March 16, 2018 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
Responding to online reviews is now standard practice for businesses. By not doing so, businesses risk losing credibility with consumers and, more importantly, revenue. However, for healthcare providers, responding to patient reviews can be challenging. This is due to the possibility of revealing a patient’s protected health information (PHI), which is a key component of […]
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Google Updates Guidelines to Ban “Review Filtering”
May 7, 2018 / by Malcolm Stone / Resources
Last month, Google updated its online review guidelines. The main reason for this update was to tighten the rules regarding how businesses solicit reviews from customers – specifically to stop the practice of filtering reviews based on sentiment. Asking for reviews is allowed. However, suppressing negative reviews while only sharing positive ones is not. Below […]
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Don’t Let HIPAA Scare You From Responding to Patient Reviews
March 16, 2018 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
Responding to online reviews is now standard practice for businesses. By not doing so, businesses risk losing credibility with consumers and, more importantly, revenue. However, for healthcare providers, responding to patient reviews can be challenging. This is due to the possibility of revealing a patient’s protected health information (PHI), which is a key component of […]
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10 Personal-Inspired Resolutions for Businesses to Improve Online Reputation
January 2, 2018 / by Malcolm Stone / Best Practices
It’s the beginning of a new year. A time when we make resolutions to improve ourselves and live a happier life. Business owners should not ignore this tradition. And, if there’s an area that has never been more important to focus on than now, it’s to improve online reputation. So in the spirit of making […]
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6 Tips for Growing Your Reputation During the Holiday Shopping Season
December 6, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Best Practices
With the holiday shopping season upon us, businesses should pay attention to their online reputation and customer experience. However, during this time of year, businesses can overlook key fundamentals of good customer service. It’s easy for you and your employees to get distracted by the surge in business and increased demands from customers. This situation […]
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10 Do’s and Don’ts of Managing Your Online Reviews
September 19, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
(Copyright: tiero / 123RF Stock Photo) If you own a local business, you’re well aware how online reviews can impact your bottom line. Studies have found that 90% of consumers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews. That’s why making online reputation management a key part of your marketing strategy is critical to […]
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Recent Changes by Google that Impact Online Reviews
August 7, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
We all know that Google makes hundreds of changes annually to their search algorithm, web properties, etc. And, ever since online reviews have risen in importance in the last half decade, Google has made a number of adjustments to improve the user experience when accessing reviews. And in case you missed it, we wanted to […]
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10 Keys for Effectively Responding to Negative Online Reviews
May 17, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
(Image credit: Baoyan / stock.adobe.com) It’s understandable that negative online reviews are a cause of anxiety and frustration for most businesses. However, no business is immune from getting bad reviews. Even with the best of intentions, people still make mistakes and sometimes bad things just happen. The real test is how a business responds to […]
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8 Ways Poor Online Reviews Hit Franchise Brands Especially Hard
April 6, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
I’ll bet you have read at least one online customer review in the past week. It’s hard not to. They are all over the web. The reason? According to a recent study, we want to read online reviews. Online reviews have disrupted the way we shop for goods and services. Today, consumers trust online reviews […]
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Show Your Online Reviews Some Love!
February 14, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Online Review Management
Online customer reviews. They aren’t going anywhere. Ignoring them is bad for business. Fighting them only makes things worse. The reality is online reviews are actually great for your business. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, it’s time to show online reviews some love. For most businesses, online reviews are looked upon with contempt. The […]
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How to Claim Your Business Listing on Google
February 2, 2017 / by Malcolm Stone / Best Practices
It’s no secret that Google is the dominant search engine. But, it is also one of the most popular online review websites. Because of this, it’s critical for businesses to have a presence on Google to build their brand reputation and increase sales. The good news is Google provides a service called Google My Business […]
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