4 out of 5 Yelp users visit the app or the site with the intention of buying a good or employing a service. A staggering 98% of users have made a purchase from a company they found on Yelp. In recent years, reputation management has become the name of the game.

There are definitely more dramatic examples of poor reputation management. Chances are, you have seen certain viral videos flying around the internet of certain (unnamed) airline companies behaving badly. This has had an obvious and adverse effect on the company’s bottom line, which should always be avoided.

As one of the premier digital marketing companies, we stay on the pulse of business. We understand that solid reputation management could make (or break) your business. In order to provide the best for the digital community, we have listed some mistakes your company should avoid.

1. Not Following the Rules

This one seems incredibly intuitive. Knowing the rules of the game is a good starting point for winning the game, yet a lot of companies do not understand that. Certain review sites, such as Yelp, are very vindictive with rule breakers. You are not allowed to offer a discount for giving a review. On Google, you cannot have your own employees give you a review. These companies have a way of sniffing black-hat activities out and have no qualms about bringing the hammer down.

2. Relying on Computers

Over 60% of Yelp’s reviews come from mobile phones. This is for good reason. When you ask your customers to leave a review, insist that they do it on their own phones. If they leave a review on a computer you provide, it might not be allowed. This is due to the fact that multiple reviews are coming from one IP. Google especially cracks down on this practice.

3. Ignoring Bad Reviews

Even the best companies have bad reviews. Everyone has irrational customers, and we get that. Many services offer means of flagging reviews for whatever reason. When someone is spamming your site, do not let them just get away with it. Protect your company.
In the same vein, many review services offer ways to respond to reviews. If you find your customers being dishonest, these platforms have means of allowing you to explain yourself. It is important to have a gentle touch with these sort of things.

4. Not Asking for Reviews

Good reviews are the best. However, you also need to focus on the quantity as well. You need at least 5 reviews to show up on Google’s review system. This is just the minimum. Generally, the more reviews you have, the more likely you are to show up and be ranked highly via organic search. If you see someone who you have really impressed, do not be timid about asking for a review.

5. Focusing on One Platform

Think about it this way: potential consumers do not only have one way of finding you. Why would you make them have one way of reviewing you? Certain sites do not even technically allow companies to ask for reviews exclusively on their site. When you ask for a review, but do not specify where the review should be, you are letting the customers find you their own way.

If you have any questions about reputation management, please let us know. We are happy to resolve any issues. Online reputation management is just one of the many marketing services we provide as some of the best digital marketers in the business.