Revealed: The Pro’s and Con’s of using A.I to Manage your Online Reputation
Your reputation online has never been so important.
Research shows that patients now mostly choose their doctors online. Primarily basing their decision on reviews, and chats within special interest groups, such as those found on Facebook.
This can bring a variety of new challenges to hard working professionals, already strained with primary care and compliance.
So what can be done to reduce the workload for busy practitioners?
First thing’s first. In order to control your online reputation, you need to be aware of it. This means knowing what people are saying about you online, and where.
Thankfully, there are now tools and services which can be used to help manage your Online Reputation. Some use artificial intelligence (AI) others use bespoke services offered by specialists in Online Reputation Management. A combination of both can be very effective.
Prospective patients will often read your online reviews before you have the opportunity to deal with them appropriately. This increases your risk of a negative online reputation, and if left unchecked, will ultimately reduce your clinical income.
Why is your Online Reputation now so important?
The majority of prospective patients will use online reviews to choose their doctor.
78% of patients trust online reviews just as much as they would trust a personal suggestion from someone they know. After reading excellent reviews, most people are 68% more inclined to visit a medical practice.
A survey by Repugen found that a bad reputation is considered the most significant business risk.
In fact, 87% of respondents believed that the risk of a bad reputation was a more substantial concern than other strategic business risks.
Excess negative reviews can cause your medical practice to be “de-indexed” (eliminated from search results) or to fall down the rankings if it does remain listed.
This further jeopardises your ability to attract patients, and restricts your online presence.
Conversely, increasing your overall rating from say three to five stars, can cause a 25% increase in search traffic for your medical practice, resulting in increased visibility and turnover.
Why should I get help managing my Online Reputation?
Your online reputation is a vital component in the success of your career or practice, and it’s hard work to build or maintain it properly.
Increasingly, top surgeons are turning to specialists in the field for professional reputation management online. Quite simply, they will look better online, and rank more highly if they do.
Medical Marketing has reached a point where those who don’t seek professional representation, and adopt best practices with regards to their Personal Branding, will be left behind. Irrespective of their ultimate skill.
Being proactive, and creating a positive image online can be very lucrative (as any social media influencer, or makeup brand will tell you). Conversely, it only takes a few negative reviews to significantly degrade how you’re perceived online. Which in turn can seriously affect your bottom line.
The sad reality is that a bad online reputation often isn't reflective of your skill as a practitioner or entrepreneur, rather, it can be linked to something as simple as parking, or your receptionist having a bad day.
If left unmanaged, these negative reviews can create “negative social proof” causing others to agree with the unfavourable review, or to write their own.
It’s vital then, to respond to every review you get, or better yet, let the experts (and no we don’t mean your practice manager or receptionist) do it for you.