Whether or not we have a positive experience in our dealings with a business, we all talk about it afterward. If the business “wowed” us, we tell people, and if they wronged us, we tell even more (until we feel better anyway). Google recognizes this and has changed their algorithm to reflect it accordingly.

Why does that matter? Well, Google has always maintained that their primary mantra is about relevance. When you type in a keyword, they strive to bring you the most relevant search results possible. With the Google map listings, a factor of relevance is how many online reviews the business has. Therein lies the need for the business to set up a system to collect reviews.

But, here's where the liabilities come in. There are plenty of systems out there that will post reviews for a business by proxy (i.e. you collect the reviews, and we'll post them). The problem with that is that it's against FTC rules. Sure, the FTC isn't running around enforcing compliance right now...RIGHT NOW! But, that could change any day, and the penalty for EACH review posted can run as much as $100,000. That could easily tank a business overnight. It's a risk no one can afford.

Here's why online reviews matter:

-More than 70% of browsers check out online reviews before making purchasing decisions

-92% of buyers have more confidence in information found online than they do in anything a salesclerk or other source

-7 out of 10 people who read online reviews share them with friends and colleagues.

It's official. Online reviews matter to businesses today. If you’re looking for a system that’s FTC compliant to use to collect reviews, check out www.firstwatchmanager.com. This system funnels negative reviews to the business owner for service recovery and sends the positive reviews online pushing down any negative reviews that may already be there. As the number of reviews increases, the Google map listing can begin to move toward the top which improves the visibility of the business since people want to do business with a company that has positive reviews. The system generates leads as it mitigates negative online reviews.

First Watch Manager is an affordable way to increase leads, improve the visibility of your business in search results and protect your business from negative online reviews. Take the demo today at www.demo.firstwatchmanager.com.