that the customer has a very short attention span today. However, it is your responsibility to provide a platform where your customers can submit their reviews. One way to do so is to feature a CTA option.

Another way to do so is to invite your customer to place a review. Encouraging a customer is a more polite way to generate online reviews as compared to asking for them. You have a lot of tools to help you in this regard. You can have a readymade questionnaire with answers that your customer has to click and submit. It saves a lot of time for the customer. However, this system does not let the customer provide their views. They have to click the options available to them. Nevertheless, it is better than not getting any reviews at all.

Don’t forget to claim your online identity. The likelihood of you coming across directory listings that use a similar name or probably your own business name. Not only can it provide grounds for misrepresentation but it can also confuse potential & existing clients. By claiming your listing, you can update the various doctor directories on doctor rating websites with your correct credentials and fill out any missing or incorrect information as well.

Always make it a point to engage when people post comments ­– be it positive or negative. While positive comments/reviews deserve to be acknowledged and thanked, it’s how you respond to negative comments that can make a world of a difference to the public perception about your practice. As a doctor, you possibly cannot control what others say about you, but at the very least, you can tell your side of the story. Hence, while responding, make sure that you’re gracious and prompt in your replies as it shows that you care about your clients. If need be, you can even look to respond privately, to remedy the situation and discuss further course of action. Thereon, how you go about responding to doctor reviews and comments can affect not only your ability to acquire new patients but also your standing as a member of the medical community as a whole.

In this digital age, having an active presence on social media is imperative. Today, consumers rely on the internet for everything and before availing any service, they will definitely have a look online. By having an active presence online, you can not only help give assurance to the customer but it can also provide an avenue for knowing more about your practice. Make sure you actively participate in online forums, doctor reviews, and discussions on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and even blogs for that matter. Social media helps keep it real, which, in turn, allows patients to see your real side as well. While you’re at it, think of new ways to organically invite comments, suggestions for improvement, and other feedback with the help of engagement tools.

Another reputation management tip which is often downplayed is the importance of having your own website as a medical professional. Granted that you might be actively killing it on social media, but the fact of the matter is that having your own website lends credibility to your practice while also increasing your practice’s visibility and promoting your professional background as well. Think of it like having your own online, living resume which can be updated on a daily basis.

Besides the usual suspects such as Google, Yahoo!, Yelp, there are several online doctor directories catered towards health-care professionals in particular. Let’s dive right in to find out which doctor rating site holds the most importance.

Let’s face it, Google dominates local search and its therefore paramount that your medical practice is listed with Google. Google My Business usually includes Google search, Google+, as well as Google Maps. Moreover, Google My Business is free and easy to use making it simple for consumers to manage their online presence effectively. Google keeps updating itself which is why you should make sure that your online information and business profiles in Google doctor directories, is current and accurate.

Yelp is another one of those no-brainer doctor directories that you need to be listed on. As always, ensure that you post your business listing correctly. You can do this by establishing a business owners account which will enable you to engage with reviewers – especially those who give positive reviews. Moreover, taking into consideration the massive number of Yelp users, the likelihood of users and consumers turning to Yelp for reviews on healthcare services is simply going to increase.

WebMD is an online publication which is known for their premium ratings doctor services while also providing its users with valuable health information and health management tools. Further, this online directory also has in place a physician directory which allows its users to look up a provider by name, specialty, condition, procedure, and location. Like other doctor directories, you will be required to claim your profile before getting started, however.

Another ratings doctor directory which needs no introduction – Facebook has 1.31 billion active accounts and being listed on this social media website is a must.

Healthgrades has worked its way up to be recognized as a reliable online directory for ratings doctor having accurate information about physicians, hospitals, and health care providers. Moreover, with over 30 million visitors, it’s crucial that you have an updated profile on this doctor directories’ for collecting new patient reviews and filling up your appointment slots.

TribeLocal’s ingenious reputation management solutions help make reputation management for doctors a walk in the park for your business. You no longer have to worry about it being an overwhelming endeavor. Thanks to our doctor reputation management services, we put you in the driver’s seat thus giving you ultimate control of your online reputation and ratings doctor-patient experience. Besides actively monitoring and managing all popular doctor directories and doctor rating websites – including Yelp, WebMD, Google, HealthGrades, and Facebook – we will proactively optimize your online reputation thus helping depict an honest representation of your quality of patient care.

At TribeLocal, we believe in the phrase “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Invest in TribeLocal’s reputation management for doctors’ services today, and wrest back control of the way your business is perceived! The best part is – you get to avail of a free seven-day trial which allows you to get a glimpse into how TribeLocal can revolutionize your online reputation. Stop Stalling – Join Today!