When most people think about “online reputation” they only think about customer reviews – and certainly, ratings and reviews from your customers are a big part of you digital first impression… but there’s more to reputation than just reviews. Your online reputation also includes the accuracy and consistency of your online business information. Are your hours the same everywhere they appear (not just on your website)? Is your phone number consistent and up to date? Your entire digital first impression, everything that someone sees when searching for you, it’s all part of your online reputation… and can determine whether a searcher chooses you or your competition.
As a small business owner, you understand that your business’s reputation – what people are saying about you – can make or break your business. It’s no different with your ONLINE reputation – except that today your online reputation is probably even more important than old fashioned word of mouth. When someone is considering doing business with you today, one of the first things they’ll do is look you up online – and the number one thing most people look for is customer reviews. If you have negative reviews or if you have inconsistent information, that creates a poor reputation online… and can seriously impact your chance of attracting new customers.
Managing your online reputation is no easy task. It involves everything from maintaining your online business information to continuously sharing customer reviews – and of course, both of those must be done in dozens of different places online, everywhere from your website and Google Business Profile to your social media and online review sites, like Yelp and Merchant Circle. And these are not one-and-done tasks – you need to constantly keep your business information up to date and add new reviews (and respond to those reviews, especially negative reviews). If it sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is… which is why so many small businesses turn to professionals, like Hibu, to manage their online reputation.