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Top 5 Review Sites for Improving and Maintaining Your Online Business Reputation

By Curvin Martin on Oct 26, 2021

Businesses have always been concerned about online reputation management. Lately, it’s become more challenging because so many websites welcome consumer reviews. A single negative notice can seriously harm the reputation of a vulnerable business.

The best way to manage your online reputation is by hiring a marketing agency that provides review generation services. They can automate the process to generate more positive reviews online.

One of the services involves leveraging surveys to gauge customer sentiment. When some is identified who had a positive experience with your organization, an email or text message is sent asking the customer to provide a review on whatever platform you or your agency chooses. You can also monitor review sites, alerting you to negative reviews, so you can deal with them immediately.

Finding the best review platforms for managing your online reputation can be challenging. There are so many today. Here are five popular ones, including information about them, the types of businesses for which they are suited, the pros and cons of each, and tips on how to use them to generate positive reviews.

1. Google

Google is the number one search engine in the world and a leader in business reviews. According to Hubspot, Google processes more than 5.6 billion searches per day and Search Engine Watch, using clickstream data from Jumpshot, reports that almost 90 percent of all online searches happen on Google.

Best for: Any type of business

Pro: Google is the go-to search engine for people looking for information about all kinds of things, including businesses, products and services. If you have great reviews on Google, your business will be more likely to appear at the top of their search results, which can earn you a lot of free website traffic.

After prospective customers check you out, positive reviews will make it more likely they’ll do business with you. Good reviews on Google can take your company to the next level.

Con: In many industries and locations, the competition on Google is fierce. If this is the case with your business, it could make sense to focus more on niche review websites.

Tip: You can start collecting reviews on Google after you sign up for Google My Business and verify your information.

2. Amazon

Google has the most total searches, but Wunderman Thompson reports that more consumers actually begin their product searches on Amazon than all search engines (including Google) combined. For businesses that sell through Amazon, earning positive reviews on the platform is a necessity. Amazon reviews determine whether your products appear at the top of Amazon searches, which is critical.

Think about it. Have you ever scrolled past the first few Amazon results? Probably not. 

Best for: Companies depending on Amazon for sales

Pro: Awesome Amazon reviews can transform everyday businesses into retail powerhouses.

Con: Even though Amazon encourages buyers to leave reviews, it can be challenging to get people to do so because the time between the purchase experience and product delivery is often a few days or more. Because of this, many people forget to leave reviews unless they’re unhappy. Bad reviews on Amazon can be the kiss of death for businesses selling on it.

Tip: To get more positive Amazon reviews, set up automated emails that go out after your products are delivered. Thank customers for their business and ask them for feedback or include a survey.

When you get positive feedback or survey responses, send a follow-up email asking for a review on Amazon, including a link to make it easy. A review generation service can automate this for you.

3. Facebook

Many types of businesses, especially local businesses such as restaurants, coffee shops, realtors, hairstylists and gyms use Facebook to connect with customers. Facebook’s local targeting capabilities make it a popular platform for businesses that want to connect with consumers in their communities. Despite recent negative news about Facebook, almost 200 million people in the U.S. use the platform, making it a force to be reckoned with.

Best for: Businesses that want to attract customers in their communities

Pro: When people engage with a company on Facebook, positive reviews can encourage them to want to learn more and do business with it.

Con: Social media often is a place where people vent about bad experiences. You may put the reputation of your business at risk when you open it up to reviews on Facebook.

Tip: The good news is that Facebook gives businesses an opportunity to recover from negative reviews. Make it a point to monitor your feed. (An agency that provides review generation services can do this for you.) Immediately respond to any negative feedback. Make it clear what you’re going to make things right. Consumers know that no business is perfect, but most will still consider using a company that demonstrates it’s committed to customer service.

4. TripAdvisor

Despite COVID-19 related travel bans, TripAdvisor users shared 884 million reviews and opinions last year. That makes it a powerful force in the travel industry. In addition to providing reviews, visitors can book rooms, find flights, purchase tickets for different types of experiences and make restaurant reservations on the website. If you get a positive review, TripAdvisor makes it easy for people to act on it.

Best for: Travel related businesses

Pro: It’s relatively easy to get reviews on TripAdvisor. The travel industry generates relatively high numbers of reviews. That’s because people love to share their travel experiences — both good and bad — with others so they can enjoy their trips and avoid uncomfortable experiences.

Con: Similar to other sites, a one or two star review, justified or not, can seriously harm the reputation of a business.

Tip: Ask guests and customers how they enjoyed the time they spent with you at the end of a trip, meal or experience. If they’re clearly happy, request that they write a review on TripAdvisor. Provide clear instructions on how to do so, and follow up with an email or text message if you have that information.

5. Yelp

According to Yelp, it had collected more than 224 million reviews as of the end of 2020. The platform focuses primarily on connecting consumers with local service businesses. Yelp’s business model is centered on its reviews, which are provided by its “Yelpers.”

Best for: Service businesses

Pro: Yelp is a popular platform, and Yelpers love offering their opinions. That’s why it’s grown into a top destination for sharing reviews. Good reviews on Yelp carry a lot of clout and can be very beneficial to your business.

Con: Yelp is also the first place most people go to vent after getting bad service whether it’s real or imagined. One off day could damage a service business.

Tips: Yelp knows its platform is risky for businesses. That’s why they train organizations on how best to respond to reviews. It’s important to monitor Yelp reviews, answer them and resolve them as quickly as possible.

In addition, you can offer incentives in the hope of motivating four or five star reviews. For example, if diners at your restaurant seem to be enjoying their evening, consider sometimes offering them a free dessert or round of drinks to encourage them to share a positive review. While this might seem a little like cheating, it’s a common practice for businesses on Yelp.

Get Help if You Need It

In the end, online reputation management is up to you. Using review generation services can help by getting more positive reviews for your business and identifying negative ones so you can act on them when you receive them. Also, choosing the right review sites for your business can help transform positive reviews into more sales and revenue. If you need help with any of these things, find out how Umbrella Local can provide the support you need.

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