Effectively manage online reputation and customer reviews

For local businesses, reputation may be the most critical determinant of success, and in the digital age, "reputation" is mostly governed by online reviews.

This year's "Local Consumer Review Survey" from BrightLocal proves the point.

Here, in BrightLocal's words, are the key findings from the survey:

• 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34)
• Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business
• 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past two weeks – up from 18% last year
• 57% of consumers will only use a business if it has four or more stars
• 80% of 18-34-year-olds have written online reviews – compared to just 41% of consumers over 55
• 91% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• 89% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews

These findings prove another point--a point many local business owners fail to grasp: Online reviews dramatically affect the performance of brick-and-mortar stores. Simply put, a majority of consumers read online reviews for local businesses; and online reviews influence a majority of local consumer's buying decisions.

Online reviews are so critical, in fact, the online marketing industry has created a new category to address the management of online reviews--ORM (online reputation management).

Do you need online reputation management?

"Yes," says Alex Stepman, who offers a Google-based ORM for local businesses at SEO SPARTA.

"ORM is the emerging strategy for local businesses," Stepman says. "It's importance just might rival SEO."

Do you currently have an online review strategy in place? If not, you're missing a significant branding opportunity--and you may be actively harming your business.

In a previous post on online reviews, we offered three simple strategies for taking advantage of online reviews: claiming your business, soliciting reviews, and, most importantly, providing excellent customer service. These strategies can help you get into the ORM game.

In today's post, we'll dive a little deeper into the day-to-day management of online reviews--specifically, negative reviews.

How do you defend against negative reviews? What happens if you get a negative review?

How to Manage Online Reviews

Good Customer Service = Good Online Reviews

We spoke about customer service, but the point bears repeating: good online reviews begin offline, in your store experience. Your first-line defense against a negative review is a positive experience in-store.

Moz's advice is as simple as possible:

"Be sure every employee you hire is one you feel confident about representing your brand to the public, and that he or she receives ongoing support in carrying out your official customer service policy. Catch complaints before they become bad reviews."

The key here is absolute attentiveness.

To attract only positive reviews, you need to make sure every employee should be a stellar representative of your brand. So hire the right people. And importantly, empower your employees to make decisions that can satisfy customers immediately.

Just remember: A single negative experience can lead to a negative review.

Respond to Customer Complaints Immediately

If you have an attentive staff, you should be able to catch customer complaints before they transform into negative reviews.

The most well-reviewed brands perform this work consistently, offering what Moz calls a "complaint-friendly" shop.

A complaint-friendly shop offers pro-active resolutions to all potential complaints, including signs urging customers to speak up about allegations, a mobile-friendly website complaint form, and a complaint hotline.

Obviously, must local stores do not have the human resources to run a complaint line (though the owner could offer his/her direct number). Still, all stores do have the capacity to treat each customer with respect--and to listen earnestly to any complaints before they become problems.

Respond to Negative Reviews

Claiming your business profiles on the major review sites is a crucial step to exerting control of your online reputation. But merely claiming your profiles is not enough--you must join the conversation.

As Moz says, "Reviews represent an ongoing conversation your customers are having about your business on the web."

You can contribute to that conversation by responding to reviews--especially all negative reviews--in a proactive manner.

When responding to reviews, though, don't shame the customer or dispute his/her account of the situation. Try to solve the problem--which is, for you, a negative review--by responding with a resolution. How will you make it right?

Google-Based Online Reputation Management with SEO SPARTA

Are you taking advantage of online marketing tools, like Google My Business? By taking advantage of the newest online marketing strategy, ORM, you can attract more customers to your local shop.

Alex Stepman offers a Google-Based Online Reputation Management, which helps brands "leverage the influence of the key player in ORM."

To learn more about how you can boost both your ORM and SEO with Google My Business, call us today: 215-900-9398.

If you are interested in transforming your website into a money-making tool or are interested in exploring opportunities to outperform your competition, we encourage you to contact SEO SPARTA.

We combine traditional marketing methods and organic SEO--emphasizing natural website optimization--to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective marketing campaigns.

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