Apr 2, 2021
July 23, 2019 - Arminco Inc.
In this age, consumers are more likely to refer to the internet in order to find qualified professionals for their needs. Dentistry is no exception and patients actively search on the internet for the best dentists in their area. It is beneficial to have a well-designed website to introduce yourself and your services to your patients and social proof is one of the best methods to do that. Social proof means showing your prospective patients how many satisfied patients you have treated.
According to a survey from research company Nielsen, 66 percent of people claim to trust online consumer opinions, and more than 80 percent claim to trust the opinions of their family and friends. This is exactly why it is important to gather social proof for your services.
Online reviews can count for social proof. While most unhappy patients will leave a negative review on famous reviewing platforms such as Facebook, Yelp, Google Reviews, and Healthgrades, most satisfied patients will not bother to post any reviews unless they are asked or incentivized to do so. There are many review generation software that can help dentists incentivize their patients for a review. You can also offer them small gifts in exchange for their review.
Research shows that companies with a lot of negative reviews are likely to lose 70 percent of their potential customers. Of course, negative reviews are inevitable, but the higher number of positive reviews compared to negative ones will outweigh them and benefit your work. Also, remember to reply politely to any negative reviews as 45 percent of people are more likely to visit a business if it responds to negative reviews and comments.
Another way of building social proof is engaging on social media. Keep your page on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms updated regularly, and ask your patients to interact with your page and check-in whenever they pay you a visit. You can use creative methods to have your patients interact with your business on social media, such as asking them to take pictures with the team or creating fun places in your office for your patients to take pictures. Additionally, remember to keep your professional website updated and fresh. For many prospective patients, your website will provide the first impression of your services.
Keep in mind that research shows that 30 percent of people will check business on Facebook before paying a visit. As millennials and younger generations are replacing the older ones, the importance of technology and web presence grows stronger and becomes a more determining factor.
Source: www.dentistrytoday.com