{5:25 minutes to read} Why are online ratings, reviews, endorsements, and recommendations something that you should be concerned about?
If a potential client looks for you online, they’re going to look for you by name and profession or industry. If these potential clients see favorable comments, it’s one of the deciding factors as to whether or not they contact you. With so many ways for people to review, endorse, or rate you (be it positive or negative) you need to pay attention:
Your Website
Does your website have a space for testimonials and endorsements? Testimonials can be from a previous client, someone you’ve done business with, or someone you’ve worked with on various projects. These endorsements can also be character endorsements. Most visitors to your website aren’t going to read your testimonials page, so we recommend peppering them individually throughout your website.
Your Blog
If your blog site is separate from your website, it can have testimonials as well as the all-important comment section. You want comments on your blog — and don’t forget, you can reply to comments with your own to answer questions and/or refine your message.
Google Plus
You definitely want to verify your address on your Google Plus company page, because this allows people to rate and review you directly on Google Plus. Why is this so important? Google Plus is owned by Google. If somebody does a Google search, which happens 90% of the time, and you have a completed profile with five-star ratings and reviews, it’s going to be at the very top of the search results.
Yelp
Yelp has grown a lot over the years. What Yelp does is it finds people, services, companies, stores, restaurants, etc, and creates a profile based on what their own internal search engine algorithms come up with. If you haven’t done so already, see if you can find your company on Yelp. If you exist there, you have a profile that is likely incomplete and inaccurate. Claim that profile, fill it out, then start receiving five-star ratings and reviews.
Facebook is becoming increasingly popular for their option to create a company page. If you’re a client of ours, we’re already posting your blogs to your Facebook page, but again, you have the opportunity to receive ratings, reviews, likes, and follows on your company page — all furthering the perception that you are an established & well-known expert in your field.
There are two power players on LinkedIn: Your Personal Profile Page as well as your Company Page. On your Personal Profile Page, you have the potential for receiving recommendations, featured skills, and endorsements. Your LinkedIn Company Page includes the LinkedIn Pulse articles that we publish for you and allows you to receive likes, shares, comments, and mentions. These are all critical for your Center of Influencers to know your expert-standing in the community.
YouTube and Vimeo
Of the two platforms — on YouTube at least — make sure you fill out your description and create a profile page. On both of these platforms, there’s a potential to capture likes and comments. Many people don’t realize YouTube is also owned by Google, which is another reason why it’s so important, from an SEO perspective, to create a YouTube page.
Trade Associations, Industry Directories, etc.
Some of these sites allow you to create a basic profile, mention, or listing. Others provide you the ability to do more in-depth profiles. We suggest that you fill out every section you can, because associations and directories, especially “.orgs”, will often get far better search engine optimization than your individual website can. As well, a few of these sites have a ratings or reviews system that you can take advantage of.
Mentions
Find opportunities where you can be mentioned on other people’s websites, blogs, or news reporting sites. If these other sites are reputable and of high quality, and they want to mention you, republish one of your articles or excerpts from one of your articles; take full advantage of that.
So, now the million-dollar question becomes: How do you get people to give you these positive reviews, testimonials, and ratings? Find out in part 2.
What other online reviews and testimonial services have you seen?
Mark Bullock
Telephone: (631) 754-0800
Email:Mark@phoneBlogger.net
Website:phoneBlogger.net
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