Vets Need a Strong Online Presence to Attract Clients
When my husband first moved to Downers Grove, it was a decade before the internet and to find a vet the family consulted neighbors with pets and the yellow pages. Luckily, his family found an outstanding local vet through this old school process.
And we’ve been lucky that the same practice continued over the decades and when we moved to Downers Grove and had our family of dogs, we knew where to go. So 30 years laters from originally finding them, our family is with the same vet and Dr. Graham, Dr. Max, Dr. Bob & Dr. Sharon and all the techs at Downers Grove Animal Hospital take wonderful care of our current two dogs Hugo and Petunia.
My Passion for Pets & Vets
As I started working with local companies and getting their online presence established, I realized how lucky I was that I’ve not had to search for a vet. But as we talk about moving, it is a potential that I may have to do it. I wouldn’t trust my dogs with just anyone. And I’ve had such great vet care for all my dogs, I won’t settle for much less. But who to trust?
Sure, there is word of mouth. If we move out of the area, I would certainly ask my current vet if they had recommendations, but they may not. And a quick online search could show me lots of options, but how do I know they are the right one? We have bulldogs, not always the healthiest breed. I also have a rescue who is scared of new things and men in particular – would a new vet know how to deal with her as gentle as my current vet?
Therefore I decided I needed to focus on vet practices in my work with local companies, because I want people to find the right practice for their pets and be as happy as I am with their vet decision and ultimately their care.
What do vets need to do to built their presence? Three things: Reviews, Listings & Social
Reviews
The most obvious thing to look at when researching a new vet is reviews. Here is a quick snapshot of my vet’s current reviews:
And because I’m a believer of reviews and their impact, I added one about 6 years ago myself:
And if you scroll through their reviews, you will see they respond to both positive and negatives review. This is extremely important to show people that they are actively involved with their online presence. And I never expect perfect reviews, when dealing with the public, I expected some people not to be a good match for every business. What I want to see is how the business responds, that tells me more about the business than the complaint.
Next I want to see if I can get info quickly. If I search their name or even “vets near me” do I get consistent information like a phone number and address? Is their Google Business Profile claimed and does it have current and right information? Also does it include photos, posts, interaction? Again, my vet has done a good job, they have a full Google Business Profile for example and they have photos and even a 360 walk-through of their office.
Check Your Listings
Social Posts
People love their pets, and the love sharing photos of their pets. Well, what if they vet also shares photos of your pet? Our vet has been doing this for years,and they will post a photo of your pet’s first visit:
And look, I was able to find a post from NINE years ago when the posted our first vet visit with Hugo:
But it isn’t just about the patients, it is about the staff as well. I saw this morning one of their staff members is getting married and they posted a congratulations to her:
I’ve seen similar posts when staff is hired, birthdays, retired, had children, etc. That tells me they are as invested in their staff as they are the patients.
Check Your Social
Lots of Work
But this takes a lot of work. Asking customers for reviews. Posting social media. Interacting with reviews, posts on social media. Making sure their hours and information is up-to-date on Google Business Profile and other places are correct.
Imagine FREE Software To Help You Do This All?
Yes, FREE software. No need to login into multiple social media platforms. No need to send individual emails to clients for reviews. No need to login in multiple platforms to respond to all the reviews. No need to login in to various listings and update hours, a phone number or other info. Just one login, one place to update and all platforms.
To get started, request a FREE snapshot of your online performance and we will give you FREE access to the tools. No catch, use them as much as you want, free of charge. Premium tools for a monthly fee are also available.
