Online reputation is the impression or perception of people of your brand on the web. Consumers search for the company on the Internet, and what they find influences their decision whether they will choose to use the provider or not. Nursing homes are no different from the other companies.
Choosing the best senior care facility is a huge decision. It’s where the elderly loved ones will live, that’s why family members want to ensure that they will be well-taken care of. A quick search on the web will give them information about a specific nursing home that they are interested in. If what they find about your facility is favorable, you have the opportunity in gaining another resident. However, if what they see is disapproving, it could hurt your chances of being chosen. Nursing home reputation management can help improve your status online and minimize the negative posts about you.
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The statistics say it all
Gone were the days when consumers found it challenging in finding reviews about facilities, and they had limited options in sharing their thoughts about their experience with them. Today in the digital age, it’s now easier than ever for people who have first-hand experience with your service to share their thoughts and feelings online. These reviews can be positive or negative, so they could hurt you or they could build you.
Likewise, it’s also now more convenient for potential consumers to find these reviews. Whether or not the negative reviews are true or not, they will still have an impact in making their decision if they will entrust their elderly family to your care or not. The positive feedback, on the other hand, will encourage them to choose you as their provider. Below are statistics from studies and surveys that will prove the value of your online reputation, and how important it is to manage it.
More than 90% of consumers search about a provider online before they make a decision of doing business with them or not. If you do not have an online presence or if you don’t manage what they find about you online, it could mean money loss.
About 80% of individuals trust the reviews that they read online even if these words are from people they do not personally know. Personal recommendations are still important. However, you also must not take the value of online feedback for granted because it can impact the judgment of potential clients.
There are different platforms where they can search for more information about your nursing home facility. However, 65% of these users have higher trust in search engine results, which makes SEO or search engine optimization a vital part of your online reputation management.
Consumers are more likely to choose or trust providers with higher ratings, especially those that are rated 4/5 or higher.
The majority of customers also trust ratings with at least 40 or more respondents. It means that you need to actively collect more positive reviews to strengthen your reputation on the Internet.
Why manage the online reputation of your nursing home?
The statistics above show the importance of the online reputation of your elderly care facility. Here are more specific benefits on why you must invest in nursing home reputation management.
- Get new clients. Businesses, including nursing homes, have their online presence. If you do not have one, or you do not take care of what people see on the Internet, you could miss the chance of winning new clients, especially if your competitors are invested in managing their reputation online. Do not be left behind by the competition, and bring your A-game on.
- Keep existing residents. A negative post or feedback would concern family members whose elderly reside in your facility. They would be worried about the situation or condition of their loved ones and wonder if they are being treated right or not. Keep the trust of your existing clients by keeping your online reputation in good standing.
- Attract valuable staff. Excellent employees make an excellent company. Like consumers, people who are looking for jobs also search for the company’s reputation before deciding if they will apply or not. Attract the right candidates to become part of your company by having a positive online reputation.
Tips in managing the online reputation of your nursing home
Now that you know the importance of your online reputation, we listed some valuable tips on how to get started with managing yours.
- Improve your SEO. Your online reputation is the impression of people about your company on the web. It consists not just of the reviews from other consumers, but the information that they find about your facility. Search engine optimization plays a big role in it. People will see the positive content about your nursing home, over the negative ones if the ranking of your site or other positive posts above you saturate the first page of the search result. Only 5% of users read results that are on the second page or farther.
- Ask for more reviews. As mentioned, most consumers trust ratings with 40 or more reviews. If you know that your residents and their loved ones are happy with your service, actively ask them to give feedback or recommendation about your facility.
- Respond empathetically to negative reviews. You may receive negative feedback about your service. Responding to reviews properly and on time could turn things around. 53.3% of consumers expect to receive a response to their complaint within one week. Almost half of the respondents say that they will consider a company that responds to negative feedback. Also, 33% are more likely to change and increase their rating to a company that responded to their complaint. Do not be defensive and avoid starting a fight, as this could cause the issue to escalate further. Instead, be calm and empathetic. Show people that you listen and that you are willing to make things right. Continue solving the problem privately by reaching out to clients through a phone call, chat, or email.
- Claim business listings and other online profiles. The information that people find about you on the Internet is also part of your online reputation. Claim your profile on business listings, social media, review sites, and other online platforms. Include detailed information about your facility and the services you offer for them to know more about you. Ensure your contact details are up to date, so they can reach you if needed. Outdated contact information would cause you to lose potential clients.
Do not underestimate the importance of nursing home reputation management in keeping your facility in good standing and growing your business. If you do not have a process, now is the right time to start one, to improve your online reputation, and enjoy all its benefits.
