The Ultimate Guide to Business Listing Management for Dealers: Boost Your Digital Marketing Success

August 3, 2023

by Bridget Winfrey with No Comment Business Listings Digital Marketing Local Marketing Marketing Automation

Dealerships are presented with immense opportunities to reach and engage with their target audience like never before. The significance of digital marketing for dealers cannot be understated, as it opens doors to a vast pool of potential customers actively seeking lawnmower, tractors and other outdoor power equipment online. However, in the vast sea of digital marketing strategies, one aspect often overlooked yet crucial for success is effective business listing management.

Imagine your dealership being readily accessible to eager customers, precisely when they need you the most. That’s the power of business listings – the virtual storefronts that put your dealership on the digital map. In this blog post, we embark on a journey to unravel the concept of business listings and understand their indispensable role in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Business listings are the pillars that support local search visibility, online reputation, and customer trust. Whether it’s through platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Bing Places, these listings not only provide essential information about your dealership but also pave the way for potential customers to find you effortlessly.

Today, we shine a spotlight on the pivotal importance of business listing management for dealerships. We delve into the benefits of having accurate and consistent business information across the digital realm and explore how it can amplify your dealership’s online presence and growth.

Join us as we unravel the secrets to gaining more business listings, optimizing their potential, and efficiently managing them to boost your dealership’s success in the competitive online marketplace. Let’s dive in and unlock the power of business listing management for your dealership’s digital marketing triumph!

Understanding Business Listings

Name: Dealers Digital
Address: 1780 Starshoot Parkway, Suite 170-111, Lexington, Kentucky, 40509, United States
Telephone: +1-859-800-7005

In the vast expanse of the digital landscape, business listings stand tall as indispensable tools for dealerships seeking to establish a strong online presence. Let’s delve into the core aspects of business listings and their far-reaching impact on your dealership’s digital marketing endeavors.

Definition of Business Listings and their Types

Business listings, simply put, are virtual listings of your dealership on online platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, Bing Places, and a myriad of other directories. They serve as digital storefronts, providing essential information about your business to potential customers, including your dealership’s name, address, phone number (NAP), operating hours, website URL, and more.

Different types of business listings platforms cater to various audiences and industries. Google Business Profile, as the most prominent player, is essential for local search visibility and often appears on the top right of Google search results pages. Yelp, on the other hand, specializes in customer reviews and recommendations, while Bing Places caters to Microsoft’s search engine users.

Importance of Accurate and Consistent Business Information

Accuracy and consistency are paramount. When potential customers search for your dealership online, they expect reliable and up-to-date information. Inaccurate or conflicting details across various platforms can lead to confusion and erode customer trust.

Maintaining consistent NAP information, along with other crucial details, not only instills confidence in your dealership but also helps search engines understand and verify your business data. This, in turn, contributes to better search rankings and improved online visibility.

Impact of Business Listings on Local Search Visibility and SEO Rankings

The impact of business listings on local search visibility cannot be underestimated. These listings significantly influence local search results, especially in “near me” searches, where search engines prioritize geographically relevant businesses.

Having your dealership listed accurately and consistently across multiple platforms signals to search engines that your business is legitimate and trustworthy, which can lead to higher rankings on local search results pages. Moreover, a well-optimized business listing can also enhance your website’s overall SEO performance.

Benefits of Having an Optimized Business Listing

An optimized business listing can be a game-changer for your dealership, unlocking an array of benefits that directly contribute to your digital marketing success. Some of these benefits include:

Increased Online Visibility: An optimized business listing ensures your dealership appears in local search results, putting you in front of potential customers at precisely the moment they are actively seeking outdoor power equipment solutions.

Enhanced Customer Trust: Consistent and accurate business information fosters trust among your target audience, increasing the likelihood of them choosing your dealership over competitors.

Positive User Experience: Business listings provide customers with all the essential details they need, such as operating hours, contact information, and directions, leading to a seamless user experience.

Better Online Reputation: A well-managed listing encourages customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials, bolstering your dealership’s online reputation and credibility.

