For any business owner, managing a company amidst a competitive industry can be an exhilarating and work-intensive experience. It always feels like there is something to do, as there is no shortage of challenges when running a company — especially in a world affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plenty of businesses have been forced to make big changes within their companies to get ahead of the rest of the pack, with a large focus on online services. After all, with so many people afraid to make purchases in physical establishments, online services are the next best thing. There are also companies that make use of review monitoring services, but it can be hard enough to keep track of priorities.
For those who are feeling rather intimidated or overwhelmed by the list of responsibilities, it is not uncommon to make use of other companies to help elevate the business to the next level. The idea of utilizing another company’s services and rebranding it as the user’s own service is known as white label services, and it can open the door to plenty of opportunities. For example, digital marketing is one of the most crucial parts of company management — especially with the massive shift to the Internet. To help ensure that even startups have a fighting chance, search engine optimization (SEO) agencies are making use of various best-practice methods to help spread the word.
With so many things to do, it can be easy for some business owners to neglect certain aspects of online reputation management (ORM), such as online reviews. After all, it can be challenging to stay on top of every aspect of digital marketing, though it would still pay to take advantage of what review monitoring services can do. Here are just a few reasons why it is entirely necessary to keep track of your online reviews.
A matter of algorithms and search engine optimization
It is common knowledge that those looking into SEO solutions are working toward getting the brand recognition they need in Google and other popular search engines. The working algorithm of Google is a relatively unknown entity, though enough patterns have popped up to make basic prediction much easier. For example, having the necessary NAP (name, address, phone number) through citations is easily neglected by most businesses, especially startups. However, taking the time to ensure that the proper NAP is in every citation makes it much easier for the algorithm to recommend the business to the rest of the world by scoring the company higher on the search engine results page (SERP).
Getting along with the learning algorithm is filled to the brim with lots of little bits of information that are easily neglected. It can be a shame, as all it takes is a bit of effort to make the most out of the situation. The use of review monitoring services, for example, is one of the easiest ways to make use of online reviews to help a company improve its overall brand recognition. That said, it is not just about the visibility of a company when it comes to written feedback.
With the right format, the algorithm can turn online reviews into a tool for optimization
Some of the best SEO agencies out there will stress the need for reviews written in the correct format, as Google’s algorithm can turn it into something viable for search engine optimization. For example, some of the top products shown in the SERP can be a little confusing, as some will have various numbered reviews, while other products shown have no reviews. The reason why the former has a star rating is that there are enough online reviews for the algorithm to use. As more and more people write reviews in the proper channels such as Yelp with the correct format, the algorithm can piece things together and make something more substantial.
It does not have to be said how useful such a scenario can be, as most online shoppers will only trust products with reviews, even if it might be at the top of the SERP. It means that even if a company is able to bring their website all the way to the first page, if the products are not sufficiently reviewed, it will still lose out to other companies with well-reviewed products. In a similar vein, Amazon products have their means of SEO solutions and advertising, which depends heavily on the reviews.
The importance of review monitoring services
If the company owner wants online shoppers to talk about their business, it is crucial to be as genuine and sincere as possible when it comes to responding to valid feedback. A company that is known to respond to negative reviews and try to fix the situation typically has the edge over the rest of the competition, even if some companies provide high-quality services. Most online shoppers are more comfortable purchasing products from a company that they know will help them in the event that something goes wrong.
The use of review monitoring services is about finding as many reviews as possible connected to the business, as it provides the company owner with an opportunity to respond to criticism. It would also be a good idea to have a review widget installed on a website to show online shoppers some product reviews. It would also be a good idea to have average feedback alongside positive reviews to help provide a trustworthy image.
One of the primary reasons why online reviews matter when it comes to ORM is that it can be used as a foundation for a digital marketing strategy. After all, an online user will be far more willing to purchase a company’s products if there are plenty of reviews in the correct format. As a matter of fact, even negative reviews can have a positive impact, as it offers an opportunity for business owners to work together with their supporters to provide a more amicable experience. With review monitoring services, a company owner can build on multiple fronts to achieve industry success.
