How Healthcare Pros Can Improve Their Online Image

Featured article by Robert Cordray, Independent Technology Author

When someone mentions online reputation management, a medical clinic is likely not the first image that comes to mind. Each year, though, it’s becoming more and more important for medical clinics to monitor their online image and invest some time and effort into improving that image.

According to a 2013 Pew Research study on healthcare and the Internet, nearly two thirds (59 percent) of adults in the United States looked online for health information in the preceding year, and that number is only rising. As more people turn to the Internet for answers to their health-related questions, healthcare professionals should be vigilant about not only avoiding negative results, but proactively pursuing ways to promote their business online. Below, we list a few strategies healthcare professionals can use to do just that.

Tip 1: Utilize social media platforms

While social media is often viewed as just a way for people to connect with friends, many businesses—healthcare providers included—have been using platforms like Facebook and Twitter to interact with their audiences with great success.

By making regular, relevant posts, you can create opportunities to engage with their patients. Study which hashtags and topics are trending, then tailor your content to blend with them. Follow medical issues in your particular branch of medicine and actively post tweets and status updates addressing those issues. Not only does this show that you are keeping current in your field, but that you are a thought leader. If patients post questions on your page, respond promptly and be actively involved.

Tip 2: Don’t discount the importance of online reviews

Most people associate online review sites like Yelp with restaurants, but they post reviews for all sorts of local businesses, including healthcare practices. In fact, some websites such as ZocDoc, Healthgrades, and Angie’s List even specialize in online reviews of physicians. Online reviews are a double-edged sword, but if used properly, they can be a powerful tool. One study shows that 88 percent of consumers have read reviews to determine the quality of a local business, and 88 percent of consumers also trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations.

Unfortunately, negative reviews are likely to be inevitable. No matter what, there is going to be someone whom you simply could not please. While negative reviews are discouraging, there are several things healthcare workers can do to counteract their negative effects.

PatientPop, a medical practice growth service, presents several suggestions of positive ways medical professionals can handle negative reviews. Among those suggestions are to always reply (but to do so personally and thoughtfully, rather than using a form response), avoid feeling like you need to apologize for every situation (which can actually lead to malpractice suits if handled improperly), and to always keep the patient’s privacy at the forefront of your mind as you respond.

Tip 3: Do keyword research and use that to optimize your practice’s website

Pew Research reports that 8 in 10 people who looked for health information online started with a search engine. By performing keyword research, healthcare professionals can learn which search terms are most popular when people are searching for their particular branch of healthcare, then optimize their website around those terms, boosting their rankings on search results. Results on the first page of a Google search have been shown to receive 91.5 percent of the traffic, with the first result on the page receiving about a third (33 percent) of all traffic for that search, steadily dropping with each rank below that.

By creating relevant content and utilizing those popular keywords on their websites, healthcare professionals can drive traffic to their site, bringing in new patients and growing their practices and online reputations.