Online business reviews: The reason your business should have a strong online presence. – Parham Nabatian
The other day I saw an article in the Los Angeles Daily News about a classic Los Angeles BBQ joint opening a new branch in the San Fernando Valley and I decided before I would eat there I would use the website www.Yelp.com to find reviews about the food & service at the new location. As a marketer this made me realize how social media has compromised traditional media when it comes to influencing shoppers, restaurant goers, and buyers. For various reasons there is a growing trend of consumers using social media to obtain product information. Before I divulge further, here are some important facts about Yelp.
TIME magazine listed Yelp.com as one of its 10 essential sites
Yelp.com allows you to search based on address, city, state or zip
Yelp.com’s directory includes any and every kind of business
According to the site, users have written over 5 million reviews and as of February 2009, more than 20 million people looked up a business on Yelp in the past 30 days.
As the facts have shown, Yelp.com is a very popular website and should not be underestimated by any business. Just take a look at the lawsuits against Yelp reviewers and the site itself. Crisis management experts have their work cut out.
All of this should reveal the importance of having a social media presence and maintaining it properly, no matter the size of your business. Simple you cannot underestimate the “20 million people who looked up reviews in the past 30 days.”
As a business owner, you have to ask yourself:
Do we have a website that is strong enough to combat negative reviews?
Could we reward our customers and clients for perpetuating their positive experiences?
As a restaurant, could uploading pictures of our “mouth watering food” draw a potential customer?
Remember, even if you don’t want your business on the web, someone will place it on there. Why not have your say!
In conclusion, a strong online presence is vital. Make sure you monitor and manage your business’s reputation online. Hiring an experienced, creative company that is up to date with the latest new media marketing tools is the one of the best investments you can make to maintain your brand in the new online world – where anybody can publish anything with a click of the mouse.
By the way, I never went to the BBQ joint there, too many negative reviews!
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Online Business Reviews
by wiredinblog on March 30, 2009
Online business reviews: The reason your business should have a strong online presence. – Parham Nabatian
The other day I saw an article in the Los Angeles Daily News about a classic Los Angeles BBQ joint opening a new branch in the San Fernando Valley and I decided before I would eat there I would use the website www.Yelp.com to find reviews about the food & service at the new location. As a marketer this made me realize how social media has compromised traditional media when it comes to influencing shoppers, restaurant goers, and buyers. For various reasons there is a growing trend of consumers using social media to obtain product information. Before I divulge further, here are some important facts about Yelp.
TIME magazine listed Yelp.com as one of its 10 essential sites
Yelp.com allows you to search based on address, city, state or zip
Yelp.com’s directory includes any and every kind of business
According to the site, users have written over 5 million reviews and as of February 2009, more than 20 million people looked up a business on Yelp in the past 30 days.
As the facts have shown, Yelp.com is a very popular website and should not be underestimated by any business. Just take a look at the lawsuits against Yelp reviewers and the site itself. Crisis management experts have their work cut out.
All of this should reveal the importance of having a social media presence and maintaining it properly, no matter the size of your business. Simple you cannot underestimate the “20 million people who looked up reviews in the past 30 days.”
As a business owner, you have to ask yourself:
Do we have a website that is strong enough to combat negative reviews?
Could we reward our customers and clients for perpetuating their positive experiences?
As a restaurant, could uploading pictures of our “mouth watering food” draw a potential customer?
Remember, even if you don’t want your business on the web, someone will place it on there. Why not have your say!
In conclusion, a strong online presence is vital. Make sure you monitor and manage your business’s reputation online. Hiring an experienced, creative company that is up to date with the latest new media marketing tools is the one of the best investments you can make to maintain your brand in the new online world – where anybody can publish anything with a click of the mouse.
By the way, I never went to the BBQ joint there, too many negative reviews!
Tagged as: business web presence, managing nevative comments, online business reviews, online reputation management