More people than ever are taking up the hobby of star gazing, and we’re not referring to the stars in the sky, but rather, the stars that make up your online reputation. In today’s world, potential customers judge your company based off your online reviewswithout ever setting foot in your store. It can take years to build a positive reputationbut only hours or even minutes to destroy it. If we could share a cure-all or instant fix for all your reputation issues, believe me, we would. But what we can do is share some of our knowledge about how to utilize your online reputation to help your SEO and turn your positive feedbackinto your greatest advertising tool.
Perception is Reality
When it comes to your online reputation, perception truly is reality for consumers. According to Igniyte: The Reputation Experts, companies risk losing 22% of customers when they find one negative reviewon the first page of their search results, and 70% of potential customerswhen there are 4 or more negative reviews. That’s a staggering number of potential lost customers that have never stepped foot in your store. How can you fix that? Here’s some tips:
Show You Care
Let’s be honest, not every customer is going to have a 5-star experiencewith your company and that’s okay. However, it’s important to show that you still care about their experience. By responding to both positive and negative feedbackyou show future customers that you are engaged and focused in their experience and care about their feedback. A brief response goes a long way!
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask
Until you work for a business where your online reputation is pivotal to your success you don’t really understand the importance of having positive reviews. Don’t be afraid to ask customers that have had a positive experienceto leave you an online reviewat their earliest convenience. Not only does this help increase your ratings, but the higher your rating the higher your website is displayed for SEO. Unfortunately, there’s no way to remove bad reviewsbut you can cover them up with more positive reviews.
Reputation Tools
Managing your reputationcan be a big and overwhelming task at times. Fortunately, there are a number of tools available that can help. Two companies that have taken over the market are Podiumand Reputation.com. Both offer a variety of packages to help serve the unique needs of every company. From automated review requests to custom review responses they can maintain your reputation and if needed, help you fix your online reputation.
With consumers reading on average seven reviews before trusting a business, according to Igniyte: The Reputation Experts, it’s crucial that when a potential consumer searches for your company that you have the positive reviews and feedback to convince them you’re worth a further look. If you haven’t already, now is the time to prioritize your online brand reputation. Your future customers, profits, and SEO will thank you.
Joshua Goldsmith