Increased Website Traffic: Optimized business listings often include a link to your website, driving more traffic and potential leads to your dealership’s online platform.

Harnessing the potential of an optimized business listing can give your dealership a powerful edge, ensuring you stand out and thrive in the digital landscape.

Why Business Listings Matter for Dealers

Business listings play a pivotal role in shaping the success of dealerships. Let’s delve deeper into the specific reasons why business listings matter so much and how they contribute to the growth and prosperity of your dealership’s digital marketing efforts.

Enhancing Local Visibility and Attracting Nearby Customers

For dealerships, attracting local customers is of utmost importance. When potential customers search for lawnmower and tractor solutions in their vicinity, having a well-optimized business listing ensures your dealership is prominently displayed in local search results.

By leveraging location-based keywords, accurate NAP information, and relevant categories and attributes, your dealership becomes more visible to potential customers in your area. This increased local visibility can significantly boost foot traffic to your physical location and drive qualified leads to your website.

Establishing Trust and Credibility with Potential Clients

Establishing trust and credibility is essential for earning the confidence of potential clients. A well-maintained business listing with consistent and accurate information builds a sense of reliability and authenticity.

When customers find your dealership listed on reputable platforms with positive reviews and comprehensive information, they are more likely to view your business as trustworthy. This trust factor can be the tipping point that turns potential customers into loyal patrons.

Increasing Online and Offline Traffic to the Dealership

The ultimate goal of any dealership’s digital marketing efforts is to drive both online and offline traffic. An optimized business listing serves as a powerful magnet, attracting customers to your dealership through multiple channels.

Online traffic is directed to your website, where potential customers can explore your inventory, learn about your services, and make inquiries. Simultaneously, offline traffic is drawn to your physical location, bringing in potential customers who are ready to make on-the-spot purchases or test drives.

Leveraging Business Listings for Positive Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Positive customer reviews and testimonials are potent tools for enhancing your dealership’s reputation and influence. Business listings serve as a platform for customers to share their experiences, and when these reviews are positive, they become invaluable assets for your dealership.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback on your business listings, as positive reviews not only attract new customers but also signal to search engines that your dealership is worthy of higher rankings. Moreover, proactive responses to customer reviews, especially addressing any concerns or negative feedback, demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Business listings are far more than mere digital directories; they are a gateway to local visibility, customer trust, increased traffic, and positive reputation. As dealerships embrace the power of business listing management, they position themselves for digital marketing success, paving the way for sustained growth in the competitive landscape. In the next section, we will explore the key components of effective business listings, equipping you with the knowledge to optimize and excel in this crucial aspect of your dealership’s online presence.

The Key Components of Effective Business Listings

An optimized business listing is the foundation of successful business listing management. To make the most out of these virtual storefronts, dealerships need to focus on specific key components that ensure accuracy, relevance, and user engagement. Let’s explore these essential elements to create an effective business listing that captures the attention of potential customers and enhances your dealership’s online presence.

NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number)

Consistency is key when it comes to NAP information. Ensure that your dealership’s name, address, and phone number are accurate and consistent across all business listing platforms. Even minor discrepancies can confuse search engines and potential customers, potentially harming your local search rankings and customer trust.

Standardize your dealership’s name, address, and phone number, and verify the information on all major listing platforms. Additionally, if your dealership has multiple locations, create separate listings for each with specific NAP details for each location.

Business Description and Keywords Optimization

Your business description is an opportunity to showcase your dealership’s unique selling propositions and highlight the key services you offer. Craft a compelling and concise business description that accurately represents your brand and resonates with your target audience.

Integrate relevant keywords naturally into your business description to improve search engine visibility. Use location-based keywords to target local customers effectively. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact the user experience and search rankings.

Images and Multimedia Elements to Showcase Products and Services

Visual content has a powerful impact on potential customers. Leverage high-quality images and multimedia elements to showcase your dealership’s products, services, and facilities. Engaging visuals can create a strong emotional connection with customers and prompt them to take action.

Include images of your inventory, dealership premises, team members, and any special events or promotions. Videos and virtual tours can also provide a more immersive experience for customers, boosting their confidence in your dealership.

