Almost everybody is Googling themselves these days because they know that they are also being Googled. So do you Google yourself and don’t like what you see? Well, what you see is what your prospects and customers see. You may have the patience not to act on negative comments about you or your business but your prospects and customers may not be as forgiving. Fact: 80% of people surveyed had changed a purchase decision due to a bad review they saw online. And with competition tighter than ever, businesses are seeing that Online Reputation Marketing is now a necessity.
Your online reputation is important. With the huge and ever-growing population searching online to evaluate businesses, bad comments and reviews about your business can gravely affect your target market’s purchasing decision. This is why it is critical to monitor your online reputation and take a plan of action to counter any negative material and proactively act to produce positive material about you, your brand, your business, and your products/services. Then market your positive reviews with your current marketing outlets and more.
According to studies, 78% of Internet users conduct product research online and 80% had a change in purchase decision after seeing a negative review online. Your business can be at the mercy of online commentaries – or you can use these to your advantage! Online reputation management allows you to respond to negative comments the moment they appear on the Internet. Proactive ORM also allows you to optimize positive reviews about your business so that favorable reviews dominate search results, pushing down negative ones in the process.
Also, 44% of online adults have searched for information about someone whose services or advice they seek in a professional capacity, like a doctor, lawyer, or plumber. You can use ORM to give these searchers a great “first impression” online.