Over the past year or so, you've probably started to notice the term “reputation management” rise in popularity – But do you really understand what it means? Reputation management is a term that packs a serious punch, encompassing so many different components that it can be a little mind boggling to fully grasp it’s concept; however, it has become an essential piece to any digital marketing campaign. You want an audience to view your company in a positive light; and believe it or not, gaining and managing online reviews are one of the most vital pieces…and the best part is, most companies don't even realize it!
Much like the other key tools involved with a reputation management campaign, there are so many ways to control and manage the reviews that attach themselves to your company on websites such as Yelp and Google+. But if you know what you're doing, even negative reviews can become excellent tools.
Here are some ideas that we actively use here at Utah SEO Pros to effectively monitor and manage incoming reviews – Be they both negative and positive:
1) Reviews Affect the Opinion of Your Audience – So Respond Quickly
Studies have shown that 73% of consumers are more willing to trust a company or purchase a product from a business that has positive reviews. This one seems pretty obvious – But it should be said that even negative reviews can be trusted, if their handled properly. Having an excellent customer service team is key, because these employees can reply right back to those negative reviews in a positive way – This can easily sway that upset customer into giving you another chance, and will show potential customers that you do care.
2) Build Up Your Credibility
We all know that quantity is important, but so is quality. Reviews substantially help build up a credible reputation for your company and to gain the trust of your audience - Again, it is all about customer service here! Has your Yelp page been overly crowded with negative reviews? Filter them out; apologize and offer coupons or discounts to those disappointed customers, then invite the happy customers back with the same coupons – People want to know that you care about their thoughts. Remember, happy customers create more business for you!
3) Encourage Reviews!
Always, and I mean ALWAYS ask your customers for reviews! This is an incredibly easy tactic to do, and it reminds your customers that you value their feedback. You can simply give a customer a business card with instructions on how to provide that feedback, or you can provide links to your social media pages on your website – The easier it is, the more reviews you'll get. Make sure you kindly thank them for all the positive reviews, and respond to all the negatives. Best of all, you can publish those positive reviews as testimonials on your website!
Although reviews are definitely not considered a new concept, they certainly play an increasingly significant role in the success of your business. So much so that here at Utah SEO Pros, we have created an entire program for our clients to use that is completely revolved around managing customer reviews. This dashboard allows both our clients and us the opportunity to stay on top of any negative comments and to reap the benefits from the positive ones. If you'd like to learn more about our review service, give us a call – In the meantime, stay on top of those reviews!
Until next time!
Jessica Honeycutt
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