Operating Hours, Website URL, and Other Essential Contact Details

Ensure that your business listing provides accurate and up-to-date operating hours. Potential customers are more likely to visit or contact your dealership if they have clear information about when you’re open for business.

Include your dealership’s website URL in the listing to direct traffic to your official website, where customers can find more information about your offerings. Additionally, provide other essential contact details, such as email addresses and social media profiles, to facilitate communication and engagement with your dealership.

Categories and Attributes Selection for Improved Search Relevancy

Selecting appropriate categories and attributes for your business listing enhances its relevance in search results. Choose categories that accurately represent the nature of your dealership’s services and offerings. This ensures that your listing appears in relevant searches and attracts the right audience.

Use attributes to provide additional information about your dealership, such as whether you offer financing options, accept trade-ins, or have multilingual staff. These details help potential customers make informed decisions and choose your dealership over competitors.

Incorporating these key components into your business listing lays a solid foundation for effective business listing management. A well-optimized listing not only enhances your dealership’s online visibility but also establishes trust with potential customers, making them more likely to choose your dealership for their outdoor power equipment needs. In the next section, we will delve into the strategies to gain more business listings and effectively manage them to maximize your digital marketing success.

Strategies to Gain More Business Listings

A strong digital presence is a cornerstone for dealership success in the competitive landscape. To expand your dealership’s online reach and attract potential customers, it is essential to employ effective strategies for gaining more business listings. Let’s explore five proven approaches to amplify your dealership’s visibility and authority across various listing platforms.

Claim and Verify Your Business on Major Listing Platforms

The first step towards gaining more business listings is to claim and verify your dealership on major listing platforms. Start with giants like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing Places, as they have a significant impact on local search visibility.

Claiming your business involves proving that you are the rightful owner of the dealership. The verification process may vary, but it often includes receiving a postcard or phone call with a verification code. Once verified, you gain control over your listing, allowing you to optimize it with accurate information and engaging content.

Identify and Target Niche-Specific Listing Sites

While major listing platforms are essential, niche-specific listing sites can further boost your dealership’s online presence within targeted audiences. Look for directories, forums, and websites that focus specifically on the industry.

Explore local directories, car enthusiasts’ forums, and directories to find platforms that cater to your specific market. Listing your dealership on these platforms can attract customers who are highly interested in outdoor power equipment solutions, leading to more qualified leads and conversions.

Encourage Satisfied Customers to Leave Positive Reviews

Positive reviews are powerful social proof that can sway potential customers in your favor. Encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback on your business listings, particularly on platforms like Google Business Profile and Yelp.

Customer reviews not only influence other customers’ decisions but also impact your dealership’s search rankings. Engage with customers who leave reviews, thank them for their feedback, and address any concerns they may have promptly. Demonstrating responsiveness and gratitude enhances your dealership’s reputation and fosters customer loyalty.

Utilize Local Citations to Boost Your Business’s Online Presence

Local citations are online mentions of your dealership’s NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) on various platforms, including local directories, social media, and review sites. Consistent and accurate local citations strengthen your dealership’s local SEO and bolster online visibility.

Ensure that your NAP information is consistent across all listings to avoid any discrepancies that could negatively impact your search rankings. You can use citation management tools to streamline the process and monitor your citations across the web effectively.

Collaborate with Local Influencers and Organizations

Leverage the power of local influencers and organizations to expand your dealership’s reach in the community. Identify influential local bloggers, social media personalities, and community organizations that align with your dealership’s brand and values.

Partner with these influencers and organizations to co-promote events, campaigns, or initiatives. Their endorsement can introduce your dealership to new audiences and build trust among potential customers. Consider sponsoring local events or collaborating on charity drives to further strengthen your dealership’s ties with the community.

By implementing these strategies, your dealership can gain a strong foothold on various business listing platforms and connect with potential customers more effectively. Emphasizing the importance of business listing management ensures that your dealership is well-positioned to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape, attracting more customers and accelerating your digital marketing success. In the next section, we will explore the best practices for managing your business listings efficiently to maximize their impact.

