Like the product ratings you find while shopping, your business’ ratings online can be a big factor for customers to choose you. But while other types of businesses like cafes or restaurants can count on customers coming back the next time they’re hungry, it’s a different story for clinics and healthcare businesses.
For most people, it makes sense to be selective with their healthcare since they need to trust these medical professionals with their health and they have to go back to the same clinic for follow-up treatments. Depicting your clinic as the best option among your competitors will be key to getting a consistent flow of patients.
This article will highlight what you need to know about ranking with Google reviews and suggest some approaches to get reviews from your patients.
A clinic typically gets most of its customers from the immediate area, so using Local SEO to appear in results is one strategy many clinics use to advertise themselves.
And since Google reviews are vital for Local SEO, it’s important to keep generating new reviews on a regular basis. It signals that you are an active business and helpful for viewers. Reviews not only turn searchers into customers but it also boosts engagement with your Google Business Profile, maintaining or even improving your rankings.
But before your start, make sure you completed and verified your Google Business Profile.
Google reviews is a factor in determining your position on Google Maps and in Google’s Local 3-Pack results. The quantity, quality, and how recent the reviews are contribute to your business’s visibility in local search results.
A higher number of positive reviews can enhance your ranking, while negative reviews or a lack of reviews may lower your visibility to potential customers.
Replying to your reviews helps reinforce that you value your customers and their feedback. This also goes for negative reviews since it shows willingness to listen and hopefully improve upon negative customer experiences.
If you have a website, showcasing your Google reviews can be an added layer to show credibility and experience to potential patients. You can also match specific reviews to the service pages for more relevance and effective on-page SEO.
While it’s against Google’s guidelines to purchase reviews, it hasn’t stopped some from trying. Reviews can be removed by Google for being fake or spammy, and you could potentially be penalized if caught.
If you want to improve your rankings by sourcing some genuine reviews, here’s a few approaches and strategies to get reviews on a monthly basis.
First things first, you need an easily shareable link. You can get your unique Google review link from your GMB profile. Here’s how you find it.
Step 1: Log in to your Google Business Profile
Step 2: Click the Ask for reviews button
Step 3: Copy the review link.
Now you can use this handy link throughout all of your marketing channels like your website or social media.
The best way to get reviews is to ask. Integrating it inside a feedback survey can be an effective way to collect your customer’s thoughts and also collect reviews.
After a service or procedure, ask your patients to complete a feedback survey which prompts them to leave a review at the end. You can experiment with pen and paper questionnaires, or QR scanning Google forms to see what your patients typically prefer.
This is also a good opportunity to address negative feedback before it reaches Google reviews, thereby saving you the trouble of getting a bad review that lowers your business’ star rating. On online forms, you can add a filter so negative feedback isn’t prompted to leave a review. Properly settling it with your patient can also ensure that they might return in the future and avoid negative word of mouth.
Sometimes, asking right after the end of the service isn’t the best timing. Patients could be tired and cranky after getting treatment. So give them a day of much needed rest before you politely request a review.
You could give them a call within the next few days asking about their condition and progress of recovery. If they aren’t facing any issues, they would usually be willing to leave a Google review.
Giving your patients an incentive to leave a review can also be an effective way to collect more. This might be in the form of free/discounted services, a small trinket or healthy candy. You could even donate a small amount to worthy causes to encourage people.
All in all, getting more reviews for your clinic not only helps with your ranking on Google, it also builds trust and credibility which will help you earn and retain a steady flow of patients.
Interested in other ways you can optimise your online presence for higher visibility and potential foot traffic? Get started with a free consultation or audit today!
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