For consumers seeking information about different products, brands, and services, the Internet is rich in information. For example, online review sites like Yelp.com have long provided the kinds of resources consumers need for making informed decisions. While these online review sites may seem valuable, even essential, for consumers, they can be detrimental to businesses; consumer companies ranging from hotels and restaurants to auto dealerships have long struggled against the negative consequences that often come from unwanted online reviews. Now, however, Yelp.com's influence is set to expand even further; it was announced recently that Yelp will now focus not just on consumer companies, but also on the B2B industry. As such, the need for companies of all kinds to enlist in a reputation management service, like Reputation Changer, has never been more urgent.
Cliff Stein, who serves as Reputation Changer's General Manager, says the impact of consumer review sites cannot be overstated. "Studies are showing all the time that these review sites are what people turn to, to help them decide how to spend their money--period," says Stein. "People want insight into how to spend their hard-earned money, whether it's on a hotel booking or just a sandwich! Sites like Yelp have replaced personal recommendations and word-of-mouth buzz. Online reviews are what ultimately help people decide how to spend their money, which means the fate of any business can be significantly shaken up by the kinds of reviews it gets on the Web."
Stein says the same thing that holds true for consumer businesses is sure to hold true for the B2B industry, as well. "If a company is seeking to make the best use of its budget, it is absolutely going to do research into other businesses and vendors," Stein confirms. "Yelp is poised to start filling that role--which means that even companies within the B2B sphere will be opened up to the impact of online review sites."
Stein continues by saying that the impact of an online review site can be either good or bad--but because a site like Yelp is so unpredictable, it is best for companies to remain vigilant.
"A business may have positive reviews right now, but that can change in a heartbeat," he affirms. Stein notes that a bad review can come from a disgruntled consumer, a former employee, or even a rival company. Some of these negative reviews may be constructive, but many are likely to be unreasonable, or else just mean. "People don't filter themselves on the Web," Stein says. "The things these review sites will publish can sometimes cross over into pure defamation."
That, Stein says, is why reputation management services are so vital. "Review sites can make or break a business--and as Yelp grows more powerful, the need to protect your brand against it is more urgent than ever before," says Stein. A reputation management firm like Reputation Changer can ultimately provide companies of all kinds with brand protection and negative review suppression; Reputation Changer has lent these services to restaurants and hotels, but also to major brands, even Fortune 500 companies.
For companies struggling against negative reviews, Stein says reputation management is the obvious solution. "A reputation management agency can help undo the damage done by these negative reviews," he says. "A reputation management company can inundate search engines with positive content, meant to effectively drown out those negative reviews."
That is, essentially, how the process of "review suppression" works. The goal, Stein says, is to push the negative reviews off the first page of Google--making them virtual non-issues. "We want to help companies of all kinds protect their good name," says Stein. "We want to give business owners control over how their brand is portrayed on the Web."
ABOUT:
Founded in 2009 by a team of online marketing and sales professionals, Reputation Changer is one of the premier providers of online reputation management. The company works 24/7 to provide comprehensive reputation management strategies to its clients, which have included politicians, public figures, Fortune 500 companies, and more. Reputation Changer owns several media outlets, and is known for its innovation in positive SEO techniques, social media implementation, and other strategies. The company is also unique for the custom, individualized process it takes for every client and every campaign.
Source:
http://computernewsarticles.com/computer_articles/2012/06/yelpcom-expands-its-influence-increases-need-for-reputation-management-284557.htm
