How to Build Digital Trust: Managing Your Hospital’s Reputation Online

A hospital's front door isn't simply its physical entrance anymore. It's also a Google search result, a Practo profile, and a slew of patient reviews. Patients are already creating an opinion of your institution before they even make an appointment.  This is why Online Reputation Management for Hospitals is one of the most important parts of any current digital marketing plan for healthcare.  It's not enough to just fix things; you need to develop a base of digital trust that shows how good your care is.

A few bad reviews that go unaddressed or a lack of activity on social media might harm a business's great reputation for clinical excellence. Patients today are smart consumers who use the vast amount of information available online to make smart health decisions. To get new patients, retain them, and build trust in your business, you need to build and keep a good digital reputation.

The Power of Online Reviews: Your Digital Handshake

Word-of-mouth is now online. A shocking 80% of patients utilize online reviews to choose doctors and hospitals. A lot of people who are looking for a doctor will see these reviews on sites like Google, Lybrate, and specialist healthcare sites first.  They want social evidence, which is proof from other people that they are making the proper option.

This is where proactive reputation management becomes a key part of your hospital's marketing plans.  A consistent stream of new, positive reviews shows that your facility is still giving great treatment.  On the other hand, a profile with no current reviews or, even worse, unaddressed bad feedback can make people question you and send them to your competitors.  Every review, whether good or bad, is a way to talk to someone directly and show that you care about your patients.

Proactive Ways to Build a Great Reputation

Waiting for reviews to come in is a passive way to protect your reputation. A proactive strategy means developing a method to collect and show off favorable feedback while also making your school look like a reliable source of information.

Ask for Patient Feedback: Make Your Google Business Profile (GMB) a Priority.

Your Google Business Profile is perhaps the most important part of your internet reputation.  It's the digital sign above your door that people see when they look for your hospital or doctor.  So, the easiest and most effective strategy to generate more reviews online is to ask patients to write about their experience right on your GMB listing: another factor of your patient engagement strategies.

Showcase your success: Don't allow your top reviews to stay hidden on other sites.  Put glowing reviews and high star ratings front and center on the homepage and service sections of your website. This instantly makes you more trustworthy and is a great way for doctors and the hospitals they work with to market themselves online.

Become a Trusted Voice: To maintain your reputation, you need a strong content marketing plan.  When you consistently upload blog posts, articles, and videos that answer typical patient queries, you show that your medical professionals are experts in their disciplines.  This not only helps your SEO, but it also makes you known as a helpful and trustworthy source.

Use social media: A strong, caring presence on social media can help your hospital develop a solid community.  Sharing wellness recommendations, patient success stories, and staff highlights should be the main focus of your healthcare social media marketing. Responding to comments and messages quickly demonstrates that you care and are listening, which is a strong aspect of your patient engagement strategies.

Making the Most of Negative Reviews

No hospital is safe from bad reviews.  They can be discouraging, but they are also very important chances. How you handle criticism is frequently more important than the criticism itself. A meaningful, public reaction shows that you are open and want to get better.

Say Thank You and Acknowledge: Thank the reviewer for their feedback, even if it's bad. Recognize their anger without admitting you were at fault in front of everyone.

Show them you care: Let them know you understand how they feel. A simple "We're sorry to hear that your experience didn't meet your expectations" can make a big difference.

Take it off the internet:  Give them a direct, private way to follow up. You could say, "We really care about what patients have to say." To learn more and deal with your concerns directly, please get in touch with our Patient Advocate, [Name], at [Phone Number/Email].

This method keeps patients' information private while also demonstrating to the public that you are willing to help and solve problems. It takes a lot of work to keep an eye on and strategically connect with a hospital's internet reputation all the time. This can be a lot of work for busy healthcare workers.

This is why a lot of the best hospitals work with the leading digital marketing agency for healthcare.  A specialized firm has the means to keep an eye on your online presence on all platforms, the knowledge to handle generating reviews, and the strategic vision to create a full reputation management plan.

We at HashTAGit know that a hospital's trust is its most important asset.  As leaders in this field, we can help you develop an online reputation that genuinely represents how excellent your clinical treatment is. Get in touch with us today to find out how we skyrocket your online presence.