One of the strongest marketing tools available to any business is its customers. Word-of-mouth and customer endorsements are invaluable in the marketing boost they can provide, and they do it entirely for free.

This same rule also applies to medical practices. Earning and showcasing positive online reviews is an essential part of any practice’s marketing toolkit. Patients are more susceptible to this form of marketing now than ever before, with the prevalence and popularity of online reviews. Before choosing to make an appointment with practice, patients will almost always look it up online to see what kind of reviews it has received.

Google reviews
Google has achieved ubiquity in the lives of most people; we look to the search engine for advice on almost all matters, choosing a practice being among those. Google Reviews play a key role in helping prospective patients choose your practice, for the following review:

• When searching for your practice online, patients will be presented with a ‘Google My Business’ snapshot, encompassing your website, contact details, location, and reviews. With reviews being presented next to such essential information, it shouldn’t be hard to understand why they are so important.
• Google SEO rankings are also weighted with reviews, meaning better reviews get you a higher ranking. Poor reviews, on the other hand, will hurt your ranking.

Positive reviews
Positive feedback has been the foundation of increased business for as long as businesses have existed. Where in the olden times this feedback would take time to spend, the internet and social media ensure that now it spreads in an instant. Google is used by the vast majority of people to look up a business before patronizing it, and influencers with large social media followings wield immense power in shaping the decisions of their followers.

Social proof
One of the core components of decision-making in psychology is called “social proof”. The term refers to the idea that consumers can be persuaded to try a product or service by seeing positive reviews or expert quotes related to said product or service. Where your marketing fails to convert a potential customer to an independent review takeover, with more positive reviews being crucial to finishing the job.

The strongest form of social proof is one presented through a celebrity or subject matter expert. Celebrity endorsements are probably off the table, but endorsements from experts are far easier to attain and will prove very valuable.

An opportunity for learning
Now let’s take a look at the type of reviews – negative reviews. While they may seem discouraging or damaging to your reputation, these are an actually fantastic opportunities for learning. Use negative reviews to identify gaps in your service, and then work to fix these shortcomings.

Positive reviews may be important, but negative ones are just as, if not more.