In the digital age, your business’s online reputation is more important than ever. However, local businesses have a unique set of challenges when it comes to managing their online reputation. Here are a few of the ways that local businesses can benefit from reputation management:
Increased Sales
One of the biggest challenges facing local businesses is the proliferation of online review sites. A quick Google search will reveal dozens of sites where customers can leave reviews for local businesses. This can be both a blessing and a curse for business owners; on the one hand, more exposure can mean more customers, but on the other hand, one negative review can do serious damage to a business’s reputation.
A study by Harvard Business School found that a 1-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue. That means that for every negative review you get, you could be losing out on valuable customers. On the other hand, if you actively manage your online reputation and encourage happy customers to leave reviews, you could see a significant uptick in sales.
Improved Customer Service
When you know what people are saying about your business online, you can make necessary changes to improve the customer experience. Because these conversations are happening across many channels and following all of these channels can be extremely time consuming, negative comments can impact a business for years without the business owners even knowing about it.
Are people complaining about long wait times? Implementing a reservation system can help alleviate that problem. Do customers feel like they’re not being listened to? Make sure your customer service team is properly trained on active listening techniques.
Greater Search Visibility
Another challenge for local businesses is the sheer number of competitors. With so many businesses competing for attention online, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. This is where reputation management comes in; by actively monitoring and managing your online presence, you can make sure that your business is being seen in the best light possible.
Google ranks companies with good reviews higher in their search results because they want to provide the best user experience possible. By showing users businesses with positive reviews, Google is indicating to them that these businesses are worth considering. Additionally, Google takes into account how many people have recommended a business on social media or through review sites when ranking it. This means that if you have a lot of good reviews, you’re likely to be ranked higher in search results than your competitors.
Asking your customers for feedback immediately after a transaction can catch some negative comments before they become a problem. Paying attention to your online reputation gives you insight into how you can make your business better—and that benefits everyone.
If you want potential customers to be able to find your business online, you need to make sure you have a strong presence on all the major search engines—and that starts with having good reviews. Positive reviews will not only boost your ranking on search results pages, but they’ll also give searchers the confidence they need to click through to your website.
Conclusion
A strong online reputation is essential for any business that wants to succeed in the digital age—and there are plenty of ways for local businesses to take advantage of reputation management techniques. From increased sales and improved customer service, to greater search visibility, there are countless benefits for businesses that proactively manage their reputations online. So don’t wait—start getting your arms around what people are saying about your business immediately.
