TripAdvisor has a reputation as a great source of information for travelers.
But what many business owners don’t realize is that the site isn’t just for tourists. It’s become one of the most popular review sites in the world, and locals use it to scope out eateries and attractions in their own cities.
Don’t make the mistake of discounting the importance of TripAdvisor for your business.
In the not-so-distant past, anyone looking for a good lawyer would ask a friend or family member for a recommendation.
Today, many people turn to online reviews to make decisions about who to call for legal help.
But while getting online reviews is important, it can be a sticky proposition for lawyers dealing with complicated cases.
The best way to build your reputation in a totally ethical manner? Be proactive, be sensitive and systemize your approach.
You’d do just about anything to help your business flourish, and attracting positive reviews is one of the most effective ways to grow your business.
After all, most customers look to reviews when deciding which businesses to patronize.
A recent survey found that 84 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations.
Furthermore, 74 percent of consumers say that reading positive reviews of a local business makes them trust the business more… and seven out of 10 customers will write a review if they’re asked to do so.
So reviews matter. But should you pay for online reviews?
Why do you need online reviews?
To give your business credibility? To make your business look popular with local consumers? To convince your customers that they’re making the right choice in supporting you? To get the attention of local tastemakers like bloggers, journalists, and elite Yelpers?
Yes, online reviews can be useful for all of those reasons. But getting people to write positively about your business is really important if you’re trying to achieve one crucial goal: attracting new business.
Reviews affect how you’re ranked online, and those rankings have a huge effect on your bottom line.
Even well-managed businesses have off days, so the occasional negative online review is a normal part of doing business.
But false, defamatory reviews? Those can be irritating, infuriating and damaging to your bottom line.
If angry customers, disgruntled ex-employees or competitors post inaccurate reviews of your business online, you don’t have to just take it: You can fight back without doing any further harm to your reputation.
In business, nothing is as important as your reputation.
A good one can help you attract new customers or weather a tough economy; a bad one can sink you, even if your services and products are great. But a good reputation isn’t something that just happens or comes to you by chance.
Being proactive can help you shape the way people think and talk about your business, and it starts online.
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