Rehab centers need to build trust with their patients. Trust is what the entire industry is predicated on – patients need to feel comfortable trusting their recovery and well-being to a third party.

In 2016, the first place most patients go to establish trust is online. It might be Facebook, Google+, Yelp, or any other website with business review features. But no matter what medium they use, these online reviews and ratings 1) typically result in a snap decision of trusting this particular rehab center or moving on to the next, and 2) set the tone for any further patient-center interactions.

On this page, we dig into how reputation management can benefit rehab centers, and what steps you can take to make sure your rehab center is properly represented online.

Where are people talking about your rehab center?

This is the first step to any kind of reputation management strategy. If you’re not already doing it, you should start monitoring your brand presence online. This means keeping track of what review websites your center is listed on, what social media conversation you’re a part of, and any other digital mentions of your rehab center.

Here are two simple ways to do this:

• Google Alerts – You can set up a custom Google Alert that lets you know any time your brand is mentioned. This allows you to react quickly to any negative feedback, and also to promote positive press.
• Search engines – If you haven’t searched for your own rehab center, it’s a good habit to get into. You’ll see what pages your brand name is ranking for, whether they’re praising or complaining about you, and on what websites your center is listed.

Once you have a good idea of where and in what context your rehab center is being discussed, you can start to formulate a reputation management strategy.

How to generate and promote positive press

Dealing with positive press is fairly straightforward. If people are leaving great reviews or saying nice things about your rehab center on social media, you want to:

• Engage with them, thanking them for such great feedback
• Encourage them to post similar feedback on other review websites
• Collect quotes for testimonials

These three practices can do much to cement your rehab center’s position as a reputable care provider.

As for generating positive press, it’s always smart to highlight any philanthropy work, volunteer work, or any other humanitarian efforts online. This could be anything from sponsoring a sports team or scholarship to hosting a speaker at your rehab center.

As far as positive press goes, the goal is constant visibility.

How to handle negative press

While not quite as fun as positive press, every business gets negative press on occasion. The bad review or customer complaint itself isn’t what matters, though – it’s how you deal with it that shapes the public perception of your rehab center.

The first step is to look at what platform the review was left or complaint made on. If it’s an individual commenter on social media leaving a valid complain, for example, it’s often best to engage with them publicly. This demonstrates both your responsiveness and willingness to work through problem with patients.

A bad review, on the other hand, can be a bit trickier. Most review websites do allow for business responses, and you should take advantage of this. Make sure your response is polite, appropriate, and comprehensive, however. Poor etiquette on social media or on review sites can cause serious damage to your center’s image.

At its core, dealing with your online reputation is simply an extension of customer service. You want to respond to all situations as you would face-to-face – politely, understandingly, and with a willingness to help.

Start managing your rehab center’s reputation today

Proper reputation management is fairly accessible, and can be done with some research and a bit of practice. Even very basic efforts can drastically improve the visibility and perception of your rehab center.

If you don’t have the time to audit your reputation, or if you’re just looking for the touch of a professional, we can help! Our reputation specialists have years of experience helping rehabilitation centers shape their online reputations. We’d love to do the same for you and your center!

Contact us today for more information or a free quote.