Reputation Changer: Online Reputation is Pivotal for Business Success

NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- There are countless tactics that a business can deploy in order to gain new customers through the Internet, ranging from flashy Web design to advanced Search Engine Optimization methodologies. All of these well-intentioned efforts could ultimately be for naught, however, if the company does not have a sterling online reputation to back them up. That is the finding of a recent consumer search survey, reported by the Business 2 Community blog. The new study finds that consumers are increasingly turning to the Internet to assist in their major purchasing decisions, in such wide-ranging categories as Restaurants/Cafes, Hotels, and Dentist/Doctors, as well as in various kinds of retail. As consumers increasingly use search engines to obtain information about these different kinds of business, the reputation of these businesses is growing more pivotal all the time. According to companies like Reputation Changer, a brand's online presentation is truly make-or-break, regardless of the industry in question.

Reputation Changer has responded to the new consumer study with a press statement. "What this study shows is that the Internet is foundational for determining whether a business fails or succeeds," says the company's Chief Executive Officer, Cliff Stein. "Consumers are looking to the Web to ascertain whether a business is worth their time and their hard-earned money—and that's true across the board. Whether you are the manager of a dental practice or the owner of a restaurant, you owe it to yourself to make online reputation a priority."

Stein notes that, when a company's online reputation is less than stellar, the consequences can be dire. "This study makes it clear that a business' online marketing endeavors are defined not by the strength of the SEO or the quality of the Web design, but by the kinds of content that a Google search retrieves," he remarks. "If a consumer searches for the name of a company and only finds positive feedback and great reviews, then that business is in good shape—but, as the Business 2 Community article makes clear, this is not always the case."

The article makes note that many companies are associated with highly negative reviews—including devastating phrases like "would not recommend" and "will never use again." It is for the companies with these reviews that Stein says online reputation can prove deeply damaging.

The Reputation Changer CEO explains how ruinous the results of bad reviews or consumer complaints can be, for businesses in any vertical. "Because so many consumers are using the Internet to make their purchasing decisions, a negative online reputation can directly lead to decreased sales and lost customers," Stein says. "This is especially true when competitor companies and rival brands have very good online reputations, but yours is dismal." Stein goes on to observe that bad reviews and negative online listings can also yield higher rates of refund requests and chargebacks.

He also says that these bad reviews and negative listings can happen to any company. While many business owners maintain the belief that they will not be subjected to online defamation so long as their products and services are above reproach, Stein says this is not entirely accurate. "Bad reviews and unwanted listings can come from any source," he cautions. "At Reputation Changer, we have seen these bad reviews and unwanted listings come from business rivals and from employees who are frustrated and unhappy."

The positive news, according to Stein, is that companies like Reputation Changer can help businesses repair their image and also ward off further attacks. Reputation Changer, an industry-leading reputation defense firm, has assisted individual and corporate clients alike, including both small businesses and Fortune 500 brands.

"We cannot prevent people from posting bad things about a company, but we can work to prevent those comments and reviews from becoming too damaging," Stein concludes. "We can help companies suppress the listings they do not wish to be seen, and enhance the listings that cause the brand to shine."

ABOUT:

Reputation Changer is the world's #1 reputation defense firm. Founded in 2009, the company is devoted to helping businesses and individuals control and manage the way they are presented on the Internet. The company employs a team of seasoned Internet sales and marketing professionals, including content writers, account executives, and SEO technicians. Reputation Changer has provided its services to companies from a multitude of different industries, as well as to private citizens and even political officials.

Cliff Stein
Reputation Changer LLC
39 West Gay Street
West Chester, PA 19380
800-269-7984
[email protected]

SOURCE Reputation Changer LLC