In today's world, what people say about your business online is critically important. When customers leave good reviews and give high ratings, it can help your business immensely. Let's talk about why having a good online reputation is better than having a bad one, and how it affects your advertising.


 
What is an Online Reputation?
Your online reputation is what people think about your business based on what they see on the internet. This includes reviews, star ratings, and what people say on social media. A good reputation means people like your business and say nice things about it online.
 
Benefits of a Good Online Reputation
1. People Trust You More
When potential customers see good reviews, they're more likely to trust your business. This trust can help turn them into actual customers.
2. You Show Up in Searches
Search engines like Google like businesses with good reviews. This means more people can find you when they search online.
3. More People Buy from You
When people see that others had a good experience with your business, they're more likely to buy from you too.
4. You Stand Out from Competitors
If your business has better reviews than others, customers are more likely to choose you over them.
5. You Learn What You're Doing Right
Good reviews tell you what customers like about your business. This helps you keep doing those things well.
6. Customers Come Back
Happy customers who leave good reviews are more likely to buy from you again and tell their friends about you.
7. You Can Charge More
If people really trust your business, they might be willing to pay more for your products or services.
 
What Happens with a Bad Online Reputation
Having a bad reputation online can cause problems:
1. You Lose Customers
Bad reviews can scare away potential customers.
2. People Don't Trust You
It's hard to get new customers when people don't trust your business.
3. You're Harder to Find Online
Bad reviews can make you show up lower in search results.
4. It Costs More to Get Customers
You might have to spend more money on advertising to overcome bad reviews.
 
How a Bad Reputation Wastes Advertising Money
If your business has a worse reputation than others in your field, you might be wasting money on advertising. Here's why:
1. People Don't Believe Your Ads
If someone sees bad reviews about your business, they might not believe what your ads say.
2. Fewer People Click Your Ads
People are less likely to click on ads from businesses with bad reviews.
3. Fewer Sales from Ads
Even if people click your ad, they might not buy anything if they see bad reviews afterward.
4. You Spend More to Get Each Customer
With fewer people buying, you end up spending more money to get each new customer.
5. People Spread Bad News
Unhappy customers might tell others not to use your business, which can undo your advertising efforts.
 
How to Make Your Advertising Work Better
To make sure you're not wasting money on ads, focus on building a good online reputation:
1. Provide great products or services
2. Ask happy customers to leave reviews
3. Respond quickly and nicely to all feedback
4. Fix problems fast when customers have issues
5. Keep an eye on what people are saying about you online
6. Have a process in place to drive new 5-star reviews
7. Have another process to intercept potential negative reviews
8. Promote your 5-star reviews on your website and social media feeds
 
By working on your online reputation, you can make your advertising more effective. A good reputation helps each dollar you spend on ads work harder for your business.
Having a good online reputation is critical for businesses today. Good reviews and ratings help people find your business, trust you, and choose you over others. They also make your advertising work better, so you're not wasting money. Remember, in the online world, what people say about your business matters a lot. Make sure it's good!

Mike Gross | Owner
Outplay Marketing
813-308-9197
www.outplaymarketing.com