Online Reputation and Review Management

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If you ever decided to patronize a business based on their online reviews, you're not alone. Market researchers say that over 90% of people use online reviews in determining whether to use a company, product, or service. But that's only part of online reputation management. There are other considerations besides reviews.

In addition to the star reviews that are so prevalent online, there are mentions in social media and the press that affect the reputation of people and businesses. Let's explore these different aspects a little.

Reputation is what people are saying about you. With today's online and mobile-driven technology, it's easier than ever for people to share something, either positive or negative. While we all like what people say when it's good (I do too!), it's the negative comments that are a challenge, especially when it's online. For simplicity, I've sorted reputation management into three main areas: location, brand, and products.

Location or Local Reviews

A location review is about a place, like a restaurant, dental office, or amusement park. A local review can also include a business that services a local area, like a home repair or other mobile service. Google, Facebook, and Yelp! are the major review sites for locations because that's where people spend most of their time searching for places. Using Google Search and Google Maps are how people find what's nearby. Google says that over 70% of people call or visit a location searched on their mobile device.

Another factor affecting local search is the Google suggestion. You may have seen a search suggestion from Google when doing a search where the search phrase you used had the words "near me" added to it. This suggestion is Google's way of helping you find things.

Apple Maps and Siri are also used to find things nearby, and with Apple using Yelp! reviews, Yelp! reviews are important. Yelp! is widely used as a review and rating site, and shows up in the listing with Apple Maps. Facebook has listings of local places, with people increasingly relying on a Facebook listing to see reviews.

Yelp!, Facebook and Google cultivate and encourage reviewers, with reward programs for people who contribute frequently. In addition to the three sites mentioned, there are dozens of specialty review sites like ones for medical professionals, travel, home improvement.

Brand Reputation

A brand reputation is not about a specific location; it's about a brand name and what people think of that name. For a smaller local business, a local review and brand review are most likely the same thing, especially if there's one location for the business. But for a larger organization, the brand name and location could be independent. Let's look at an example.

An airline might find a brand review more significant than a review of a specific airport. A customer would consider the overall brand name reputation when choosing that airline to fly. Another example is a beverage brand that depends on a positive image so people will prefer that beverage when offered different choices.

People can review brands, but it's also about the way a brand is mentioned online in social media posts, on blogs, or review sites. An appliance company relies on a reputation of reliability to keep customers returning and for word-of-mouth referrals. Celebrities, politicians, and other public figures also depend on their reputation, and today it's all online.

Product reputation

If there is specific product involved, we're talking product reviews. One of the most common places to see product reviews is on shopping sites. Every site that sells a product seems to send out an email after the purchase requesting a review. Amazon, the largest e-commerce retailer, has the most reviews, and I read them when looking for an opinion about a product I'm thinking about buying. Most shopping carts have a review feature where you can see what other shoppers think about the product, often with pictures or videos.

For the Consumer

For consumers, reviews, and reputation, feedback online has created a new resource. Instead of only being able to obtain information from the business, a quick search from a smartphone will show what others think about a place, product, or brand. Most readers have developed habits in using reviews, looking for a general overall consistency as the best information. The quality of a review or reputation feedback depends on the source. Competent reviewers are articulate and usually submit reviews and comments frequently. But some review issues are challenges.

There have been issues with brands providing compensation for positive reviews. So shopping sites are now using some tools such as a verified purchaser. Popular review sites also use software tools to monitor reviews and try to determine if the review is legitimate or fraudulent. It's not a perfect system, so buyers still need to consider reviews as one of several factors in their decision.

For the Business

Who has influence on a prospective customer is now in the hands of other customers. The simplicity and ease of online commentary make it only a few clicks from positive or negative feedback. Brands, products, and places with better service and performance are easier to find and compare, so businesses and organizations that focus on these factors have a competitive edge. But it's not enough to do well, word has to get online, and there is a science to reputation management with tools to help.

First and foremost, relying on people to do reviews isn't enough. There's competition from other businesses to get more online reviews and mentions in social commentary. Software tools are available that allow companies to send out a review request via email or text. Review monitoring enables the business to receive a notification for any negative review so there can be a response, often changing the customer's impression. Like asking for referrals, a company has to ask for reviews to obtain more of them, and these tools help increase the total number of online reviews.

For brands and products, software tools can send a notification whenever there's a mention in a social media post or news article. Monitoring enables the organization to capture negative comments and respond quickly, while also seeing what's being said about them. While the tools help, there's also a process and discipline that has to be put in place to make reputation management effective.

To My Way of Thinking

Have you ever written a review or commented on a celebrity on social media? Your comments are viewed and have an impact on whether you know it or not. Reviews and commentary are a way every person can be a participant in influencing others about a brand, product, or place. For the business or organization, if you aren't figuring out a way to manage what's said about you, it's crucial to start.