Good reviews from your patients can really help the profitability of your practice, and the more you have, the merrier. Unfortunately, it’s the dissatisfied patients who, for whatever reason, are the most likely to jump online and write a bad review.
Undoing the damage of negative reviews can be an uphill battle. Studies show that it takes about forty positive reviews to counteract a just one negative review!
Online Vendetta
There are known cases of orchestrated online attacks, in which a single user leaves a series of bad reviews in an effort to damage the online reputation of a business.
A writer described, on the SEMrush.com website, how he uncovered one such case. Using multiple profiles, this one user posted eighteen one-star Google My Business reviews of the same small business, all on the very same day.
For a while, it had the desired effect: within two weeks, the business’s GMB rating fell from a 4.5 rating to 2.8.
What To Do?
This was not an unprecedented situation, and if it happens to you there are ways of dealing with it.
In the case outlined above, the profiles and links to each negative review were documented and sent along to GMB Support. The names of the offending reviewers, links to profiles, and a note describing why it was being reported were included.
A GMB Product Expert looks at the negative reviews and determines whether further action is necessary. The entire process can take time and you’ll need to be patient. But persistence pays off, and fake negative reviews can successfully be removed.
It may be tempting to reply to negative reviews, but it isn’t a good idea. Chances are, replying would just escalate things. You’re much better off following procedure by flagging and reporting the fake reviews.
Need some help? ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices. We use the tools of Internet search marketing to help you reach key prospects who are looking for what your practice has to offer. Our unique and thorough approach provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement. You can find out more by contacting Lane Anderson toll-free at 1-877-322-4440 Ext 101, by email using the form on our Contact Us page, or online at ProspectaMarketing.com.