Dentaltown October 2013 - (Page 68)

marketing feature by Diana P. Friedman, MA, MBA Is your practice getting good reviews on Yelp? What are patients saying about you on Facebook and Twitter? It’s no secret that consumers are hitting the web in droves to research businesses in their area. According to Google, 73 percent of all online activity is related to local content.1 But those consumers aren’t just looking up your address, they’re reading the experiences of your customers and using that feedback to decide if they want to join them. Your online reputation is a critically important aspect of your practice’s brand identity. By paying attention to what your patients say about you on social media and participating when and where it’s appropriate, you can help ensure your practice is fairly and positively represented online. Here are three ways to start monitoring your practice’s online reputation, and a few tips on how to participate. 1. Markowitz, Eric. “How to Market Your Business Using Google Places.” Inc.com. July 2011. “Claim” Your Online Business Listings Web portals such as Yelp and Google+ Local are highly popular starting points for consumers searching for local businesses. Presence on these sites is every bit as important as your Facebook and Twitter profiles. But without a complete, accurate and upto-date listing, you’ll miss attracting the attention of many potential patients. Your first step is to verify that you represent your business and are authorized to manage the listed information. Sites like Yelp and Google+ will send a code to a phone number or address they have on file, usually collected from another directory listing or perhaps your website. Once you’ve claimed and verified your listings on these sites, you can create brand-consistent profiles and monitor them to see what patients are saying. Enter complete company information – name, address, key personnel, etc. – making sure to keep every detail consistent. continued on page 70 68 OCTOBER 2013 » dentaltown.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown October 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: Treatment Plans, Social Media Marketing and the Meaning of Life
Professional Courtesy: 10 Things that Annoy Me
Continuing Education Update
Parent Wants to Video Appointments for Child’s Protection
Ribbond Splinted Bridge for Tooth #8
New Products
Corporate Profile: Scientific Metals
Rental Investments: Sane or a Pain?
Product Profile: 3M ESPE RelyX Luting Plus Cement
Product Profile: U.S. Bank
Product Profile: Demandforce
You Should Know: Shatkin F.I.R.S.T.
The Pity Prison
You Should Know: DC Dental
What’s Your Practice’s Online Reputation?
The Changing World of Pediatric Dentistry
Quality Face Time at Dental Home Day
You Should Know: Healthy Smiles Healthy Children
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
You Should Know: EZ-Pedo
The Mini Implant-supported Long-term Temporary Crowns for Missing Lateral Incisors
My Son, the Slippery Octopus
Continuing Education: Fundamental Space Maintenance
In This Issue: Oral Cancer
Perio Reports
Ad Index
Profile in Oral Health: A Hygienist’s Personal Experience with Oral Cancer
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown October 2013