Reputation Changer: Online Reviews 'Make or Break' for Local Businesses
/EINPresswire.com/ A new article from the Huffington Post claims that online reviews can "make or break" local businesses—which means that, for small companies, the reputation management services of agencies like Reputation Changer should be a top priority.
A recent article in the Huffington Post underscores a point that many small business owners have learned the hard way—namely, that online reviews carry a great deal of sway when it comes to shaping the buying preferences of consumers. In fact, the article goes as far as to say that, for local businesses, online reviews can be "make or break." Indeed, 49% of consumers say they are more likely to visit a local business if they see that it has positive online reviews; meanwhile, a whopping 69% say they trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Local businesses are becoming increasingly savvy to these statistics and consumer trends—which is why more and more of them are hiring reputation management companies, such as Reputation Changer.
According to Reputation Changer's Senior Strategist, Mark Reffert, enlisting a reputation management firm is the prudent course of action for companies of all sizes. Reffert explains that it is not a matter of gaining a competitive advantage so much as leveling the playing field. "The Huffington Post piece correctly identifies some of the most influential online review sites, including Yelp and Citysearch," he explains. "What many consumers, and small business owners, fail to realize is that not all of these sites are totally fair or balanced in their approach."
Reffert says that Yelp is particularly unfavorable to small businesses. "The Yelp algorithm is designed to filter out positive reviews, and make them get manual approval, whereas negative reviews can slip through without any problems," he cautions. "It's awful, but the decks really are stacked against local businesses. Sites like Yelp can be devastating to online reputations, and ultimately to sales."
Indeed, when a company's online reputation begins to slip, the sales numbers are usually quick to follow. That, according to Reffert, is what makes dealing with negative reviews so urgent. "We would all love to think that online reputation and sales numbers are unrelated, but they are absolutely not," he explains. "The Huffington article cites those sobering statistics, which make it clear that the way a business is portrayed on the Web has a huge effect on whether consumers will give their patronage to said business."
A reputation management company can help ward off these ill effects of negative reviews, however. They can also repair some of the damage done. With that said, Reffert is quick to point out that once bad reviews make their way onto the Web, there is no reeling them back in. "People are free to say whatever they want to say about your company on the Web, and there's really nothing that can be done about it," Reffert says. "Litigation is almost always pointless, as a site like Yelp is not liable for content submitted by consumers. Having those online reviews totally erased just is not an option."
Reputation Changer can offer the next best thing, however. "We can make those unwanted reviews all but disappear," Reffert enthuses. The company's secret lies in a little-known truth about Internet search habits. "Studies have confirmed, over and over again, that people just do not click past the first page of online search results," he says. "If a company can get their negative reviews pushed to, say, page five, there is really nobody who will see them. Certainly, their influence is significantly diminished. They become non-issues."
Reputation Changer helps local businesses accomplish exactly that. Its reputation management services offer a wealth of features for business owners, and Reffert says these benefits go beyond simply restoring the company's good name. "Reputation management, on a corporate or local business level, is all about brand enhancement," he says. "Not only do we negate those unwanted reviews, but we also help establish these local businesses as brands of choice among consumers. We help them ward off complaints, increase their sales, and ultimately grow their business."
Founded in 2009 by a team of online marketing and sales professionals, Reputation Changer is one of the premier providers of online reputation management. The company works 24/7 to provide comprehensive reputation management strategies to its clients, which have included politicians, public figures, Fortune 500 companies, and more. Reputation Changer owns several media outlets, and is known for its innovation in positive SEO techniques, social media implementation, and other strategies. The company is also unique for the custom, individualized process it takes for every client and every campaign.
Media Contact:
Cliff Stein
Reputation Changer LLC
800-269-7984
http://www.reputationchanger.com
PR courtesy of Online PR Media.
A recent article in the Huffington Post underscores a point that many small business owners have learned the hard way—namely, that online reviews carry a great deal of sway when it comes to shaping the buying preferences of consumers. In fact, the article goes as far as to say that, for local businesses, online reviews can be "make or break." Indeed, 49% of consumers say they are more likely to visit a local business if they see that it has positive online reviews; meanwhile, a whopping 69% say they trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Local businesses are becoming increasingly savvy to these statistics and consumer trends—which is why more and more of them are hiring reputation management companies, such as Reputation Changer.
According to Reputation Changer's Senior Strategist, Mark Reffert, enlisting a reputation management firm is the prudent course of action for companies of all sizes. Reffert explains that it is not a matter of gaining a competitive advantage so much as leveling the playing field. "The Huffington Post piece correctly identifies some of the most influential online review sites, including Yelp and Citysearch," he explains. "What many consumers, and small business owners, fail to realize is that not all of these sites are totally fair or balanced in their approach."
Reffert says that Yelp is particularly unfavorable to small businesses. "The Yelp algorithm is designed to filter out positive reviews, and make them get manual approval, whereas negative reviews can slip through without any problems," he cautions. "It's awful, but the decks really are stacked against local businesses. Sites like Yelp can be devastating to online reputations, and ultimately to sales."
Indeed, when a company's online reputation begins to slip, the sales numbers are usually quick to follow. That, according to Reffert, is what makes dealing with negative reviews so urgent. "We would all love to think that online reputation and sales numbers are unrelated, but they are absolutely not," he explains. "The Huffington article cites those sobering statistics, which make it clear that the way a business is portrayed on the Web has a huge effect on whether consumers will give their patronage to said business."
A reputation management company can help ward off these ill effects of negative reviews, however. They can also repair some of the damage done. With that said, Reffert is quick to point out that once bad reviews make their way onto the Web, there is no reeling them back in. "People are free to say whatever they want to say about your company on the Web, and there's really nothing that can be done about it," Reffert says. "Litigation is almost always pointless, as a site like Yelp is not liable for content submitted by consumers. Having those online reviews totally erased just is not an option."
Reputation Changer can offer the next best thing, however. "We can make those unwanted reviews all but disappear," Reffert enthuses. The company's secret lies in a little-known truth about Internet search habits. "Studies have confirmed, over and over again, that people just do not click past the first page of online search results," he says. "If a company can get their negative reviews pushed to, say, page five, there is really nobody who will see them. Certainly, their influence is significantly diminished. They become non-issues."
Reputation Changer helps local businesses accomplish exactly that. Its reputation management services offer a wealth of features for business owners, and Reffert says these benefits go beyond simply restoring the company's good name. "Reputation management, on a corporate or local business level, is all about brand enhancement," he says. "Not only do we negate those unwanted reviews, but we also help establish these local businesses as brands of choice among consumers. We help them ward off complaints, increase their sales, and ultimately grow their business."
Founded in 2009 by a team of online marketing and sales professionals, Reputation Changer is one of the premier providers of online reputation management. The company works 24/7 to provide comprehensive reputation management strategies to its clients, which have included politicians, public figures, Fortune 500 companies, and more. Reputation Changer owns several media outlets, and is known for its innovation in positive SEO techniques, social media implementation, and other strategies. The company is also unique for the custom, individualized process it takes for every client and every campaign.
Media Contact:
Cliff Stein
Reputation Changer LLC
800-269-7984
http://www.reputationchanger.com
PR courtesy of Online PR Media.
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