After looking at the new Google map below it seems that Google will be changing their rating scale back to the 5 star system. Google currently displays the 30 point rating for local businesses but this might not be the case in a few days. Based on our experience it seems that the 30 point…
90% of Customers Say Reading Positive Online Reviews Influenced a Purchase Decision. A recent survey by Dimensional Research, a market research firm focused on technology, found that 90% of customers who could recall having read online reviews were influenced by positive reviews in their purchase decision. Similarly, 86% said that reading negative reviews had influenced…
In the last decade, a variety of ways to get in touch with your friends surfaced. Of all the social media sites that have come to the public’s attention, Facebook is by far the most popular. In 2011, Facebook had more than 750 million users, 50 percent of whom will log in the site each…
Forrester Study: Reviews & Recommendations #1 for Consumer Trust March 2013 Forrester Research recently released findings from a survey of US & European adults that was designed to measure their trust in different types of online advertising and promotion. Mirroring the results of a similar study last year, consumers indicated that they trust reviews and…
Every minute, all around the world, people are having excellent product and service experiences. Then why aren’t they writing online reviews? Simply, people need encouragement! Read on to learn four simple ways a business can generate more online customer reviews. Have a Happy Customer? Ask for a Review! Happy customers need to be invited to…
Twitter is an extremely useful tool for business, but it also requires a lot of work to use the platform in the most beneficial way. It’s easy for a business to make mistakes using Twitter, and many businesses have taken huge hits due to the posting of inappropriate tweets. To offer good customer service through…
A positive online review is a powerful marketing tool for any business. The reviewer’s independent stance lends objectivity to the assessment, and the review offers inexpensive advertising in a medium not owned by the business. Conversely, a negative online review can torpedo a company. In an attempt to exert control over online advertising, or to…
People are more likely to try out a new product or service if someone who has already tried the product or service has recommended it to them. It’s time to discover how to encourage customers to refer! Provide Better-Than-Average Service Who are people talking to? They’re talking to their friends. It’s easy to refer a…
Business owners beware: A spur-of-the-moment hug with the U.S. President can land your enterprise in the middle of an online review fight. Unless you’re a restaurant owner from Fort Pierce, Fla., in which case you’ll embrace the spotlight, hit up the daytime time talk circuit and go on to bear-hug other notable U.S. citizens….
Optimizing business listings is an emerging form of SEO, gaining in popularity due to the prevalence of local user review sites like Yelp, Google Places and Foursquare. Getting on the first page of search results on these sites can help customers find your business and make all the difference in generating new prospects and sales….