Learn how to teach patients to write and post a review on Google
One of the greatest marketing tools a hearing health provider has at their disposal is the word of mouth from their patients.
- Patient reviews are used by most consumers when trying to form an opinion about a business. Around 68% of consumers form an opinion by reading just one to six reviews.
- Online reviews are just as important as a personal recommendation. In fact, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Around 74% of consumers trust local businesses more after reading a positive review.
- Online reviews can help you gain new patients.
- Online reviews can provide valuable insight into how your customers think about your business.
Another major reason why online patient reviews are important is that reviews can impact your local search ranking on Google.
According to Advanced Web Ranking, approximately 75% of people click the first 10 Google organic results. The three primary factors Google uses for local rankings are relevance, distance, and prominence. Reviews can assist with relevance. One content rich review from your patient is enough to receive colored stars on Google.
How do I ask for reviews?
It may seem awkward to ask a patient to post a review. You also must consider that your patients might not believe their opinions matter. But they do, and below are four methods you can use when asking your patients to write and post a review.
- Ask while receiving a compliment. The patient/provider relationship is a reciprocal one, and there are times when patients will offer a compliment during a visit. This is a prime opportunity to ask for a review.
- Ask your patients about their experience with your practice. Interacting with patients can be the most rewarding part of being a provider. After a visit, you can always ask your patients about the service they just received. If the feedback is positive, you can follow up that inquiry by asking for them to put that positive feedback into a review.
- Focus on what you will gain from the review. You provide good care to your patients, and the public should know that. If you’re feeling a bit of trepidation about asking your patient for a review, remember what you will receive by that review.
- Remember writing reviews are common. Because so many consumers rely on reviews to make decisions regarding businesses they choose to solicit, it’s not unusual to see reviews on Google. You can remind patients how commonplace reviews are when asking them to write a review.
Teach your patient to write a review
The most successful reviews are around 1,000 to 2,000 characters in length. Short of writing the review yourself, and asking your patient to post it, you can assist your patient in writing a review by providing them with these five tips.
- Ask them to give an honest opinion.
- Suggest they include anecdotal examples that potential patients could find useful.
- Remind them not to share any potential personal information.
- Suggest their review be concise but informative. Explain why they like you as a provider and what you’ve done that made them feel that way.
- Remember to suggest that they don’t use inappropriate language or any language that might damage the chances of their review getting published.
- Suggest the copy, edit, paste method. Website Eat, Sleep, Wander provides over 40 positive doctor review examples.
Post a review on Google
Now that you’ve asked your patient to post a review and help them to write it, you may need to instruct them on how to post it on Google My Business.
- To find the business’s Google My Business (GMB) profile, have your patient type in your practice name in Google search.
- Click the “Write a Review” button.
- A pop-up titled “Rate and Review” will appear. Click a star rating and add the review. Remember to suggest they re-read the review to make sure it’s what they want to say (the internet is forever).
- Click “Post”.
Bottom line, online reviews are free marketing and can-do wonders for your practice. Use these simple tips and begin your 2022 by having few patient post reviews online.