Most practices don’t take their online reputation seriously–Until they get hit by that first one-star review.
Over 80% of patients do their due diligence and online research when choosing a dentist and before scheduling an appointment. Moreover, 85% of potential patients trust online reviews as much as they’d trust a personal recommendation.
So if you’re averaging a 3-star rating or worse on your Google profile you need to start acting fast.
How do you handle negative online feedback? Do you respond right away or do you take time? It’s imperative that you take care of any negative reviews right away because it may cost you potential patents.
If you are a Zivvy Marketing client, your Dental Marketing Specialist will help you navigate the process.
In some cases, a review might violate Google’s terms of service. In this case, you can ask Google to remove this negative review.
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However, If the review is legitimate, we summed up some steps that you can take to protect your online reputation
- First, don’t panic! A poor review is usually seen as an odd one if all your other reviews are raving.
- Next, respond to the review by addressing the reviewer’s concern using a very unemotional professional reply
- Contact the reviewer via phone to discuss the concerns one-on-one. The personal response often works best
- If the conversation goes well, the reviewer may agree to remove the negative review. If not, other prospective patients who notice your response online will see that you take your patients’ concerns seriously.
What Happens When You Get a Fake Review?
When getting a 1- star review on Google it feels really bad. It might feel like a personal attack on your practice and a dent in your online reputation which you worked so hard to keep intact. It also affects your potential new patients.
So… what should you do when you get that negative review?
Your first step is to ensure the review is real. If it’s not, you can ask Google to get it removed.
Google categorizes a real reviewer as someone who has been involved with the practice– unless they use vile language or have a conflict of interest (competitor-former employee etc.). You can follow this process when pleading your case to Google.
There’s no guarantee that Google will remove the review even if you believe that the review is fake. In all cases, you should respond to the review no matter what.
Remember, these days your digital reputation is just as important as your real-world reputation. So keep tabs on your online reviews and take appropriate action.
Looking to Boost Your Online Reputation
At Zivvy, we specialize in helping dentists boost their overall online dental reputation on Google. Learn about our 5-Star Reputation Management service, which is included with our New Patient Booster Plan and get the 5-star ratings that your practice deserves.
