5 Tips to Building a Reputation That Stands Out In Your Community
By Dr. Greg Grillo
When people hear your practice mentioned in your community, what comes to mind? Every brand carries a reputation, and you can’t necessarily control what people think. But with today’s tools, your practice has more control than ever. The best businesses take proactive steps to guide their reputation, and you can, too.
Serving patients with first-class care remains the primary way to keep your reputation polished. In a high-touch profession that heavily relies on trust, showing compassion, competence, and kindness may be all you need. But that message needs to permeate every touchpoint in your practice, including digital interactions.
Consider these five tips to help you build trust and manage your reputation:
1. Take a Look at Your Platforms
Consumers use local search to find solutions to their healthcare needs. In fact, web users perform 8.3 billion health-related searches every month . Make sure your practice information remains consistent across all listing services; inconsistency confuses patients and looks unprofessional. While you’re familiar with Google, Facebook, and Healthgrades, over 100 other sites display your practice information as well.
Local SEO looks at your reputation, too. Complex search algorithms rely on accurate business listings across these sites to provide the boost you deserve. You may give the most painless injections in town, but Google considers many more factors when formulating your online reputation. Services like Legwork Listings scour the internet and ensure your reputation reflects accurate, consistent information on dozens of relevant sites.
2. Evaluate Your Online Presence
Your business profiles carry SEO weight, but your overall digital footprint projects your brand and message. Although there are over 75 social media channels, Facebook and Instagram are two pillars for healthcare practices. Managing a presence on multiple channels increases your visibility and helps you connect with a broader audience.
Above all, your website sits at the center of your online real estate. A complex mix of factors works together to create a site that holds visitors and exhibits excellence from design to loading speed. More than half of mobile consumers disappointed by a mobile version of a website think negatively about the business itself. So, mobile-first sites aren’t just a good idea–they’re essential! Legwork Websites create clean, engaging sites that incorporate numerous innovative features.
3. Actively Engage With Patients
Although the average person spends 142 minutes a day on social media, active engagement with a business page doesn’t always come easy. While people view your posts, they don’t usually comment or share. Consider posts that encourage patients to make a comment or ask them for their opinion. “What’s one piece of advice you have for seniors graduating this month?” is an example of a question that could draw responses.
More importantly, break down barriers to active engagement with your patients. Incorporate touchless solutions that give people more ways to communicate with you. Legwork Online Booking is one example of a tool that lets patients reach out for an appointment from their living room. Legwork Comfort builds emotional value by asking people how you can take care of them better. Show you care, and your reputation soars.
4. Get More Reviews
Online reviews significantly impact your success in local searches on Google. It’s essential to ask for reviews from your current patients to stay a step ahead of your local search competition. And the value of reviews continues to grow: 91% of millennials report they trust reviews more than family and friends!
The best time to ask a patient for a review is right after their visit. Make sure they experience exceptional care and simply invite them to share it online. Better yet, consider automated tools like Legwork Reviews that ask and direct them to the right place for their input.
5. Be a Top-Shelf Authority
Patients get bombarded with misinformation every day. As a local practice, sharing accurate information on health-related issues helps people sort through the swamp. Informative blog posts, updates on industry advancements, and classy email campaigns help establish credibility.
It’s not personal, but patients tend to forget about you unless you decide to stay in front of them. Life’s busy, and people carry more worries and concerns than ever. Brands that practice consistent, quality engagement benefit from awareness and authority status in their niche. If you want the community to see your practice as the best place for healthcare, make sure they see you. While campaigning can be intensive, a comprehensive tool like Legwork Campaigns does all the heavy lifting for you.
Your reputation helps determine your success. Rather than leave it to chance, harness digital innovation’s power to deliver more than your patients expect. And if you want to evaluate your healthcare brand’s reputation, the experts at Legwork are here to help you.