It seems that more and more patient reviews are disappearing from Google and other review sites. So these are the secrets to making patient reviews “stick.”
- Google and other review sites prefer accounts that are actually being used…not just created for one-time use, like creating a review.
Google is no fool when it comes to seeing what businesses do to get reviews. In fact, you can hire a “reputation management” company to write reviews of your practice. How’s that for dishonest and unethical?
The problem they run into is this…they create a dummy Google+ account for their “patient”…then they post a review. One of two things happens at this point:
#1 – The account is never used again and remains inactive. Google sees that the account is never used again, so it recognizes the review as a potential spammer.
#2 – The account is used A LOT for posting reviews of all sorts of businesses from across the country (sadly… from around the world). Now the account doesn’t stay inactive like in #1. But let’s see what Google sees when that happens. Google thinks “WOW…John in Virginia reviewed a sandwich shop in Florida…a chiropractor in North Dakota…a mechanic in Georgia…a CPA in California…and a”
I think you get the idea. Either John really loves to get out and travel to see these different companies…or he is someone who creates reviews. Let’s remove all reviews and mark this account as spam in the future.
- Google doesn’t like to see reviews from an ISP
Although Google has said in the past that it’s okay for patients and consumers to post reviews from a place, like their office, during a visit… they are increasingly blocking these reviews.
It falls into the same category as #2 above. Even if different accounts are used, Google still sees that they come from the same location and it looks like spam. It’s almost like someone is sitting at home writing reviews for this particular company. It just raises a red flag from Google.
You need your reviews to come from different ISPs. If you’re not familiar with the ISP… it’s simply the location from which you access the Internet. When I’m at Starbucks, I have a different ISP than when I’m at home. Each of his patients has their own ISP at home.
- Google doesn’t like to see a bunch of reviews for the same business coming in all at once…and never again.
This is a common problem I see. Ten reviews will be posted in a day or two and then nothing will happen again. That doesn’t sit well with Google. Get reviews CONSTANTLY and CONSTANTLY. Make it part of your practice routine. That way, even if some of them are removed, there will soon be more to replace them.
Whether you like it or not… you have to follow Google’s rules if you want to play on their website. So these are the secrets to getting reviews that “STICK” on Google and other review sites. Make sure they come from Google accounts that are used and “mature”. Make sure the account is up to date by posting some photos and have some regular status updates. Make sure the reviews come from different ISPs. And make sure they are coming in regularly.
And stop calling it reputation “management.” In today’s world… it’s reputation MARKETING.
