There’s more to a dental practice than pearly whites.
Okay, that’s the main part–but in order to keep those pearly whites coming, positive reviews of your practice are essential.
To say Google reviews matter is an understatement. Recent research shows that a whopping 84% of consumers will trust patient reviews as much as they would from an in-person recommendation.
If you’re wanting to increase Google reviews for your dentistry, there are some important things you need to implement. Thankfully, none of these are difficult, but they do take some insider knowledge.
That’s where Drive Research comes in.
Here’s a little rundown of what we’ll cover in this post:
- Online reputation management
- Social media usage
- Patient testimonials
- Advertising strategy
- Patient experience
Let’s jump in.
#1: Reputation Management
ORM can increase Google reviews because customer satisfaction surveys are at its core.
Often sent out in email form, customer surveys can provide deep insight into the patient experience. In the case of ORM, patients will receive one of these surveys to take. Your patients hold the weight when it comes to your reviews, so be sure the questions in the survey reflect that.
One of the (many) beauties of working with an ORM research team is that you can customize survey questions the way you want them. You won’t be sending out a customer survey that’s full of generalities.
Instead, you can tweak the questioning to match what you want to come out of the survey.
For instance, if something you wanted to focus on specifically was patient/dentist relationships, you could have your survey center around that.
Here are the basic steps for this process:
- The survey: Current patients are sent a survey about their experience
- The response: Patients are then directed to leave a review for your practice on Google.
- The result: Your practice gains more (authentic) 5-star ratings!
As for the negative reviews, an ORM company doesn’t get rid of them.
It’s important to note that often, you may be able to learn something from these negative surveys. Taking poor patient experiences into account is also key to improving your overall practice.
The main reason customer satisfaction surveys are critical in ORM is that they hold the key to what kind of reviews you’ll get down the line.
Say there’s something about your practice that patients really don’t like (or do like). By running a customer survey, you’ll be able to learn what works and what doesn’t in your office, and respond accordingly.
In doing so, this will boost the likelihood for positive reviews. This is because you’ve learned how patients feel about aspects of your practice through the survey, and can adjust accordingly. When they’re directed to leave a review, the odds will be much lower that they leave poor feedback.
Additionally, once you start generating more positive reviews, they naturally bury any negative ones you may have. A nice little benefit.
Pretty simple, huh?
💡 The Key Takeaway: When in doubt about how to increase Google reviews, look to ORM for help! A market research firm specializing in ORM will execute a customer survey on your behalf. Patients who provide positive responses are redirected to an online review site, where patients who provide negative responses remain on the survey.
Recommended Reading: What is the Impact of Positive Online Reviews?
#2: Make Use of Social Media
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what kind of organization you are – social media use matters!
An Instagram for a dental office might not be the first thing you think of when considering outreach efforts, but why not have fun with it?
What’s more, it can be a great tool for growing your visibility. And we all know what that means (more visibility leads to *hopefully* more clients, which can lead to increased reviews).
Aside from Instagram, also take Facebook into account. You’ll likely be posting similar content, but two outlets are better than one. It’s possible you’ll also reach a larger audience when using Facebook, too.
As for what you upload, get a little creative.
Post mission statements, patient testimonials (more on that, later), staff highlights, and more to give your practice personality. After all, personality attracts people.
💡 The Key Takeaway: A good way to increase Google reviews is by using social media platforms regularly. Highlight your fun side, to show potential patients you’re more than just a dental practice.
#3: Spread the Word
Talk Talk is more than just an 80s band.
Get your patients with good experiences to talk to, too! (If they’re willing–we’re not trying to force anyone, here).
Patient testimonials give potential patients a great insight into your practice, what you offer, and patient/provider relationships. Many healthcare organizations will have a tab just for testimonials, for easy access.
Consider setting something like this up on your practice’s site, too.
If you’ve jumped into the social media world, create a fun visual post that quotes patients’ praise. A great (and free!) way to do this is with Canva, where you can create attractive social media graphics with ease.
If the patient is comfortable with it, consider making a short video of them speaking about their experience. It doesn’t have to be fancy–you can simply record them on your phone to post on your social media pages.
💡 The Key Takeaway: Patient testimonials can help increase Google reviews. They provide insight into the patient experience, on a personal level. This can attract more potential patients.
#4: Consider Your Advertising Efforts
If you want to increase reviews on Google, take a look at how you’re advertising your services!
Of course, there are many ways to promote your dental practice. Depending on your budget, look into a few different advertising efforts to get the word out.
Here are some to consider:
- TV spots
- Radio ads
- Social media
- Large-scale locations (billboards, buses, etc.)
Again, all of this depends on how much money you can spend. But even something like paid advertising on social media can be a huge boost to your company.
The more people that see your practice out and about, the more potential patients you get.
💡 The Key Takeaway: Investing in ads is a great way to spread awareness of your services. There are many different methods you can use, based on your budget.
#5: Prioritize Patient Experience
Even though this is our last tip, it’s one of the most important.
The foundation of healthcare is the patient. Therefore, any medical or dental practice needs to keep them as their number one priority.
Either you or at least one person you know has likely had a negative experience with a healthcare provider at some point. Doesn’t feel too good, does it?
A staggering 68% of patients think healthcare providers need to better their patient interaction strategies, according to recent research.
Make sure this problem doesn’t happen at your own practice.
Treat patients like humans, and prioritize their needs and concerns. Not only will this create loyal patients, but it may also contribute to more patients. Happy patients tend to spread the word, which could mean more business for you.
We’ll put it this way -- poor patient experience equals poor reviews. Ensure your practice not only performs well but puts patient/provider relationships first.
💡 The Key Takeaway: If you’re wondering how to increase Google reviews for your dental practice, make sure you’re prioritizing patient relationships.
Contact Our Online Reputation Management Company
If you were wondering how to increase Google business reviews, hopefully, we’ve given you some ideas.
Drive Research is a market research company based in New York. Our team of skilled research pros can help you create a quality study to boost those Google reviews for your dental practice.
Want to know more about our market research services? Talk to us through any of the four ways below!
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Lark Allen
As a Content Marketing Specialist, Lark has a strong background and passion for creative, professional, and journalistic writing. She is also a self-proclaimed music freak and 90s enthusiast.
Learn more about Lark, here.