Business Listing Management Best Practices

Effective business listing management is vital for dealerships to maintain a strong online presence and make a lasting impression on potential customers. To harness the full potential of business listings, it’s essential to adopt best practices that ensure accuracy, engagement, and positive customer experiences. Let’s explore five essential business listing management practices that will elevate your dealership’s digital marketing efforts.

Monitoring and Responding to Customer Reviews and Feedback

Customer reviews hold significant influence over the perception of your dealership. Regularly monitor your business listings for customer reviews and feedback and respond to them promptly and professionally.

Express gratitude to customers who leave positive reviews, acknowledging their satisfaction and support. For negative reviews, approach the situation with empathy and a willingness to resolve any issues. Publicly addressing concerns and offering solutions demonstrates your dealership’s commitment to customer satisfaction and builds trust with potential customers.

Regularly Updating Business Information to Maintain Accuracy

Keeping your business information up to date is vital to avoid any confusion or frustration among potential customers. Regularly review your business listings and ensure that all details, including NAP information, operating hours, and contact details, are accurate and consistent.

Any changes, such as holiday hours, special promotions, or new services, should be promptly reflected in your listings. Accuracy in business information enhances customer experience and reflects positively on your dealership’s professionalism.

Utilizing Analytics to Track Listing Performance and User Interactions

Leverage the power of analytics to gain valuable insights into your business listings’ performance. Many listing platforms offer analytics tools that provide data on search impressions, clicks, and user interactions.

Analyze these metrics to understand which listings are performing well and attracting the most engagement. Use this information to optimize your business listings further, identify areas for improvement, and tailor your digital marketing strategies accordingly.

Implementing Schema Markup to Enhance Search Engine Visibility

Schema markup is a structured data format that provides search engines with specific information about your dealership, such as the type of business, location, and operating hours. Implementing schema markup on your website can enhance search engine visibility and potentially lead to featured snippets or other rich search results.

Schema markup helps search engines better understand your dealership’s content, which can result in more accurate and relevant search results for potential customers. Consult with your web developer or utilize tools to implement schema markup effectively.

Adopting a Proactive Approach to Address Negative Reviews and Concerns

Negative reviews are inevitable, but how you handle them can significantly impact your dealership’s reputation. Rather than avoiding negative feedback, adopt a proactive approach to address and resolve customer concerns.

Respond promptly to negative reviews with a genuine willingness to address the issues raised. Offer solutions, invite further communication offline, and take necessary steps to rectify any problems. Demonstrating a customer-centric approach shows potential customers that you value their opinions and are committed to providing excellent service.

By adhering to these business listing management best practices, your dealership can establish itself as a reliable and customer-oriented entity in the digital landscape. Embrace the power of business listing management to create a lasting impression on potential customers, nurture positive relationships, and drive sustained growth in the competitive outdoor power equipment market.

Tools and Platforms for Efficient Business Listing Management

Efficient business listing management requires the right tools and platforms to streamline the process and ensure consistency and accuracy across various listings. Let’s explore the key tools and software available for managing your dealership’s business listings effectively.

Overview of Popular Listing Management Tools and Software

Google Business Profile (GBP): As one of the most influential listing platforms, GBP offers a user-friendly dashboard to manage your dealership’s information on Google Maps and search results. It allows you to update business details, respond to reviews, and track performance metrics.

Yelp for Business: Yelp provides a platform for dealerships to claim and optimize their business listings, respond to reviews, and engage with customers. It offers analytics and insights to track user interactions.

BrightLocal: BrightLocal is a comprehensive local SEO tool that offers listing management features, including citation tracking, duplicate suppression, and review monitoring. It streamlines the process of managing multiple listings across different platforms.

Moz Local: Moz Local assists in managing your dealership’s business listings across various platforms, ensuring NAP consistency and accurate information. It provides data on listing performance and local search rankings.

Synup: Synup is a listing management tool that allows you to monitor and update your business information on multiple directories, ensuring consistency and improving local search visibility.

