How reviews are helpful

For the rest of this article, let’s try searching for “Hotel” and your zip code.  Read the reviews that your local hotels have online.  Many of the reviews come from the search engine, but many also come from other travel sites. When you look at these reviews, you will notice good and bad reviews.  You will also see those reviews that others found helpful.  If you find a review helpful, click “YES.”  That will make the reviews more reliable and helpful to the next person.   Reviews help you make better buying decisions.

What about bad reviews of my business

Did you notice that there are some pretty bad reviews in there about hotels in your city?  It is a shame that many of these businesses don’t manage their reputation online.  When I am looking for a hotel in another city (or a plumber, carpenter, e-commerce review), I check the reviews.  That helps me make my decision.  I don’t expect every review to be positive, but I do expect to see reviews that show how the hotel could make my stay a little nicer.

Here is what Google says about reviews:

Ranking of reviews: Ranking is completely automated; we can’t manually change the order of individual reviews, even if you request it. The reviews themselves are not created by Google. If you feel that a particular review of your business is inaccurate, we recommend that you express your concerns to the webmaster of the site on which this review was posted. If you’re concerned about a review that was submitted, click the Flag as inappropriate link found under the review, and submit a report. If the review is in violation of our policies, we’ll remove it.

Bad reviews just happen.  You can’t make everyone happy.  But you can add your own comments and encourage those that are happy with your business to actively make positive comments about you online.  Very soon, no matter how small or large your community is, reviews will exist about your business.  Let’s be proactive – instead of just waiting. For example, if someone posted a negative comment about flat, uncomfortable pillows at the hotel you are considering, you would notice. You’d also notice if the next comment was from the hotel manager stating this: “We are pleased so many guests choose to stay at our hotel and wear out our pillows. We are excited to share that every room has new, fluffy pillows as of March 2009! Come rest with us.” Seize your opportunities.

One quick story to drive things home

A friend of mine is a blogger in Chicago.  He was recently at a classy restaurant in the theater district in downtown Chicago.  The restaurant was busy.  His reservation was for 8pm, but the hostess did not seat them until 915pm.  When he was seated, the waiter forgot about him.  Once he finally got the waiters attention, he quickly took the order and never returned.  Another waiter finally showed up to take his food order (again).  Forty-five minutes later the waiter returned with their food.  Guess what… it was cold, and he still did not get his drink.

The next morning, my friend blogged about his experience and also commented on Google Local about the restaurant.  He was surprised that many of the comments on Google were very positive.  One hour later, he received an email and a call from the owner of the restaurant apologizing for the poor service.  He made no excuses, but asked how he could make things better.  My friend ask for a free meal and gave them a second chance.  This turned a negative customer into an evangelist.  The restaurant owner was familiar with social media listening tools and took action, the second he saw negative comments online.

If you monitor your reviews, you can turn negative situations around.  How often to you really receive honest feedback in person?  Use the web to gather feedback and make your business even better.  As a business owner, I welcome all feedback. Got something to say, add a comment below.

ACTION ITEM ONE:  The first action item is to go to http://local.google.com and comment on a local business that you love!  This will do two things for you.  First, it will start to make the local searches more useful for others.  Second, it will make you feel good leaving a positive comment about a business you love!

ACTION ITEM TWO:  The second action item will take a little more time, but will be very beneficial.  Share this blog post with a client of yours and ask them to add a comment about your business in Google Local.  This will enhance your listing and make you stand out in the local crowd.  (By the way, the best way to get a recommendation is to give one.)

This lesson will take longer than 15 minutes. Take your time.  Your investment in this setup should be less than one hour, and the benefits will be evident for years to come. Google Maps is considered authoritative, verified information. Other local and yellow pages sites use the information found within Google listings. This leads to more exposure and more business for you.

Create A New Business Listing

* you can click on the ‘resize’ button to see the lesson in full screen.

Edit and Claim an Existing Business Listing

* you can click on the ‘resize’ button to see the lesson in full screen.

10 Steps to Building Your Google Local/Google Maps Listing

1. The first step is to see if you have an existing listing at Google Local.  Go to http://local.google.com. If you see a listing, select it and then click on the “more info” link on the map and/or beside the listing. Once you see the pop-up, you can then choose “Add or edit your business.” If you do not see your business in the search, the left-hand column will give you the option to “Add your business listing.”
2. Let’s assume you already have a listing,   If you’re submitting your listing for the first time, follow the directions Google sets forth, and you’ll do just fine. Read on to find tips and tricks to make your Local Business Center listing work for you.
3. Click the box that says, “Edit my business information.” You’ll be taken into a “required information” area. You must fill in the boxes as completely as possible. Street address is important as it brings the mapping feature into your listing. If the map marker is incorrect, you can click on the “fix incorrect marker location” to move it around.
4. Submit all of your phone numbers, email addresses and Web site information. Give a great description of what it is you do and be sure to include good keyword phrases. Don’t allow the description to appear forced or stuff it with keywords, but work in a good phrase that will bring visitors to you via rankings in the regular search engine results.
5. Once you’ve added all of your contact information, Google will ask you to pick a category for your business. Google allows you to add or suggest categories so try to get as specific as you can.
6. Once your category has been set, move to the next screen and list your hours of operation and forms of payment accepted. This information is not mandatory – but online shoppers are impatient shoppers – so if they find the information they need to purchase, or find your site right away, these visits are more likely to lead to a conversion from your Local listing.
7. Adding photos to your listing can give potential customers an idea of what products you offer, examples of the service work you perform, and the quality to expect. Google Maps has recently given you the ability to add up to ten photos into your local business listing. Take real advantage of this new feature. You can either add photos from your computer or directly from your Web site. Don’t “borrow” photos you don’t have the license to use – you’ll get in trouble for that.
8. After you’ve submitted the photos, you’ll see a screen that gives you an opportunity to add “custom attributes.” This type of information was first introduced in the Google Base product, and seeing them show up on the Maps product is another indication of the “meshing” of Google’s product offerings. I expect to see Local Business Listings in GoogleBase in the very near future. With the custom attributes, you have the ability to submit your prices, with details on how you charge, where you work, and information about your specialties. You can create your own attributes to show off product or service offerings you think might be of interest to potential online searchers and customers.
9. After you’ve submitted all of the information, Google will ask you to “verify” your listing. This can be done in a few different ways. You can have them call you to verify. They will call the main business telephone number, so if you choose this option, ensure that the person who answers the phone call is prepared for it and will answer the verification questions correctly. You can also have Google send you a postcard with a verification PIN number on it. Again, this means that whoever receives the mail will need to know what this card is about and what to do with it. Some businesses are also eligible to receive an SMS verification text message.
10. Once you’ve entered your information, saved it, and have chosen the type of verification you prefer, your listing is complete. If you choose to receive a postcard, it will arrive in two to three weeks. Your updated or new listing will not go live until it has been verified. In the meantime, you can experiment with the “Coupons” feature within the Local Business Center. These coupons are printable and can include anything from 10 percent off services to buy-one, get-one-free offers, or whatever you’d like to do to bring business into your Web site or storefront.