You had to create a business plan before starting your business, right?  And that meant outlining strategies for growing your business.  There is no doubt that business marketing was somewhere on that list . . . and in this day and age, you simply cannot ignore the Internet when marketing your business.  One thing you might not have thought of is the need to protect and grow your online presence.  Your business’ online reputation can go a long way in determining the success of your business, and so you must be proactive about creating the reputation you want – and that, too, requires strategizing.  Where do you begin?  Here are the top three online reputation management strategies:

Use the right tools.  There is perhaps no reputation management strategy than prevention, and a very powerful way to nip detrimental gossip in the bud is to monitor the web closely for anything and everything people are saying about your business.  There are a number of tools out there that exist to help you monitor your online reputation.  No one tool can monitor every online outlet.  You should therefore make use of social media tracking tools like Hootsuite and Socialmention, as well as web monitoring tools like Google Alerts and blog monitoring tools like BlogPulse.

Identify the influencers.  Influencers are big names that have a strong pull in the virtual realm.  They may be celebrity endorsers with huge Twitter followings, popular bloggers, or industry experts with major websites.  Use your monitoring tools to identify who the influencers are when it comes to your online reputation.  Then take good care of those influencers.  How do you do this?  Make them privy to interesting information about your business before anyone else, so they can break the news, or allow them to provide their followers with your products at a discount (or for a commission).  It’s a “you pat my back, I’ll pat yours” kind of world, so be creative.

Ask for reviews.  Customer reviews are one of the best ways you can garner attention from new customers, and grow the loyalty of existing customers.  Ask your satisfied customers to post reviews on review sites like Yelp, Bing, Foursquare, and Google Places.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

No matter how you choose to run your business, it is inevitable that at some point or another, you will face the tough situation of getting a negative online review.  While it may be tempting to fire back in self-defense, or to wallow in self-pity, those reactions will only compound the criticism you are trying to escape.  Instead, it is best that you learn how to handle negative reviews, so that you can make the best of them, for the good of your business.  Here is a guide to the best way to respond to a negative online review:

Take the reviewer’s perspective.  Sure, it may be hard to take, but the truth is this: most reviews have some basis in fact, even if they are exaggerated.  Therefore, it is in your best interest to read between the lines when examining negative reviews.  It could be a great opportunity for you to improve your business.  Plus, taking some time to consider the other perspective is also a great way to step back and breathe some before formulating a response.

Reply.  Don’t ever ignore a bad review.  Take the time to provide a thoughtful response.  Your business will look much better for it, even in the face of harsh criticism.

Leave emotion out of it. Skip on the defensive, self-justifying, or offensive remarks and maintain a calm, friendly, and business-like tone when you reply to a negative review.  Remember that other potential customers will read your response, and behave yourself in a manner you can be proud of down the line – a manner that speaks for your business in a positive way.

Sympathize.  You don’t have to apologize if you are truly not at all at fault.  However, you still need to acknowledge that you feel bad that the customer had an upsetting experience with your business.  You may say something like, “This business prides itself on customer service, and it upsets me to know that you are not happy with your experience working with us.”

Provide a solution.  It is a great idea to offer the reviewer a coupon and ask for a chance to redeem yourself (or your business reputation, that is).  For example, if the reviewer complained that your representative was late, offer a coupon for the next service, and promise the representative will be on time.

