A Positive Online Reputation is a Must

Now, more than ever before, a veterinary practice needs to have an established online reputation, explains Caitlin DeWilde, DVM, owner of The Social DVM, LLC.

"It's really important for practices to have a good online reputation, because we know that clients across industries—whether they're looking for a veterinarian, or a dry cleaner, anything like that—they're going to be looking for online reviews first. So, 90%, on the last nationwide business study, 90% of clients are looking for reviews before they select a business. We also know that, according to the latest Vistaprint small-business study, that over 84% of clients actually look at those reviews and equate them just as they would from a personal recommendation from a friend, or neighbor, or something like that.

So, in our digital age, those reviews have a lot more weight now. It's really important that we're represented well on the practice, that we're working to gain reviews, and positive reviews, and we're getting everything we can out there to tell our story, so that when they are 'vetting us' we really are already there."