Comparison of Features, Pricing, and Ease of Use

When selecting a listing management tool or platform for your dealership, consider the following factors:

Features: Look for tools that offer comprehensive features such as NAP consistency checks, review monitoring, analytics, citation management, and schema markup implementation.

Pricing: Consider the cost of the tool or platform and compare it with the features offered. Some tools may have tiered pricing based on the number of locations or features needed.

Ease of Use: Choose a user-friendly tool with an intuitive interface that makes it easy for you or your team to manage listings efficiently.

Integration: Ensure the tool can integrate with your existing digital marketing and analytics tools for a seamless workflow.

Tips for Selecting the Right Tool for Your Dealership’s Needs

Identify Your Requirements: Assess your dealership’s specific needs and objectives for business listing management. Determine which features are crucial for your digital marketing strategy.

Read Reviews and Case Studies: Research customer reviews and case studies of different tools to understand real-life experiences and successes.

Trial Periods: Take advantage of trial periods offered by some tools to test their functionalities and determine if they meet your dealership’s requirements.

Scalability: Consider whether the tool can accommodate your dealership’s growth and the management of multiple locations if applicable.

Customer Support: Ensure the tool provides reliable customer support, as prompt assistance can be critical in managing any potential issues that may arise.

By leveraging the right tools and platforms for efficient business listing management, your dealership can save time, maintain accuracy, and maximize the impact of your listings. Investing in these tools is an investment in the overall success of your dealership’s digital marketing efforts.

Unleashing the Power of Business Listing Management for Dealerships

Throughout this comprehensive guide, we have explored the dynamic world of business listings and their profound impact on dealerships’ digital marketing success. From understanding the essence of business listings to gaining more of them and efficiently managing their potential, we’ve uncovered the keys to elevating your dealership’s online presence and customer engagement. As we come to the end of our journey, let’s reflect on the significance of business listings and the transformative role of business listing management in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Business listings are not mere virtual listings; they are the gateways to local visibility, customer trust, and online reputation. Embracing business listings enables your dealership to reach potential customers right when they need you, positioning you at the forefront of local search results. Accurate and consistent business information builds credibility, instilling confidence in potential clients seeking outdoor power equipment solutions. These listings serve as virtual storefronts, inviting customers to explore your dealership’s offerings, experience your brand, and connect with your team.

Business listing management is the catalyst that propels dealerships towards digital marketing triumph. By implementing best practices and utilizing effective tools, you can maintain accurate and engaging listings that resonate with your target audience. Timely responses to customer feedback demonstrate a customer-centric approach, solidifying your reputation as a dealership that cares about its clientele. Tracking listing performance through analytics empowers data-driven decisions, ensuring your marketing strategies continually evolve and adapt to meet customer expectations.

Armed with the knowledge and strategies presented in this guide, you are now equipped to supercharge your dealership’s digital marketing success through business listing management. Embrace the power of claiming and verifying your presence on major platforms, reaching niche-specific audiences, and encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Harness the potential of local citations, collaborate with local influencers, and adopt a proactive approach in addressing customer concerns. Moreover, leverage powerful listing management tools to streamline your efforts, ensuring consistency, and accuracy across multiple platforms.

Implementing these strategies and best practices is not only an investment in your dealership’s online visibility but also an invitation for customers to embark on an exceptional outdoor power equipment journey with you.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, your dealership’s success hinges on adaptability and the ability to connect with customers where they are. Business listings offer the gateway to that connection, bridging the gap between your dealership and potential customers seeking excellence.

So, let us embrace the power of business listing management and unlock the full potential of your dealership’s digital marketing endeavors. By integrating these practices into your strategy, you can position your dealership for growth, customer loyalty, and lasting success in the fiercely competitive market. May your journey be guided by innovation, authenticity, and a relentless commitment to customer satisfaction.

Let’s embark on this transformative journey together, driving your dealership towards new horizons of digital marketing success. Happy business listing management!

Streamlining Your Online Listings with Business Listing Management

February 16, 2023

by Bridget Winfrey with No Comment Business Listings

Business listing management involves managing the online listings of a business across various directories, search engines, social media platforms and other online directories. This also includes ensuring the accuracy and consistency of business information like the name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and other relevant details.

