Managing Your Online Reputation by Jeffrey Behan

Ten seconds! That's how long it takes someone to post a comment online. Two seconds! That's how long it can take for that post to go out to hundreds - even thousands - of people. After that it has the half-life of plutonium and pops up faster than a whack-a-mole every time someone searches for information about you on the Web. That's the world we live in - a world where the consumer is in charge and every person you interact with has the power to build or tear down your brand. That's why it's more important than ever to proactively manage your online reputation.

Gone are the days when a company could tightly control what is said about it. We now live in a world where everyone has the power to publish and there is no editor checking content for accuracy or truthfulness. The general consensus of Webmasters at Google, Yelp and other online review sites appears to be that the truth will win out. In other words, if you do a good job and treat your patients well, it will be reflected in your online reputation. But in reality, one disgruntled parent can change the way you're perceived if you don't closely guard your reputation. In fact, it seems that it's always the negative people who go out of their way to share their opinions.

We've become what I call a "consumer review society" - a world where the most credible source is still a referral from someone we know, but where now more than 70 percent of us trust opinions from complete strangers posted online.

Here are six keys to having a great online reputation. None of them will keep someone with a grudge from publishing negative opinions of you, but together they can work to overpower the occasional post that is, shall we say, less than glowing.

1. Blog

Having a blog allows you to tell your story in a more relaxed, human way. It creates new content for the search engines to "see" week after week, and will continually help content that you create and control rise to the top and be seen.

While not all experts agree, I strongly believe that you get the most value from your blog when it is co-located with your practice Web site rather than on a blogging site like eBlogger or blogspot. In other words, the address of your blog should look something like this: www.yourwebsite.com/blog. That way your site will register as one with constantly updated content, and that aids in getting found by search engines.

There are myriad vendors offering blog content solutions that, at first glance, look really appealing. They give you the sense that you can simply outsource this element of your practice communications and not worry about it. However, there are two compelling reasons not to do this. First, search engines can spot duplicated content and ultimately count it against you. Second, these packages don't really reflect your uniqueness and, therefore, don't help you to differentiate your practice from the rest. Here are a few blogging rules of the road that will help you get the most value out of the resources you invest in blogging.

• Optimize your blog by including the right keywords, videos and graphic content. It's a good idea to sit down with your team and, ideally, a marketing communications specialist who can help you build your keyword list and messaging. When we engage with a client, it's one of the first things we do because we want to make sure that these key differentiators are used consistently across all forms of marketing.
• Keep your blog updated. Each post adds to your online visibility and crowds out any negative content that might be on the Web competing for the eyeballs of your existing and potential patients.
• Add links with each post. Including links to your other online content is an important element in increasing your visibility. I recommend linking to other pages in your practice Web site more often than someone else's content. Linking to (and from) your Facebook page and Twitter account is also a good idea. Don't forget that you are a local business and your goal is to connect with people in your local area - not to your doctor friends around the country. As such, it's important to include local geographic references. For example, instead of titling a blog post "Dr. Smith Goes to Washington," consider a title like "[Your town] Orthodontist, Dr. Smith, Goes to Washington."

• Participate in existing events (as a team if possible) wearing your branded T-shirts. 5ks, charity walks, cancer research events and more happen every year in your town. Be a part of that. Do it altruistically and you'll get noticed for the right things. Including your team in the selection and planning also goes a long way to building team cooperation and enthusiasm.
• Create your own events. Patient appreciation parties, charity fundraisers, school screenings and working with underserved kids are all good ideas. Most local school districts make it difficult for you to get access to their kids if what you're doing looks and smells like marketing, so think outside the box and watch your practice's brand profile blossom and grow.
• Provide free treatment for underserved kids. Doing pro-bono work for kids who cannot otherwise afford it can't be construed as a self-serving activity. These kids don't come from families that will generate revenue for you. It's simply a chance for you to do some good - and that's exceptionally good for your practice brand.

• Encourage your patients to connect with you through social media. Consider running one contest per quarter to encourage interaction and offer a prize worth at least $350.
• Promote your social media sites in the office through signage and, more importantly, through consistently talking about what you're doing online with the people you and your team meet in the office. When doing a promotion, I recommend having everyone wear a pin that says something like, "Ask me how you could win ________." That's one good way to connect the dots in the office with what you're doing online - always an important part of succeeding online.
• Mix up your content and make sure it isn't all about orthodontics. Repeatedly posting about dental care or orthodontics is a sure fire way to have your fans hide your content on their page. I've developed an acronym to help you remember what kind of content works. It's E I E I O and it stands for Entertain, Inspire, Educate, Involve and Offer. In the right balance, this is the type of content that will make people happy to connect with you and, more importantly, interact with your online content.