Pizza Marketplace recently posted an infographic from websitebuilder.com about Online Reviews and online reputation management.

The undeniable truth is this: Online reviews really can make or break your business. Are you managing  your online reputation on a daily and weekly basis? Here’s why you should.

• Consumer reviews are trusted nearly 12x more than information from a company
• Reviews contribute 10% to Google SERPs (Search Engine Results Page)
• For every boost in a star a business gets, there will be a 5-9% increase in revenue
• 86% of people will hesitate to purchase from a company that has negative reviews.
• 61% of consumers have read online reviews about a restaurant
• 77.9% of consumers think other travelers’ online reviews are extremely or very important for deciding where to stay

Top industries impacted by online reviews

To be completely honest, all industries are impacted by online reviews. There is no local business, for example, that would not benefit from online reviews (if they have an online presence) and there is no online service provider with a website that would not benefit from a quality review profile.

• Doctors’ offices / Hospitals
• Hotels / Travel
• Restaurants
• Hair Salons
• Jobs

Impact of Reviews on Online Reputation

According to the study, when a business responds to a negative review on social media and online ratings sites, a third of customers either deleted their original negative review or replaced it with a positive one. Many went on to become loyal customers, making future purchases.

No matter your industry, there are multiple sites where people can and DO leave reviews. Purplegator has a product called Gator Local that helps you to manage your reviews on many platforms. Gator Local allows you to take action: thank people for positive reviews and to handle negative reviews quickly.