For lawnmower and tractor dealerships, business listing management is essential because it helps to improve their local visibility and search engine rankings. By managing their listings effectively, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can ensure that their business information is accurate and up to date across all online directories and platforms. This makes it easier for potential customers to find them online and helps them stand out from their competitors.

Effective business listing management can also attract more customers and drive sales for lawnmower and tractor dealerships. By optimizing their listings for search engines and encouraging customer reviews, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can build trust and credibility with their target audience, which can ultimately lead to more business and revenue.

What is Business Listing Management?

Business listings are online directories that display information about a business, such as its name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and other relevant details. Examples of business listings include Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, and Yellow Pages.

Business listing management involves the process of managing and optimizing a business’s online listings across various directories, search engines, social media platforms, and other online directories. This includes ensuring that the business information is accurate, complete, and consistent across all platforms.

The process of business listing management can involve various tasks, such as claiming and verifying business listings, optimizing listings for search engines, using relevant keywords and categories, responding to customer reviews, and monitoring listings for accuracy and consistency.

Effective business listing management is important for several reasons:

Improved online visibility: When a business’s information is accurate and up to date across all directories, search engines, and social media platforms, it becomes easier for potential customers to find them online. This can improve the business’s online visibility and make it easier for customers to discover their products or services.
Increased credibility and trust: Accurate and consistent business information across multiple directories and platforms can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. This can increase the likelihood that they will choose to do business with the company.
Higher search engine rankings: When a business’s online listings are optimized for search engines, it can improve their search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find them online.

Importance of Business Listing Management for Lawnmower and Tractor Dealerships

Lawnmower and tractor dealerships cater to customers who are looking for specific products and services related to lawn maintenance, landscaping, and agriculture. These customers are typically local or regional, and often conduct research online to find the products or services they need.

Effective business listing management can improve the local visibility and search engine rankings for lawnmower and tractor dealerships. When a lawnmower and tractor dealership’s business information is accurate and consistent across all online directories, search engines are more likely to display the business in search results for relevant queries. Additionally, many search engines and directories prioritize businesses with complete and accurate information in their rankings. By managing their listings effectively, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find them online.

Effective business listing management can attract more customers and drive sales for lawnmower and tractor dealerships in several ways:

Increased visibility: When a lawnmower and tractor dealership’s business information is accurate and consistent across multiple online directories, it can improve their visibility and make it easier for potential customers to discover them online. This can lead to more website traffic and ultimately more sales.
Trust and credibility: Accurate and complete business information across multiple directories and platforms can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. When a business appears in multiple directories with consistent information, it can help reinforce the message that the business is legitimate and trustworthy.
Improved customer experience: By managing their listings effectively, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can provide customers with a better experience. This includes providing accurate information about products and services, responding to customer reviews, and providing a consistent brand experience across all online directories.

Overall, effective business listing management is an essential component of a lawnmower and tractor dealership’s online marketing strategy. By improving their online visibility, building trust and credibility with customers, and providing a better customer experience, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can attract more customers and drive more sales.

Key Elements of Effective Business Listing Management

Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) across all listings: It’s essential to ensure that a lawnmower and tractor dealership’s NAP information is consistent across all online directories, search engines, and social media platforms. This includes ensuring that the business name, address, and phone number are accurate and consistent. Consistent NAP information can help search engines and potential customers identify and locate the business more easily.
Ensuring accuracy of business information: In addition to NAP information, it’s essential to ensure that all other business information is accurate and up-to-date. This includes information about the dealership’s products and services, hours of operation, website address, and social media profiles. Providing accurate information across all platforms helps to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
Claiming and verifying business listings: Lawnmower and tractor dealerships should claim and verify their business listings on relevant directories, search engines, and social media platforms. This can help to prevent unauthorized changes to the business information and ensures that the dealership has control over their online presence.
Encouraging customer reviews and responding to them: Encouraging customers to leave reviews and responding to those reviews is an important aspect of business listing management. Positive reviews can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers, while negative reviews can provide valuable feedback and insights into areas where the dealership can improve. Responding to customer reviews, both positive and negative, shows that the dealership values their customers and is committed to providing excellent customer service.
Using keywords and optimizing listings for search engines: Lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their search engine rankings by using relevant keywords and optimizing their listings for search engines. This includes using relevant categories and subcategories, providing detailed descriptions of products and services, and including photos and videos where possible.

