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Aug 31, 2017 | Blog

In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, the importance of online reputation management in healthcare – and beyond – cannot be overstated. By having a strong reputation with current and potential customers, businesses can foster a trustworthy brand that stands apart from the competition.

So, what is online reputation management, and how can it affect your company in the healthcare industry? Keep reading to learn more and gain tips on five best practices to implement if you haven’t already.

What is Online Reputation Management?

Reputation management involves a strategic approach to forming and controlling the narrative around a brand. This reputation can affect a company both online and in physical situations, and it specifically focuses on what customers see when they interact with your brand. This differs from Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which focuses on how to get potential customers to find your content in the first place.

“It involves meticulously managing the content related to our company that one finds online, ensuring it reflects positively on our brand.” – Jan Hart, Director of Reputation Management, Electronic Caregiver

Given the sensitive nature of the healthcare industry, it’s easy to see how important reputation management in healthcare is. Trust and credibility are of utmost importance for organizations to highlight, as this is often a prerequisite for customers seeking services. An ongoing commitment to managing your online reputation will not only assure customers that you have their best interests in mind, but it will also help set you apart in the industry.

What are the Key Elements of Reputation Management?

To build an effective reputation management strategy, or to refresh your existing approach to better suit your needs, consider the following key pillars for what yours should include.

1. Education: Providing valuable and accurate information is a cornerstone of a strong reputation management strategy, especially within the healthcare industry. By offering expert insight and informative resources, healthcare providers can establish themselves as a trustworthy source in the field.

2. Crisis Management: No one is perfect, so companies should arm themselves with a proactive approach to crises that arise. Whether there’s been a data breach or a customer has voiced concerns, having a well-prepared crisis management plan assures customers that your organization can quickly and effectively address issues and work toward solutions for the future.

3. Strategic Communication: Crafting a thorough and strategic plan for reputation management in healthcare is no small feat. However, taking the time to determine your voice, tone, and messaging will make your efforts that much more effective. Plus, this offers a roadmap and will help guide future decisions for how you approach responding to reviews, the content you share, and more.

5 Best Practices for Reputation Management in Healthcare

Once you understand the key components of your reputation management strategy, you can further enhance your approach by incorporating some best practices within your industry. As a healthcare organization, it is important that your strategy address the following.

1. Continuously and Proactively Monitor Online Platforms: As part ongoing reputation management efforts, healthcare organizations should regularly monitor online feedback, reviews, and social media pages. Staying vigilant will allow you to quickly identify and address concerns, misinformation, or negative reviews, ensuring your reputation remains positive and accurate.

2. Engage Authentically: Whenever there’s a comment or concern to respond to, healthcare organizations should engage in a way that’s authentic to the brand’s voice and strategic message. This will not only showcase consistency, but it will also allow you to build relationships that foster trust and loyalty, which are especially important in healthcare.

3. Leverage Positive Feedback: An effective approach to building a strong and positive online presence requires companies to share positive feedback, effectively outweighing the negative that may arise. By sharing success stories and positive customer testimonials, you’re showcasing relatable and reassuring evidence of your services to prospective customers.

4. Actively Solicit Customer Feedback: As an additional effort toward leveraging positive feedback, encourage customers to share their experiences through surveys, reviews, and social media. Customers are increasingly relying on social proof when making decisions, so the more first-hand experience that is shared about your organization, the more likely potential customers will be able to find what they are looking for when vetting your services.

5. Engage in Community Outreach: Customers, especially within younger generations, care about an organization’s impact on their community. To set your organization apart and connect with customers on a deeper level, consider establishing your organization as a pillar within your community. Participate in events that matter to you and your customers, consider financial contributions, and engage in community service activities. By incorporating involvement in your community that aligns with your organization’s values, you will cultivate a reputation that shows care for those around you.

Take the Next Step: Activate Your Strategy for Reputation Management in Healthcare

Reputation management is a critical component of your business, and its importance cannot be overstated within the healthcare industry. The added layer of HIPAA compliance and the need to prioritize customer safety requires a clear plan forward for the ongoing management of your organization’s online reputation.

By empowering and educating your team, following best practices in your industry, and committing to an ongoing and proactive approach, your organization can authentically showcase itself to existing and future customers and stand out against competitors. Working with a strategic agency, like Sinuate Media, will help position your organization even more clearly to resonate with the customers you want to work with. To learn more, contact our team today or schedule a free consultation to learn more.

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