Whether you’re a plumber in Orlando or a car dealership in Ohio, the Internet has become an integral part of the way you do business and a game changer for your clients as well. According to Moz, at least 67 percent of consumers admit to being influenced by online reviews. Do you know what potential customers would find if they searched for reviews about your company?
If you haven’t taken the time to dig through your online reviews, you might be in for a shock. Take a deep breath and don’t panic – the digital marketing minds of The Web Guys are here to help you reap the benefits of proper reputation management.
Represent
Even if you don’t want to be active on a third party review site like Yelp, there’s a possibility your company is already listed. Yelp doesn’t regulate what reviewers post (save for those that violate their content guidelines), and listings can be created using information from other sources around the Web without the knowledge of business owners. Claiming and verifying a listing is the only way to ensure that just you (or your trusted digital marketers, hint, hint) have access to the listing for posting pictures , updating information, and responding to both happy and disgruntled clientele.
Respond
Monitoring your company’s online reviews is only half the battle. If you’re really going to take charge of your online reputation, you’ll have to respond to all of your reviews. That means providing brief, professional, and pleasant responses for even the most overdramatic of negative reviews.
By thanking positive and negative reviewers for taking the time to share their experience with your company, you’ll show that you care about more than a pat on the back and are committed to providing an exemplary experience for anyone who chooses to use your service over the competition.
In certain cases, you can even turn someone who seemingly hates your company into a brand advocate by addressing their grievances like a professional and not engaging in a comments-section yelling match.
Responding to all reviews is a best practice, but if you only have a few minutes a day devoted to reputation management, make sure to check your company’s reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
For More Control
The Web Guys can help manage your reputation. Contact us at (317) 805-4933 today. To stay up-to-date on digital marketing, be sure to follow our weekly “What is Digital Marketing” blog series.
What is Digital Marketing?
Part 1: Building a Solid Foundation
Part 2: Joining the Local Search Community
Part 3: Managing Your Company’s Brand Online
This Week: Managing Your Company’s Online Reputation
Part 5: Keeping Up on SEO
Part 6: Making the Most of PPC Campaigns
Part 7: Wrapping Up Your Digital Marketing Takeaways
