Manta
"Online reviews are the most important form of customer feedback available to any business," said Dario Ambrosini, COO of Manta
COLUMBUS, Ohio (PRWEB) July 18, 2017
Manta, one of the largest online resources dedicated to small business, today released a new white paper entitled “How to Harness the Marketing Power of Online Reviews.” The white paper outlines how small business owners can engage customers who actively share online reviews, how to solicit more positive reviews, and how to approach negative reviews.
“How to Harness the Marketing Power of Online Reviews” aims to educate small business owners on the best ways to engage with their local communities and current customers while building their online reputations to acquire new business. As the white paper explains, small business owners must first understand the importance of online reviews, which are key to both optimizing search engine results and convincing prospective customers to patronize your business once they find it online. Only then can they move onto accumulating new reviews, promoting positive reviews, and turning negative reviews into opportunities to positively interact with customers.
“Online reviews are the most important form of customer feedback available to any business,” said Dario Ambrosini, COO of Manta. “Customers are turning to the internet for recommendations. Google and Bing have taken notice, and businesses with more reviews will see better search engine results. Once small businesses realize this, they will see the value of online reviews, make a concerted effort to engage customers this way, and capture new business as a result.”
“How to Harness the Marketing Power of Online Reviews” provides small business owners with actionable recommendations for taking control of online reviews, including:
- Understand the power of online reviews. Online reviews are a key part of customers’ vetting process when purchasing a new product or using a new service provider, so owners must understand how online reviews can serve as a key digital marketing tool.
- Encourage online reviews. Online reviews are vital for small businesses, but convincing customers to leave reviews can be difficult. Something as simple as sending an email to your most satisfied customers requesting they write a review is an effective way to glean customer feedback while building a public review presence.
- Turn negative reviews into positive opportunities. While it might be easier to ignore a negative review, it only leaves customers questioning a business’ credibility and the quality of products or services. Instead, small business owners can take a few steps to flip a negative review into a display of excellent customer service. Offering a prompt, polite apology (when appropriate), responding on and off the public platform, and offering a solution are all ways to address a negative review.
- Track and promote customer feedback. The final step to maximizing a small business’ online reputation is to carefully monitor the feedback received across all review platforms — such as Yelp, Facebook or Google Reviews. Set up a system to monitor and promote the positive comments on both social media and your company’s website.
Download Manta’s full white paper here to learn more about how small businesses can leverage online reviews to boost their digital presence and increase customer acquisition.
About Manta
Manta, an online resource for small businesses, educates, supports and empowers small business owners to succeed and grow on their own terms. Manta provides its small business members with the education and marketing tools they need to reach local customers and grow their businesses. More than 2.6 million small business members use Manta’s simple and effective solutions.