It is no secret that the healthcare industry is under intense scrutiny when it comes to reputation. One negative review can ruin your chances of getting new patients, and a few negative articles can make it impossible to attract top talent.
That is why online reputation management (ORM) is so important for healthcare organizations. ORM is the process of monitoring, identifying, and influencing the online conversation about your brand.
Here are a few Online Reputation Management strategies:
1. Google Alerts
The first step to managing your online reputation is to track what people are saying about you. Google Alerts is a free tool that allows you to do just that. Simply create an alert for your organization’s name, and you will receive an email notification any time someone mentions your name online.
2. Social Media Monitoring
In addition to monitoring general mentions of your brand, it is also important to keep an eye on social media. That is where many patients go to voice their complaints (and where you can address those complaints head-on).
3. Respond Quickly and Professionally
Once you are aware of what people are saying about your brand, it is time to start responding. The key here is to respond quickly and professionally. If you let negative comments or reviews fester, they will only get worse.
When responding to negative reviews, always take the high road. Avoid getting into a back-and-forth argument with the reviewer. Instead, focus on addressing their specific concerns.
4. Promote Positive Reviews
In addition to responding to negative reviews, it is also important to promote the positive ones. Happy patients are your best advocates.
There are a few ways you can do this. First, you can encourage patients to leave reviews on popular sites like Google and Yelp. You can also share positive reviews on your website and social media accounts.
5. Build a Positive Online Presence
Another way to improve your online reputation is to proactively build a positive presence. You can do this by creating and promoting positive content about your brand. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and more.
In addition to creating your content, you should also look for opportunities to get involved in other people’s content. For example, you could guest blog on a popular healthcare site or participate in an online Q&A.
Conclusion
As healthcare providers, you cannot afford to ignore your online reputation. By using the strategies above, you can take control of the conversation and build a positive presence online.
If you need help getting started, contact us today. Medical ITG offers a full suite of online reputation management services. We can help you take your ORM efforts to the next level.
