Technology is constantly changing and creating an ever interconnected and instantaneous world. The internet, for example, is accessible from numerous different devices that are literally at the fingertips of users, creating a link between opinion and expression in a matter of seconds. Thoughts become public fodder in mere moments and discussions can begin rapidly and intensely online. These conversations can create viral like sensations, sending thoughts and opinions to thousands quickly.
One sector of the world that is deeply impacted by technology is the commercial sector, including both profit and nonprofit organizations. This interconnectedness, however, has many different factors and facets. Businesses are finding this technological link to be a double-edged sword. A happy customer can quickly share there beautiful and wonderful experience online, drawing business and creating a positive reputation. An angry consumer, disgruntled employee, or frustrated patron, however, can literally take their gripe and complaint and express it in a matter of seconds. There are hundreds of locations for reviews and a constant flow of opinions that can create momentum for both the good and the negative. That is why, it is becoming vital for businesses to know and understand online reviews management. First, though, it is important to acknowledge why reviews matter and why they should be embraced.
What Are Reviews?
A review, or more specifically an online review, is an expression of opinion that is given in an internet forum for mass consumption. These reviews can be posted on dedicated reviews sites or on a particular page of an organization, business, or entity. If there is an online presence for a business or if there is not, there can still be discussion regarding that particular group. While some businesses include forums on their own pages or social media outlets, some review sites leave the connectedness to the business open ended in so far as there is no direct link between said business and review or reviewer. These reviews can be given in a rating system (e.g. one to five stars), in written form, or a conversation of both. It simply depends on the site and system established for that particular review forum.
Why Should Reviews Matter?
As noted prior, reviews are both a positive and negative advantage to having an online presence for a business or organization. Though they can become troublesome, though, with the right direction and online reviews management system, reviews serve as a powerful tool for business promotion. For instance, a reviewer’s positive remarks serve as a type of marketing that can create a viral response that will draw previously untouched populations of clientele to a business without any investment dollars spent. The organic nature of reviews—when positive—can bring about profits that were not thought possible prior. Therefore, while there are negative aspects, reviews should be seen as a positive tool for businesses.
Another reason why reviews matter is because they not only attract consumers, but also allow them to feel engaged. A consumer that expresses an opinion and feels heard by your business is more likely to stay connected to that business. As such, reviews serve as a dialogue creator between the employer and the customer, a relationship that can reap profits and positivity in the future. A quiet business or one that does not stay in contact with the consumer can seem unappreciative, afraid of conflict, or ignorant to their customer and their needs. Therefore, reviews serve as a means of communication that should not be overlooked in a multiplatform or multipronged marketing strategy.
Rankings in search engines are a vital tool for businesses. It increases the likelihood that a consumer will click on that business’s website and become a potential customer, if they are ranked near the top of a search engines returned results list. Reviews play a major part in rankings, with search engines like Google taking into consideration the positive reviews of a business in their listings. Therefore, the more positive reviews that a business has, the more likely they are to find themselves at the top of the page. Therefore, reviews—and online reviews management strategies—are a tool that is useful in creating a more prominent web presence and thus, a greater chance of clicks-to-profit.
What Is Online Reviews Management?
So, understanding the importance of positive reviews, then, begs the question of just how this can be internally controlled. In an age where gripes and praises are just a click away from public access, what can anyone do in controlling the flow of knowledge? The first thing that must be understood is that businesses have to take their online and social media presence seriously. Just as an employer, business, or organization must manage their employees and other routine aspects of their business, they must manage their reviews as well. This means keeping a close eye on what is happening online and staying constantly up to date on what is occurring with your reviews.
Of course, a business owner and team—especially at smaller enterprises—cannot keep an eye on what is being said at all times. Therefore, it may become necessary to make an investment in an online reviews management team. This team can serve the needs of the employer by monitoring what is being said and keeping a business aware of the different reviews that have been posted, among other services.
What Does An Online Reviews Management Team Do?
In a typical online reviews management team, there are several different strategies that are taken into consideration and different ways that reviews are overseen. Most typically, a management team for reviews will look at the reviews that are being posted about their client’s business. This helps to monitor the nature of reviews and keeps the employer aware of the aforementioned potentially constant streams of communication that their customers are creating. This helps the employer to focus energy, effort, and resources elsewhere and may save them the need for the expense of a dedicated technology team.
