Given that social media marketing is everywhere these days, it seems impossible to think that most companies could be overlooking an incredibly effective social channel that’s essentially completely free. And yet, that’s exactly what’s happening.
What’s this big social portal that business owners aren’t aware of? Online reviews.
Although websites like Yelp typically aren’t thought of as “social media,” the fact of the matter is that they are every bit as social as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn… they just have a different focus. And for lots of small businesses – and especially those that rely on local customers – review pages on Yelp and Google + can be even more important.
That’s because online reviews provide you with a few tangible benefits:
- They are easy for potential customers to find and browse
- They rank highly on Google and the other search engines
- They offer “social proof” that you are providing good value
And, as we’ve already mentioned, getting them doesn’t cost you a thing.
So how do you get great reviews online? That starts with doing good work and providing great service to your customers, of course. After that, you need to be sure your business has profiles on the major review sites, especially Yelp and G+. Finally, you should encourage buyers to provide feedback whenever you can – particularly reviews that are specific, verifiable, and include photos.
Once you’ve taken those steps, it’s just a matter of waiting for your reviews to be indexed by the search engines. Once they are, you’ll be amazed at what kind of impression they can make on potential customers.
When you need expert help with social media and Internet marketing, there’s no better choice than G3 Group in Baltimore. Contact us today to learn about our capabilities.
