Did you know that up to 94% of future patients look at reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook before selecting a dental provider? Not only do they want to see a high star rating, and a decent amount of reviews posted, but they also want to see how you interact with reviews.
Responding to all reviews, both positive and negative, shows patients that you care about what they have to say, you are committed to listening to their concerns, and you are interested in improving the patient experience. Plus, it is a great opportunity to interact with patients online.
When a patient takes time out of their day to leave honest feedback, it’s important to acknowledge their effort with a response. We recommended that you respond to both positive and negative reviews as it goes a long way to show that you put patients first.
Here are examples of possible responses to both positive and negative reviews.
Positive Review
Hi NAME,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us such a positive review. Our goal at (practice name) is to treat everyone like family.
NAME,
patient coordinator
Negative Review
Hi NAME,
We have a long-standing commitment to dental excellence as well as outstanding customer service. We are usually known for our great patient care and attention to detail. We welcome you to contact our office so we can give you the experience you deserve and the service we are known for.
NAME,
patient coordinator
This interaction demonstrates to future patients that they can trust your dental practice with their smile and health. If someone looks up your office online and sees that reviews are being ignored, it doesn’t leave a good first impression.
Sure, a negative review feels bad, but it’s not the end of the world. In fact, a negative review can be an opportunity to win over an unhappy patient. Most people understand that there are occasional miscommunications or bad days, so the important thing is to show care and concern for the feedback given.
Reviews and Google Search
Did you also know that reviews serve as a key ranking factor on Google Search and Google Business Profiles? Reviews help with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so that your practice shows up organically on Google Search.
Google views positive reviews as evidence of your dental practice’s expertise, authority and trust. Not only that, but Google confirms that responding to reviews helps your search ranking!
Local SEO is also improved by online reviews. You have a higher chance of showing in the local map pack results if you have a high star rating and lots of reviews. The map pack is the most prominent position in Google’s local search results where your practice is listed and location is identified on a map with a place marker icon. It is vital to your practice that your practice appears here, as it is a huge factor in how future patients determine which dentist to see.
In my next blog post, I will discuss ways you can get more reviews, so stay tuned!
If you would like help with online reputation management or SEO, contact Bullseye Media.