BLOG: COVID — three immediate action steps
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The COVID crisis has given new meaning to doctor-to-patient contact.
Internet usage has skyrocketed as people are stuck at home, and many of them are using the time to do online research about the services and procedures they are interested in and the eye doctors who will perform them. Virtual contact now has — and moving forward, will likely have — a much bigger impact on patient acquisition than ever before.
So, don’t wait until after offices have reopened to update your virtual image. The time to act is now.
Get virtual
Get up to speed on virtual consultations. These types of consultations were trending up in popularity before COVID, and moving forward, they may become the standard. Update your website to show you are offering virtual consultations, and put the proper media in place to take advantage of this new trend, even if your offices are closed.
Tune up your GMB
Many consumers use Google My Business (GMB) to investigate and learn about you and your practice. Ensure your GMB is up to date with content and photos. Pay particular attention to the categories and subcategories — eg, doctor vs. ophthalmologist vs. LASIK surgeon — and ensure the practice or doctor name, address and phone number match those on your website. Google will not show your GMB to prospective patients if the information is incorrect. Update photos to show the best image of your practice.
Publish reviews on your website
Consumers now use reviews to make buying decisions, so make sure you provide reviews on your website. Include reviews from a full range of review sites. If you only publish a narrow range of reviews on your website — or, worse yet, no reviews — then consumers will leave your site to visit the review sites, many times never to return.
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