The word of mouth strategy has brought in multiple new customers and increased profit for businesses throughout the years. Nowadays, most companies heavily rely on online reviews. The dependence on online reviews is especially true in today’s generation, with technology and the internet becoming essential in the dental industry. Records show that about 86% of patients are dependent on online reviews when deciding on choosing their preferred dentist.
We can say that one of the significant variables that affect the number of patients you get for your dental practice is online reviews. In this blog post, we discuss how establishing an online presence is one of the most effective marketing strategies for your business’s growth and development.
The significance of positive reviews and ratings
The existing reviews that your dental office will have on the internet can influence new and potential patients who are deciding whether or not to choose your practice. These online reviews can back up the effectiveness and quality of your dental practice. Most web users looking for your particular service will most likely rely on a company’s online reputation and ranking in the search engine.
Usually, these potential patients will have confidence in these reviews as much as they would trust a friend or family member’s recommendation. Because of this, a lot of dental practitioners, from cosmetic dentists to oral surgeons, try to make sure that their practice continually receives multiple positive and genuine reviews.
In addition, Google easily recognizes and gives importance to sites that get a lot of good ratings. Google also prioritizes websites that produce fresher and updated content such as up-to-date reviews. Your website will naturally get ranked higher as the positive rating increases.
When this happens, your site can obtain more organic traffic as people will usually click on the top result on the Google search results page. This is especially true when the listing is rated with more stars. Ultimately, ranking higher on the search results page and getting more users to see your listing means that a larger number of potential clients can consider your practice and lead you to acquire more profit.
Moreover, this can serve as a free and affordable alternative to expensive marketing strategies. Patients can easily do the work for you by writing and posting online reviews on your site. Patient reviews efficiently promote your dental practice without the use of your business’ bank account. Thus, you can use the money saved for other important aspects that can directly contribute to your practice’s success.
Nonetheless, not all reviews are good. Here are some ways how negative feedback can positively contribute to your dental practice’s online presence.
The use of negative reviews towards your dental practice
Dental practitioners might want to focus more on the positive feedback they receive. However, negative reviews are just as useful as good ones. Having encounters with bad reviews is inevitable, no matter how experienced or professional you are. That is why it is vital not to ignore these opinions. Critical feedback is needed to maintain the satisfaction of your patients towards your service.
With these useful pieces of information, you can identify and point out the insufficiencies present and find or plan ways to improve them. Instead of getting offended by the reviews, it is best to handle these criticisms with an open mind. Necessary changes in the procedures and protocols can be a great way to confront your patients’ concerns and refine your dental practice.
Responding to these negative ratings can even be a great way to right your wrongs. It is helpful to respond in a way that clearly expresses your remorse towards their experience. Let the patient know that you empathize with them and try to offer ways to sort out their situation. Showing how you handle these situations publicly can lead to more positive reviews in the long run. Furthermore, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you should treat bad ratings and feedback as significant learning experiences.
The Bottomline
Having an established online presence on multiple platforms can be beneficial for your dental practice, which you can achieve by getting reviews and ratings. Whether it be bad or good feedback, knowing how to handle and utilize these opinions can help you obtain more potential patients or strengthen your existing patients’ loyalty. More and more patients express their sentiments online. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how to navigate the digital realm—learning how can do wonders for your reputation and overall success.
