Having a website is essential for every local business, but it’s just the first step toward building the right kind of presence online for your business. When someone finds your local business online, chances are, they’re also going to find many others that offer similar services. Your online reputation is what makes you stand out from the crowd, which is why it’s so important to get it right.
How to Build a Strong Online Reputation for Your Local Business
Robyn Rivera
3 Steps for Building a Strong Online Reputation for Your Local Business
Step #1. Get your business listed.
The number one rule in any sort of marketing is that you need to be where your target demographic is, and for local businesses, that means business directories and review sites. Whether someone is looking for a local business on Google, Yelp, or Top Rated Local®, your business needs to be listed before it can be found.
You should make it a point to get your business listed on every review site and directory that’s relevant to your industry. For example, if you’re a home contractor, a roofer, a plumber, or any other service provider that works in people’s homes, you’ll want to make sure that you’re on Angie’s List. Or, if you do anything with weddings — you’re an event planner, a photographer, a florist, etc. — you need to make it a point to be on The Knot.
You could, of course, go through each of these review sites and directories, listing your business one by one. Or, you could utilize Marketing 360®’s listings program, which allows you to get your business listed on more than 50 of the most popular directories and review sites in minutes.
Bonus Tip - Claim existing listings.
You may find that your business is already listed on some review sites or directories, but that doesn’t mean that your job is done. It’s imperative that you claim your listings, which allows you to update your contact information. There’s no point in your business being listed if the contact information that’s listed isn’t updated. Ensuring that your contact information is uniform across the web can also help your website’s organic rankings in search results.
Step #2. Start getting reviews.
When someone finds your business on a review site, they’re not just looking for your phone number. They want to know what kind of experience previous customers have had with your business, and they’ll find out by reading your reviews. That, of course, means that you first need reviews.
Unfortunately, people don’t often think of leaving a review, especially if their experience wasn’t overly good or overly bad. However, even customers who have had good service are less likely to write reviews than customers who are unhappy with the service they’ve received. So, if you aren’t actively encouraging your customers to write reviews, you’re more likely to have more negative reviews than is truly reflective of the type of service you provide.
While it’s true that most people won’t write reviews on their own no matter how happy they were with their experience, the good news is that most will be more than happy to write a review for you if you simply ask them to. Just make sure that, when you ask, you don’t ask for a specific star rating or type of review. This is a violation of many review sites’ policies.
#3. Respond to your reviews.
When someone takes the time to review your business online, show them that you’re listening by taking the time to respond to that review. You don’t need to write a novel in response. A simple, “We’re so happy to hear that you had such a great experience and want to thank you for your feedback!”
Responding to positive reviews is important, but it’s even more important that you respond to negative reviews. When you respond to negative reviews, it shows the customer who had a negative experience (as well as anyone who reads the exchange online) that you are truly listening to the feedback they’re giving you.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when responding to negative reviews:
- Apologize - Negative reviews aren’t always fair or accurate, but it’s important to remember that perception is reality. Regardless of what you think of the feedback, apologize to your customer. That doesn’t necessarily mean owning up to a mistake you didn’t make, but you should at the very least apologize that their experience didn’t live up to their expectations.
- Never argue in public - Even if you apologize and make the issue right, some people will never be happy and will always want to argue. Don’t take the bait. It will only make you look unprofessional. Instead, invite them to call you, email you, or private message you directly to discuss the issue.
- Let them know you’re listening - One of the best parts about feedback — especially negative feedback — is that it gives you valuable information you need to provide a better experience for your customers in the future. When you respond to negative reviews, let the customer know how you’ll use that information to provide customers with a better experience in the future.
Not only does responding to negative reviews show your customers that you’re listening and that you care; it gives you a chance to show the world how committed you are to great customer service. When you respond in the right way, you can earn a customer for life.
Every strong online reputation needs the right website to back it up.
When someone finds your business on a review site or directory, reads your reviews, and decides to give your business a chance, the next thing they’ll do is visit your website. If your website isn’t up to par, the likelihood is high that they’ll move on to the next business on the list.
Ensure that your business is designed to impress with Websites 360®. Whether you’re looking for a beautiful design template that you can use to build your own website, you’re looking for a professional who can help you build an incredible business website, or you want the best of both worlds, Websites 360® has you covered.