When it comes to online presence, it’s safe to say that reputation is everything. Well, almost everything. Best to avoid sweeping generalities!

Semantic quibbles aside, the way your brand is recognized when a potential client encounters it affects every aspect of how they view you, from product quality and services to customer interaction and problem resolution. Even for returning customers, online reputation plays an outsize role in decision-making and loyalty. For this blog, we’ll start by focusing on one of the most crucial elements of any online reputation: Reviews.

What’s the Deal with Reviews?

The bottom line: They guide consumer actions. The numbers are striking, and the message is clear. Some estimates suggest that 98% of all consumers use online reviews to make decisions about which local businesses they want to patronize.

That percentage matters even more if you’re working in the field of healthcare. Here’s a few eye-popping stats, courtesy of Forbes:

1. Approximately 81% of healthcare patients take online reviews into serious consideration when they are choosing a healthcare provider.
2. Nearly 60% peruse more than 19 reviews before they even select a doctor!
3. Around 87% of patients judge the reliability of a review by its age.

Now that you know how important online reputation is, what can you do about it?

More than one thing, as it turns out:

• Keep your reviews current. Well over 70% of all consumers agree that a review more than three months old is no longer relevant.
• Have a crisis plan. Be ready with specific steps that can help you mitigate damage and preserve your hard-won reputation in the event of unforeseen damage. Be sure to include who will be responsible for managing the situation, how any communications will be dealt with, and how to maintain transparency throughout the process.
• Stay on top of content marketing. Producing quality content will engage with your audience and keep you top-of-mind. Position yourself as an expert by publishing blog posts, videos, social media posts, and any other relevant material you can produce at the highest level.
• Engage with reviews, both negative and positive ones. In doing so, you’re demonstrating that you care about customer satisfaction and that you’re listening to feedback. When you show transparency, consumers appreciate it, so responding to comments makes a world of difference. Just be careful with the negative ones.

Your online reputation plays a crucial role in influencing consumers. Fortunately, we offer a Reputation Management Program to put control of your online reputation in your hands. Give us a call today at 203-746-5901, or send us an email to sales@BlueOrchidMarketing.com to get started!