Online review websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Local have blended social media with feedback consumers want to give on their experiences with vendors. Not surprisingly, local businesses often feel the burn left from negative commentary.

According to a recent study by a professor at the Harvard Business School, each rating star added on a Yelp restaurant review, for example, translated out to a 5% to 9% effect on revenue. It’s not hard to see why businesses should be invested in knowing the scope of the online conversation surrounding their company. As people become more and more accustomed to “Googling first” before paying for a service or product, responsible reputation management becomes consequently more important.

As part of our white label offering, Semify provides reputation management services. This is a service that aims to help companies take back control of their narrative. By scanning social media for commentary relating to a brand or business, we can direct companies on how to mitigate bad reviews, promote good ones, and cultivate positive interactions with the people who take time to give a positive shout-out to them via websites like Facebook, Twitter or Google+. We look at what people are saying across all popular networks.

How can companies better manage their online reputation? We post information about company promotions, offers, and news, as well as timely industry information — throughout their social media pages. This helps ensure that when people search for a company, they’re discovering what the company itself has to say, and not just a handful of disgruntled customers. Proactive reputation building is an important tool for ensuring that companies are getting the most out of their online visibility.

By: Mari Rogers