False reviews.  If a review is illegal, irrelevant to your business, or an outright falsification, then you can report it to the site administrator (or flag it) to have it reviewed.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

Online reviews play a large part in the development of your business’ online reputation.  For that reason, many businesses work hard to convince their customers to post reviews on all the popular review sites, hoping it will maximize their online reputations.  But is it really necessary to build up as many online reviews as you possibly can for your business . . . or is it possible that, when it comes to good reviews, a little bit goes a long way?  What is better, quality or quantity?  The answer is not a simple one, and can’t be put in black and white terms.  Read on to learn more:

Quantity.  In terms of exposure and search engine optimization, it only makes sense that you should want as many reviews for your business as possible.  That is because search engines notice when people talk about your business, and it makes your business seem more relevant to the online community.  Also, customers who are researching your business on review sites will undoubtedly consider the number of reviews as an indication of your credibility (even though it may have nothing to do with your level of service).  For these reasons, it is a good thing to have many business reviews.  However, it is also important to understand that numerous poor-quality reviews may do nothing for your business at all . . . and may even detract from your reputation by way of association.  That’s where quality comes in.

Quality.  What makes a quality review?  Quality reviews give plenty of detail about the customer’s experience with your business.  For example, instead of simply saying, “the food was good” (which gives readers very little to go on), a quality review might say something more along the lines of “the filet mignon was cooked to perfection, and served with a side of the restaurant’s delectable house-recipe garlic mashed potatoes.”  A high quality review paints a picture, and tempts potential customers to try out your business.  After reading the previous example, it should be very clear how one high-quality review can easily trump a handful of bland and generic reviews.

The quality/quantity balance.  What’s ideal?  Well, high-quality reviews, and a lot of them!  But until you get to that point, try to focus on bringing in quality, well-written reviews – one at a time – and go from there.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com

As a small business, you are responsible for marketing your business – and that means identifying your most viable marketing avenues.  Whatever size your business is, there is no denying that it should have an Internet presence, as the Internet is the arguably the most powerful marketing arena there is.  A large part of establishing a strong online presence is managing your online reputation.  What is online reputation management for small businesses all about?  Here are some things you should know:

Where your reputation is formed.  There are a number of review sites that exist solely for allowing your customers and clients the opportunity to post their experiences with your business, and these sites are where your online reputation can be made or broken.  Online review sites include Foursquare, Yelp, Bing, and Urban Spoon, among others; even Google Places provides a dedicated space on your Places page for customer reviews.  In addition to the review sites, your online reputation is also affected by comments in industry forums, threads on social media sites, online articles, blog posts, public record documents, and more.

Why you must manage your online reputation.  If you don’t do it, someone else will.  Even if your business is a small mom and pop shop with only a very basic website, you have to keep this statistic in mind: 90 percent of all consumers research the Internet when looking for businesses to deal with.  That means that if you are not proactively managing your own business reputation, then it will be managed by the actions of others.  Taking into account the previously mentioned statistic, consider the implications of even one negative review about your business, especially if that is all people find when searching for you.

How to assess the current state of your online reputation.  Simply search the web for your business name and see what results you get.  (You may also want to search your name, the names of your high-profile employees, your brand, and your product/service.)  You need not look past the first page of search engine results, as 99 percent of your customers will never get past that page.

How to manage your online reputation.  Once know what is being said about you, you can form a plan for managing your reputation, based on what you know.  You will need to take a multifaceted approach to your reputation management.  For example, if most of what you find is indifferent (or, if you can’t find much at all), then you need to work on building your brand; also, respond to positive and negative items accordingly.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

Yelp is a very powerful review site, where your customers may go to publish their personal experiences of dealing with your business.  Of course, it is only natural to hope that these testimonials are good.  However, you will eventually run into a bad review, and it is in your best interest to learn how to handle such reviews.  Believe it or not, you can actually turn negative reviews into positive affirmations of your business credibility.  Want to know how?  Here are some tips for how to overcome a bad Yelp review:

Pay attention to what is being said.  Sure, it may be hard to read anything negative about your business, but instead of jumping to defense, you need to keep in mind that there is likely some truth to the review (even if it is derogatory or exaggerated).  By carefully considering what you are reading, you may be able to pinpoint some areas where your business could legitimately use some betterment.