By implementing these key elements of effective business listing management, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their online presence, attract more customers, and drive more sales. Consistent and accurate information, verified listings, and a focus on customer reviews and search engine optimization can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers and increase the visibility of the dealership online.

Benefits of Effective Business Listing Management for Lawnmower and Tractor Dealerships

Improved online visibility and brand recognition: Effective business listing management can help to improve a lawnmower and tractor dealership’s online visibility by ensuring that their business information is accurate and consistent across all platforms. This can help potential customers find the dealership more easily and increase brand recognition in the local community.
Increased web traffic and lead generation: By optimizing their business listings for search engines and providing accurate information, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can increase their web traffic and generate more leads. This can lead to more potential customers visiting the dealership’s website, calling or visiting the dealership in person.
Better customer engagement and trust: Effective business listing management can help to build trust and engagement with potential customers by encouraging customer reviews, responding to them, and providing accurate and consistent information. This can help to establish a positive reputation and build trust with potential customers, leading to more sales and repeat business.
Higher search engine rankings and local search performance: By using relevant keywords and optimizing their business listings for search engines, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their search engine rankings and local search performance. This can help potential customers find the dealership more easily when searching for lawnmowers, tractors, or related services in the local area.

Effective business listing management can provide lawnmower and tractor dealerships with a range of benefits, including increased online visibility, web traffic, lead generation, customer engagement, trust, and search engine rankings. By ensuring that their business information is accurate and consistent across all platforms, optimizing their listings for search engines, and encouraging customer reviews, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their online presence, attract more customers, and drive more sales.

Tips for Effective Business Listing Management

Use a centralized platform for managing listings: Using a centralized platform, like DealerAmp, for managing listings can help lawnmower and tractor dealerships to easily update and monitor their business information across multiple platforms. This can save time and ensure that their information is consistent and accurate, which can improve their online visibility and local search performance.
Regularly update and monitor listings for accuracy and consistency: Lawnmower and tractor dealerships should regularly update and monitor their business listings to ensure that their information is accurate and consistent across all platforms. This can help to improve their search engine rankings and local search performance, as well as build trust with potential customers.
Encourage customers to leave positive reviews and respond to negative ones: Encouraging customers to leave positive reviews can help to build trust with potential customers and improve the lawnmower and tractor dealership’s online reputation. It’s also important to respond to negative reviews in a professional and constructive manner, as this can help to show potential customers that the dealership cares about their customers and is willing to address any issues that arise.
Use relevant keywords and categories to optimize listings for search engines: Lawnmower and tractor dealerships should use relevant keywords and categories to optimize their business listings for search engines. This can help potential customers find the dealership more easily when searching for lawnmowers, tractors, or related services in the local area.

Using a centralized platform, regularly updating and monitoring listings, encouraging customer reviews, and optimizing listings for search engines are all important tips for effective business listing management for lawnmower and tractor dealerships. By following these tips, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can improve their online visibility, local search performance, and customer engagement, leading to more sales and repeat business.

Conclusion

Effective business listing management is a crucial aspect of building and maintaining a strong online presence for lawnmower and tractor dealerships. By managing their business listings, these dealerships can improve their online visibility, local search performance, and customer engagement.

The key elements of effective business listing management include maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) across all listings, ensuring accuracy of business information, claiming and verifying business listings, encouraging customer reviews, and optimizing listings for search engines.

The benefits of effective business listing management for lawnmower and tractor dealerships include improved online visibility and brand recognition, increased web traffic and lead generation, better customer engagement and trust, and higher search engine rankings and local search performance.

