Veterinary Business

Online reviews as the prime decision maker

vetreportApril 15, 2015

Online methods are now the most popular way for clients to find out about your veterinary practice, but it is people power not website design that wins out. In a management session on online decision making, social media guru Susie Samuel highlighted online reviews as the real power of attraction.

Research conducted with 309 pet owners by Susie’s firm VetHelpDirect and Onswitch shows that online reviews are now more influential than the practice website, Facebook page or local pet experts when choosing a clinic. People essentially ‘pre-shop’ online using reviews, videos and forums to discuss products and services before making buying decisions, based on a Google concept called the ‘zero moment of truth’.

“Reviews are the most important way of choosing a vet, yet there are so many practices that do nothing with them,” said Susie. “All the research we see on reviews says having them increases the chance that people are going to buy the product or use the service.”

Tips for gaining reviews include the simple step of asking clients to review their experience, using the power of altruism. “The number one reason people write content is altruism,” said Susie. “People respond to requests to leave reviews far better if you ask them to do so because it will help other pet owners.”

Asking satisfied customers to review also fulfils the first step in reputation management, said Susie, by building positive material about the business. “Get positive reviews on as many platforms as you can and get those reviews onto your website,” she said.

That can mean working with a platform such as Google reviews, Yelp or local directories. Another perhaps more effective way to do this is to install a review widget on the website. These are simple software plug-ins from companies such as WordPress that display reviews on the front page. Working direct from the website in this way also means that Google indexes the reviews, boosting the site in search rankings.

Practice websites work as the shop front for the business, so Susie emphasised several ways to improve the experience for the ‘zero moment’ shopper. She told delegates to use high quality images on the site from a reputable source and to include a typed contact number on each page – so people can click call straight from their mobile.

She also recommended adding a video, a regularly updated blog or news section to provide more currency for the site, and an appointment booking form for 24 hour access. “Clients want to be able to book there and then, and if there are two practices that look similar, but you can book online with one and not the other, they will use the practice that has an appointment booker.”