Managing your online reputation

Google is becoming more sophisticated by the day, as it brings together the complex strands of the web to give consumers a holistic view of the businesses they search for. Nowadays, a simple online search for your company name or brand can give you the address, map location, 360 virtual tour, opening times and even reviews from trusted platforms. It’s called the Google Knowledge card.

This is undoubtedly beneficial for consumers, helping them to make effortless, informed purchasing decisions, but it can also work in favour of digital-savvy businesses. Reviews in particular can make or break a brand’s online reputation.

Why are reviews so important?

Rewind a decade, and it was remarkably easy for businesses to pull the wool over potential customers’ eyes with a bit of clever design and branding. This has all changed; you only need to look at the statistics to learn how important reviews are in the modern day:

• 85% of consumers conduct online research before making a purchase
• 89% of customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• 90% of consumers say their buying decision was influenced by online reviews
• 21% of customers change their mind about a purchase after reading 2 bad reviews
• 37% of customers change their mind about a purchase after reading 3 bad reviews

As the Google Knowledge card now appears in the right hand corner of search results, with a star rating and feedback, reviews make an essential first impression. They can either draw prospects in or send them running to a competitor with a better star rating.

Furthermore, as Google reviews are a trust indicator associated with your business, a glut of glowing feedback can drive organic traffic to your website, delivering a great return on the effort you put into keeping customers happy.

Managing Your Reviews

Good reviews are like gold dust for a business, especially because customers need a gentle nudge to leave comments for a positive experience. Meanwhile, business owners must be vigilant to monitor and address any bad feedback that finds its way to Google.

Good reviews are like gold dust for a business, especially because customers need a gentle nudge to leave comments for a positive experience. Meanwhile, business owners must be vigilant to monitor and address any bad feedback that finds its way to Google.

This, of course, takes precious time, something that not all businesses have. Developing a management process whereby you encourage customers to leave reviews, and contact you directly if they’ve had a bad experience, is a burden that few business owners want to manage.

Our online review management service allows you to harness the voice of the customer, without lifting a finger. Creative Moose can monitor your online reputation, alerting you of any negative feedback you need to deal with, and making it easy to direct customers towards leaving a good review.

So if you value your online reputation, don’t fret over every review that wings your way. Save your time and sanity by partnering with a digital marketing and SEO agency in Manchester that understands the ins and outs of the Google Knowledge card. We’ll make your online identity shine through the power of positive, regular reviews.

For more information about how to improve your online reputation and to arrange a free consultation about the condition of your brand’s reputation, please contact us or on 0161 850 7370 today.