Respond.  You may do this privately or publicly, but it is a good idea to do both.  That means sending a private message to the reviewer, asking what you may do to remedy the situation, and then posting publicly that you are sorry the reviewer feels that way, and that you would like the chance to make things better.  Also, it is always a sign of good business to offer a viable solution to the problem.  Others who read the review will see this as a testament to your commitment to customer service.  For example, if a customer was unhappy with meal from your establishment, then you may choose to offer a coupon, and then ask the customer to give your restaurant another chance.

Things to avoid.  Don’t ever ignore a bad review.  That’s probably the worst thing you could do.  Don’t ever deny your own responsibility in the matter, or attempt to justify bad business; if something truly went wrong, acknowledge it.  Don’t let your emotions get in the way of providing a neutral, diplomatic, and genuine response.

Be realistic.  When it comes to dealing with negative reviews on a personal (or emotional) level, here is something to keep in mind that may assuage some of your anxieties: potential customers do not trust when a business has all-positive reviews.  Remember that these are real people you are dealing with, and real people understand that no business can truly satisfy every single customer.  Be realistic in thinking that you will inevitably get some negative reviews, and focus on creating positive outcomes, rather than dwelling on negative feelings.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

When you consider that Google is the number one site on the world-wide web, there is no denying that Google can be a very powerful marketing tool for your business . . . and there is no reason for you not to set up shop on Google’s business block – Google Places.  One feature of your Google Places listing that can exponentially increase your customer base is Google Places Reviews.  Want to know how Google Places Reviews works?  Here is a guide:

What is Google Places Reviews?  First, it helps to understand what Google Places is.  Google Places can be thought of as an extension of Google Maps – or a way of increasing Google Maps interactivity.  Basically, every location on Google Maps links to its own Google Places page, so that you can access everything you need to know about a business simply by clicking on its corresponding spot on Google Maps (or by clicking the Places page link in Google Search results).  A Google Places business listing is like a yellow pages listing on steroids, including not just business information, but also everything from driving directions to videos about your business.  Google Places Reviews is just what it sounds like: the area of your Google Places listing where your customers can post their reviews for all the virtual world to see.

Where do reviews come from?  Of course, you may direct your customers to post reviews directly to your Google Places page.  However, Google goes one step further and does some footwork for you by aggregating reviews from a number of third party review sites (Yelp and Bing, for example).

Can you edit or remove reviews?  It is inevitable that there will come a time when your business will have to face a negative review.  While it may be tempting to correct or remove the review, Google does not allow for this practice.  However, if you feel that the review is incorrect, illegal, or irrelevant in some way, you can flag it for Google’s review.  Google will then determine whether or not the review can stand, and will either leave it or remove it.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com

The world of Internet marketing is complex and varied.  It used to be that having a business website was enough to attract the attention of new customers.  However, these days your web marketing approach must be as multifaceted as the web, itself.  One new(ish) frontier that is revolutionizing the way customers find and evaluate businesses is that of online business reviews.  There are a number of popular sites that exist as forums for posting these reviews – including Yelp, Google Places, Urban Spoon, Bing, Foursquare, and many more – and your business should be using these sites to its advantage.  In addition to registering your business with these sites, you also need to be encouraging people to post their reviews.  How do you do that?  Here are three ways you can get your customers to write reviews for your business:

Ask for them.  Any time you know that you have made a customer or client happy is a great opportunity to ask for a review.  Also, make good use of your mailing lists by sending requests for reviews.  This can be done via telephone, email or snail mail, or you may even include a request for reviews (with links to review sites) on your business website.

Make it easy.  Rather than simply ask that customers write reviews, you should instruct them on how to post them.  Don’t make it seem like homework for them.  Posting reviews is actually a very simple process.  Direct customers to the sites you are registered with, and list step-by-step directions for publishing their reviews on those sites (with screen shots, if possible).

