In this episode of Actionable Marketing In Minutes we talk about review sites and why it is worth your time to update and track more than one!
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Problem:
Your reputation is important to you. Reputations have always been important to a business. But, how you acquire and maintain a good reputation these days is much more intense than in days gone by, in part because of the Internet. To effectively manage your online reputation, you’ll need to learn how to monitor, respond and amplify your online reviews effectively.
You may or may not give online reviews much thought. I’d like to recommend you do. For a variety of reasons.
First of all, we know that millennials share most everything about the majority of the experiences they encounter. Whether they’re happy or not, they let everyone know about it. And, they are very creative about finding ways to do that. One of the top five ways is with online reviews.
Millennials aren’t the only demographic to. base their purchasing decisions on online reviews. They impact the decision-making process of just about everyone. 92% of consumers read online reviews. 70% trust them. It doesn’t look like this trend will abate anytime soon.
Surveys tell us this:
* 90% of consumers base their decision on online reviews.
* 85% use online reviews to find and frequent local businesses.
* 73% say positive reviews instill more trust in a business.
Solution:
By the time a consumer peruses reviews he has already determined he’s ready to buy. So, it is probable you’ll be chosen now that he’s positioned at the bottom of the sales funnel – which is a very good thing. If they like your reviews, they are yours to lose. The average number of reviews a customer reads is usually about 6.
There are dozens of online review sites in which to list your business. Dig around. You’ll find many that work well with your industry. And, though you do want to list on the big names like Angie’s List, Google+ or Yelp – for reasons I’ll tell you in a minute – consider going with others, too. It’s not always a safe bet to put all your eggs in one basket. And, having a diversity of review sites builds credibility and contributes to your SEO success.
One good reason to list with some of the bigger names is that you can become a barnacle – as far as your SEO is concerned. What is a barnacle you may ask? A man named Will Scott coined the term. He said barnacle SEO is, “Attaching oneself to a large fixed object and waiting for the customers to float by in the current.”
What does that mean to you and to me? It means connect yourself to a bigger website whose chances of ranking high in the SERF is greater than your own. You’ve probably noticed when you Google a term, the higher listings are often those I mentioned. When you rank high within those sites, no doubt your business will be listed within their listings.
Benefits:
I hope I’ve convinced you how important your online reviews are. Take time to set up your own pages within a few well-chosen local directories and simply ask your clientele to give a positive review. And, please don’t despair should you ever get a bad review. I don’t know about you, but a company with nothing but 5-star reviews doesn’t seem credible, somehow.
However, it is important to respond appropriately to your reviewers – especially the negative. You always have the opportunity to make things right.
We hope you’ve found this information helpful. Please connect with us on Twitter @DirectiveGroup or on LinkedIn. Let us know what you think and what you’d like to hear about next. And if you like our podcasts please share with your networks using hashtag #actionablemarketing.
Join us for a future episode as we discuss Facebook Instant articles.
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