There’s no denying that word-of-mouth marketing is the original and most effective marketing tool ever. Friends and family may be the first sources for recommendations when making a major decision, whether that’s a big purchase or which doctor to see for an ongoing health issue.
Well, we all know that after asking your best friend, you’re probably validating the rec with a bit of research yourself. Right?
So, you turn to Google. “Best doctor near me.” “Best chiropractor in Austin.” “Back pain doctor.” And the Google results give you a few names and a map. You may even see review sites such as healthgrades.com, WebMD.com, Yelp.com, ZocDoc.com if you’ve got some time to scroll. But the reality is, you’re clicking on the Google map and quite possibly, taking a look at the reviews.
According to Review Trackers, in 2022, 64% of folks are likely to check Google reviews before making a decision. And it’s arguable that reviews are seen and taken more seriously since selecting a healthcare provider is quite a bit more important than the latest tech gadget you’re eyeing on Amazon.
If you’re an independent practitioner, a chiropractor with one or more clinics, or a clinical director for a mid-size practice, patient reviews probably fall low on the list of priorities. But, why are they so important? Let’s break it down to the following three benefits:
- Build trust and rapport
- Strengthen your search (especially on maps)
- Review your reviews
Build Patient Trust and Rapport
First, patient reviews build trust and rapport. They are a destination to validate a decision as a consumer ( in your case, potential patients). You as a provider build trust and rapport with your existing patients, but how do you do the same with your patient prospects before they ever walk through the door?
Patient reviews are a psychological tool we as patients use to know they’re going to take good care of us, this doctor knows what he/she is talking about, and I’ll trust them this one time before I fully commit.
It’s also a way for your existing patients to build trust with you too. You create a patient experience in your practice. Patient reviews are the tool to share that experience with others. They are putting their name out in the digital world giving you the rubber stamp of approval that says they trust you and love the care you and your staff provided.
Strengthen Your Search
Search engine optimization (aka SEO) is a highly competitive space to rank highly in organic search traffic. While hanging out a shingle and opening the doors to your practice used to be the path for most doctors, it’s the competitive digital arena that’s essential now.
Without taking a deep dive into the world of SEO, let’s just say reviews matter. And as Google has optimized its search algorithm over the years, online reviews have received a bigger piece of the pie as it relates to the importance of online reviews and search rankings. A higher volume of patient reviews invokes a level of trustworthiness and authority that Google deems more important than sites without reviews.
And as the world of search evolves, so has the usage of reviews. While sites that have super strong organic search authority (Healthgrades, Yelp, ZocDoc to name a few) are super important to have reviews on, Google is still the king for patient reviews. As of November 2022, according to the site Statista.com, Google still commands anywhere from 85-90% of total searches globally. That’s domination.
And more recently, Google has now made their Google My Business (GMB) pages Google Business Profiles (GBPs) that are managed through Maps and Search. And one of the cornerstones of Google Business Profiles? REVIEWS. So, start there.
Review Your Reviews
What are patient reviews great at beyond building trust and organic search ranking? Direct patient feedback! While it’s true that most reviews are going to be as polarized as United States political parties, patient reviews serve as a phenomenal way to hear from patients about what you did awesome at, what you screwed up, and best yet, how you can improve your practice.
Some of the most common 1-star reviews made on healthcare providers include:
- Wait times
- Billing issues (more often on the patient not understanding their insurance with what is covered and what isn’t)
- Cancellation or “surprise” fees
- Staff and provider behavior (bedside manner being a big one)
So, take those negative reviews seriously and use them to be better.
Also, essential to your reviews is responding to them. Letting patients know you appreciate the feedback (even if it’s negative) is a core part of the Google review algorithm too. Google wants you to care… and you should.
How To Get Patient Reviews
We’ll do a deeper dive into the tools Vital Healthcare provides to help with patient review acquisition in a separate blog post. That said, technology isn’t the only component. Patient reviews take the following:
- ASK! A personal ask by providers and staff.
- SIMPLE! Making it super easy to do a review.
- REMIND! Asking via text and e-mail. And don’t be afraid to ask again.
Your team is VITAL. It must be part of the patient experience! Pro-Care Medical Centers recently held a contest with staff to see how many patient reviews they could get that would mention the staff member’s name. In a 10-day sprint to the finish, a handful of clinics grew their reviews by 20-30% respectively. And these weren’t just “quickie reviews.” These were patients who felt wrote heartfelt paragraphs about how the team and the providers had helped them in more ways than they could count.
At Vital, we recommend keeping it simple. While there are many places to leave reviews that matter, as we said before, Google is still king. So, we ask for Google reviews and simply link to the Google Business Profiles review page for each location.
And last but not least, when we send that link, we’re reminding the patients, again and again, that patient reviews are important. So, our technology provides both automated and personal outreach requesting patient reviews on Google. It reduces the headache for staff while ensuring a great, personal patient experience for everyone involved.
Shoot for a 5-star practice! Build trust, rapport, credibility, and rankings, and improve your clinic’s presence online with a focus on patient reviews.