“Online reviews are the measurement of how best a brand measures up to their promise”. That’s in the words of Online Reviews expert, John Carroll of Yelp!

 

Watch Reviews Expert, John Caroll’s presentation on ‘Navigating the world of Online Reviews’ below!

 

The reality is that online reviews have become a significant measure of a brand’s success or failure and can also play a significant role in turning potential customers into spenders.  What this means is that as a business (especially a small, local business) it’s important to be present on various online review websites and try to generate as many positive reviews from your customers as possible.

 

So how should you go about getting your business set up on a review site?

Here are 4 Steps

Step 1 – Research

The first step is to of course do your research. It’s not a zero-sum game, which naturally means that some review sites are better than others. Consider review sites that consistently attract a high number of users and heavy engagement. These are also likely to be the review sites that organically rank high on a Google search results, thereby increasing your chances of being seen. Some of the more popular online review sites that you can’t go wrong with include, Yelp!, Google My Business, Facebook, Better Business Bureau and of course, the Yellow Pages.

It also can’t hurt to consider niche review sites that are specific to your business and industry.  For example, TripAdvisor is excellent for businesses within the hotel and tourism industry, OpenTable for businesses in the restaurant industry, etc.

 

Step 2 – Terms and Conditions

Once you’ve decided on the best review site for your business, carefully consider their terms and conditions. For example, some review sites, like Google, for example, are okay with businesses encouraging and soliciting their customers to leave feedback, while others like Yelp!, are not.

 

Step 3 – Review Sites Guidelines

Once all of these factors have been considered, it is simply a matter of following the various steps, as most online review sites will provide step-by-step guidelines to set up your business account and profile.

 

Step 4 – Promote Your Review Site URL

Once that is complete, ensure that you have a simple URL for your account that links directly to it. Include said URL link across your various online channels and in as much of your content as possible.

 

Want to know what people think of your business? Get listed with YELLO and let’s get you those reviews!