In the world of digital marketing, online reviews can make or break a business. Online reputation management (ORM) is just as important for your brand as your logo or website. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of review management and how you can improve your online reputation:

Why Are Online Reviews Important?

Online reviews can be a huge help or a huge hindrance to your business. Not only might they dissuade potential customers from utilizing your services, but they might even affect your current customers. Online reviews affect:

• Credibility: Reviews from customers provide credibility to your practice. Customers are more likely to trust a veterinarian that has a high number of positive reviews, and people tend to trust the opinions of others who have been seen by the hospital.
• Feedback: Online reviews provide valuable feedback from customers that can be used to improve overall service, address customer complaints, and increase customer satisfaction.
• SEO: Online reviews can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by providing fresh and relevant content for search engines to index.

How Much Attention Should You Give Reviews?

To put it mildly, keeping up with online reviews can basically be a full-time job. Customers who have a bad experience have a tendency to be very vocal with their complaints. They often post negative reviews on multiple platforms, which requires time and effort to address properly. It is even important to respond back to positive reviews, as this can show potential customers that you value communication. 

We recommended dedicating at least a few hours per week to your review monitoring and response. This effort helps you build a positive online reputation. Respond promptly to both positive and negative reviews to show customers that you value their feedback and are committed to improving.

If you have a big practice with a high client volume, you might receive more reviews than a smaller veterinary clinic. The more reviews you receive, the more important it is to monitor them regularly. 

What Do Reviews Affect?

Online reviews affect much more than you might think. In fact, they play a part in all of the following:

• Your SEO ranking
• New client acquisition
• Your Google Business Profile
• Your ability to attract talent 
• Your ability to retain talent

Without the proper attention, a few bad reviews can actually make it harder for you to hire a competent staff. Although it might seem like a time sucker, it is really important for you to stay on top of your review management at all times. 

Why You Should Solicit Reviews

On the flip side, a series of positive reviews can make you even more attractive to potential clients and staff. If you are not getting a lot of good reviews organically, you might want to take the time to solicit them. Whether you put a link to your review profile in your email signature or send out periodic text messages encouraging people to leave you a review, this practice can help you instantly improve your business. 

How We Can Help

If you’re already spread too thin to even consider monitoring online reviews, Beyond Indigo Pets can help! We can provide advice and guidance on how to respond to both positive and negative reviews. We also offer:

• Online tracking capabilities
• Can automatically solicit reviews from your PIMs system
• Dynamic reviews and reputation monitoring
• Listing management

Our dedicated team is here to do the heavy review lifting for you. We want you to enjoy the benefits of a solid online reputation without the stress. To learn more about our ORM services or to find a veterinary marketing plan that works for you, call (877) 244-9322 or fill out our contact form.