Your best patients are also your best marketers. Positive online patient reviews and ratings on sites like Zocdoc, Google and Yelp result in increased numbers of appointment bookings as well as better SEO for your practice’s business pages, which will drive even more traffic, visibility, and conversions. As potential patients increasingly rely on the opinions they read in online reviews, so, too, does leveraging these reviews become more important. Here are a few ways to leverage online patient reviews to grow your practice.
1. Make it easy for patients to leave reviews
The more online reviews of your service and practice, the better: review sites prioritize businesses with the most quality reviews. Though directly requesting reviews from patients is a big no-no, you can leverage tools that source reviews on your behalf. Zocdoc, for one, requests reviews of patients after their appointments—in fact, only patients with verified appointments are able to post reviews. You can also include references to your online reviews on your business cards and in-office literature, making it easier for your patients to find where to leave reviews for you.
2. Own your practice’s pages
As more and more potential patients are seeking out reviews to help them decide whom to see, it is crucial that the information pertaining to your practice (contact info, website link, etc.,) is accurate and up-to-date. Register or claim your practice on review sites to correct any mistakes, make updates, and respond to reviews.
3. Link to your reviews in email newsletters
If you send out a patient newsletter email (and you should), include positive reviews and links to each of your reviews pages. Your patients will be more likely to book future appointments with you when they see the good things people are saying about your practice, and they’ll be reminded to write reviews as well.
4. Feature reviews on your website
Posting a recent positive review on your landing page will make a good impression on your site visitors. Be sure to link back to the original review site to help demonstrate the reviews’ veracity.
5. Share reviews on social media
Showcasing your practice on social media can greatly increase your exposure. By posting your positive reviews on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms, your followers and fans will be reminded to book appointments and write reviews of their own. This is also an effective way to thank patients who leave you good reviews, though you should privately request permission to mention them on any of these public services first.
6. Include your ratings in marketing materials
Achieving a high rating on Zocdoc, Google, Facebook, or Yelp is worthy of tooting your own horn! If you are at or near a perfect rating on any of these services, be sure to mention it in your marketing materials and include a general thank you to your patients for making you one of the best-rated practitioners in your area.
7. Recognize your staff for positive customer feedback
A patient’s experience at your practice isn’t limited to the time they spend with you. Your patients will review aspects of their visit that involve your employees and support staff in addition to the quality of your care. Satisfied patients may call out employees by name in their reviews. When this happens, share the positive feedback with your team and express your appreciation to the employee. This kind of public acknowledgment incentivizes your staff to provide positive experiences to your patients.
In conclusion
Overall, online reviews can be great for elevating your practice online. Patients like to hear from other patients about their experiences, and you can distribute these reviews among marketing materials to promote your practice.