Offer incentives.  Of course, it is not ethical (or advisable) to offer a reward in exchange for a positive review.  However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with thanking a customer for a review by offering some kind of coupon or other incentive.  Here is a way to offer rewards after the fact and inspire other customers to write reviews on their own inclination: any time someone posts a review of your business, post an acknowledgement of that review (whether it was positive or negative), along with a “thank you for your input” and an offer to enjoy more of what your business has to offer with a complimentary coupon.  Other customers who see that will be eager to jump on board by providing their own reviews.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

Good business practices.  Think of it this way: when you are doing things the “right” way, and acting as an upstanding business entity, it will be harder for people to say bad things about you online.  Stock your website with relevant and useful content, participate in social forums in a positive and progressive way, and exhibit good customer service practices in order to stay on peoples’ good sides.

Respond to negative reviews.  Of course, you can’t please everyone.  It is inevitable that you will eventually face a bad review or two (or more).  Rather than dwell on the negatives, it is best that you learn how to respond appropriately, so that you can actually turn a bad review into a positive testament of your business practices.  (Yes, it IS possible.)  First of all, don’t ever ignore negative reviews; doing that is as bad as agreeing with what is being said.  When you do respond, keep all emotion out of it; instead, console the customer on having had a bad experience and offer a viable solution.  For example, if a customer posts a review complaining about the service in your salon, offer a coupon and ask the customer to come back in and see you personally, for a better experience.

Monitor your online reputation.  While you can’t remove things like bad reviews and negative social media gossip circulating about your business, you can take steps to counter negative occurrences as soon as they happen (and before they get out of hand).  Make use of monitoring tools like Hootsuite, Google Alerts, and Socialmention to identify trends in what people are saying about your business online, and then develop strategies to diffuse any negativity that springs up around your business name.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

Traffic.  Simply put, having your business listed on review sites increases your online exposure.  Increased exposure means more traffic to your business website.  The more traffic your website has, the more attention it gets from search engine crawlers (those programs that find, examine, and valuate pages on websites), and the higher it will rank on search engine results lists.

Linkbacks.  Linkbacks are basically links to your site from other sites.  Search engine crawlers identify linkbacks and figure them into your site’s overall relevance when determining your ranking in search engine results.  The more linkbacks you have leading to your site, the more relevant your site will appear to be, and the higher it will sit on the results page.  Many online review sites allow you to include links to your business site, so the more review sites you are registered with – and the more reviews your business gets – the stronger your linkback value will be.

Strength in numbers.  There are countless online review sites that you can list your business with, and that number is only growing.  Be sure to register your business on sites like Google Places, Yelp, Foursquare, Bing, Angie’s List, and more, in order to get people talking about your business and linking to your website.  In this way SEO is about popularity: the more exposure you have on the web, the better your SEO.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.

Monitor your reputation.  Make use of social media monitoring tools like HootSuite, and web monitoring tools like Google Alerts, to find out what others are saying about you, when they say it.  When you know what you are facing, it makes it much easier to address it in a timely manner, and also to assess your best approach.

Participate.  It is inevitable that people are going to talk about your business (if you are doing things right).  Your best bet is to involve yourself in the conversation.  Make it a point to respond to both positive and negative feedback, and also to volunteer information that will help keep online conversations about your business going.  Establish your social media presence, maintain a website, write a business blog, or more – the possibilities are really only limited by your imagination (and the amount of effort you are willing to put in).  Just remember that participation is key.

Optimizing your responses.  Once you have developed the habit of monitoring your online reputation and have established yourself as a willful participant in the development of your online reputation, you need to make sure you are participating in a way that is most conducive to bettering that reputation.  As previously mentioned, participation is key.  However, there are some best practices to consider, especially when it comes to handling negative items: respond in a timely manner (NEVER ignore negative feedback), be diplomatic and fair, avoid using a defensive or demeaning tone (stay positive!), and offer viable solutions.

Online reputation management is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success.  To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Tampa SEO Crushers Reputation Management.  We can be reached by phone, at 813-252-2882, or by email: info@tampaseocrushers.com.