Another typical service provided by quality reviews management agencies is the ability to monitor multiple locations at once. Businesses, obviously, can have more than one branch, division, or building, and operate in numerous different physical locations or online venues. A qualified and efficient management team will look at all of these different locations and their reviews and analyze them accordingly. Ranking the different reviews and the overall image that is being portrayed has several different advantages to an ownership team. Firstly, it will help to see where locations are thriving and where there is disconnection between the business and the community around them. Further, businesses that see a location with high levels of negative reviews may identify a problem that had previously gone unnoticed. This can alert an employer to changes that need to be made or weaknesses corrected in order that the business can thrive in that location. By monitoring regularly, too, a business with a management team has the potential to see a downward trend and negativity more quickly, thus preventing a momentum shift that can go unchecked in those without a strong reviews management team.
Employers are not always in there place of business on a day-to-day basis, especially if there are multiple locations to monitor. A management team can keep the individual or individuals in constant awareness by reaching out to them in the modes of technology that are most convenient to them. Alerts can be sent via email, text message, or other methods as deemed appropriate by the employer. This gives the business the ability to stay in connection in the ways that are most convenient for them, not that are deemed most convenient by an outside source.
Finally, though not an exhaustive list of benefits, a qualified management team can help create more than a one way dialogue between consumer and business. Negative reviews are inevitable and they will happen as a business grows in popularity. But, leaving that review to sit without remedy can create more of a problem than the negative review itself. Whether it is a legitimate complaint or outlandish gripe, a business should respond to the review with a positive yet decisive answer. This helps to show that the enterprise cares and does not back down when it is negatively marked. As such, a strongly worded response can create as much of an impact as a positive review. A reviews management team can alert the employer or the businesses team so that they can choose to respond to all reviews, especially the negative ones. This, again, helps to portray the business as more than just a stagnant presence online but, rather, as a living breathing organization.
Fills The Void
While managing of reviews is one aspect that a qualified team brings, there is another avenue of help that they bring as well. Rather than simply allowing a business to sit online without any discussion, a reviews management team can actually begin to solicit reviews. Asking for reviews will create a discussion where there was not one before and can directly improve rankings. It will also help to bring a legitimacy to a business that may not have been felt prior in the internet space. Thus, asking for reviews is an important and often times underrated aspect of review management that can reap dividends in positive publicity and, ultimately, profitability.
Should The Investment Happen?
While an online management team that focuses on reviews is clearly important, many businesses that are focused on watching their bottom line may question just if the investment is worth it. In truth, many businesses—whether starting up or well established—may not be able to afford not having a reviews management group in place. The damage that can be done in a matter of hours or days can be hard to overcome and can hinder profitability and belief in the company. Thus, putting an investment out now can reap huge benefits later on. Therefore, it is an aspect of managing a business in this technologically based world that must be considered.
Where To Find A Qualified Team
If a business or organizations is considering hiring an online reviews management company, there are several different ways in which this can be achieved. The internet serves as a great source for finding a qualified company. Highlighting the aforementioned point once again, online reviews of these teams can be a great way to see what consumers are highlighting as the positive and negative aspects of each group. The key is to find a business that provides quality of results, integrity of action, and the most value for the money. This can be utilized as a mechanism of comparative shopping that gives you a wide perspective on what the company’s value is in the eyes of those that have actually utilized them prior.
Another great way to evaluate an online reviews management team is to look at the comprehensive nature of their strategy. Do they offer all of the above different services or specialize in one area? This will also allow for evaluation of a business’s needs in relation to these offered services. For instance, all companies may not want or need all of the services, but, rather, some because their own team has filled in the gaps. The advantage to having a comprehensive services team, however, is that they are able to handle all aspects at one central point, leaving room for a communication or strategy gap at a minimum. This, however, is something that only a company itself can decide.
Finally, another great way to determine whether a not a company is a good fit for a business’s review management is to actually talk to the representatives of that particular group. A review team that is qualified and competent will be glad to answer questions and be in connection about their services. To not is to demonstrate a problem within the company. Therefore, choose a team that is available and accessible as a helpful determinant in whether or not to choose them.
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