In order to improve their online presence through business listing management, lawnmower and tractor dealerships should use a centralized platform, regularly update and monitor their listings, encourage customer reviews, and optimize their listings for search engines. By following these tips, lawnmower and tractor dealerships can drive sales and build a loyal customer base.

In today’s digital age, effective business listing management is essential for lawnmower and tractor dealerships looking to stay competitive in the market. By taking the time to manage their business listings, these dealerships can build a strong online presence and connect with more customers.

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Google My Business Is Changing. Again.

January 21, 2022

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Local Marketing

This article originally appeared in OPE Business.

If you’ve been a frequent reader of this space in past issues, you know how important and powerful I think the Google My Business tool is for local businesses. In November, however, Google announced that they were doing away with Google My Business in favor of a more streamlined business management model known as Google Business Profiles. This isn’t an uncommon practice for Google as this particular product has been renamed multiple times over the years. Anyone remember Google+ or Google Places? They were just prior iterations of what will be known as Google Business Profiles going forward.

So what does this mean for business owners who had just gotten used to utilizing the Google My Business app to post updates, images and product information?

First, the Google My Business app is going away in 2022. It will be retired in favor of allowing businesses to manage their details directly from Google Maps or Google Search apps or websites. So as long as you are a signed in to your Google account and you are a manager of your business, you’ll be able to make edits on the fly from within the existing web interface itself. If you’re used to going to google.com/business to manage your business, now you can simply go to google.com and search for “my business” and you’ll be able to manage your details directly from the search results page.

One big exception to this change is that if your business has multiple locations, you’ll still be able to use the existing Google My Business website to manage those listings just as you always have. That website will become known as the Business Profile Manager and act primarily as a support hub for businesses with multiple locations.

With this update, Google has announced some additional features that should have now rolled out to all users.

New verification process
1. If you need to claim your business listing, you can now do it directly in Google Search or Google Maps, without the need to go through the Google Business Manager.
2. Some businesses will see faster methods for verifying businesses, including video verification.
Call history
1. Call history helps you keep track of phone calls from your customers on Google Search and Maps. Using call history can help businesses respond quickly to missed calls so that you don’t lose an opportunity for a sale. Plus, any call that you receive that originates from your Google Business Profile will have a short whisper message informing you that the call came from Google. This is a great way to understand just how much traffic and visibility you’re getting from your listing.
Instant messaging
1. Your customers can now message your business in real-time directly from your business profile. You can customize your automated welcome message, share photos and store your conversation history. In order to provide an optimized experience and promote trust and engagement for your customers, Google requires businesses to respond to messages within 24 hours so if that’s not a watermark you’re comfortable with, it’s best to not activate this feature for now. However, businesses that are committed to an above average customer experience and respond quickly to messages will get the benefit of users seeing messages like “Usually responds in a few minutes” directly on your Google profile. If you can commit to responding and engaging with your customers quickly, you’ll likely see more customers taking advantage of this method of communication and you’ll be first in line when they are looking for the products you sell.
Marketing kit
1. Another recent addition is the new marketing kit that allows you to create free marketing materials to promote your business. Customize and download print-ready posters, windows stickers, pre-made social posts and more. As long as you have a verified profile, you’ll have access to these materials to encourage customers to review your business or even automatically create a quick video to use on your social media channels.

Local Google search results are powered largely by how well you engage with customers and optimize your business profile. Google benefits when they can provide the best possible results for searchers and your business benefits when you take the time to utilize all of the free resources at your disposal. According to Ipsos Research, an up-to-date Google Business Profile is:

2.7x more likely to be considered reputable.
Gets 7x more clicks
Is 70% more likely to attract location visits
Is 50% more likely to lead to a purchase

All of these factors add up to make the new Google Business Profiles the single most important free tool you’ll ever utilize for your business.

Rep Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

December 1, 2021

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Local Marketing Social Media

This article originally appeared in the November edition of OPE Business.

There seems to be a never-ending deluge of marketing buzzwords that inundate business owners year after year. And every year, the next hot thing that you just HAVE to do for your business changes. So, the toughest thing for any business owner to figure out each year is whether that next hot thing is actually the next must-have to take your business to the next level. One topic I get lots of questions about is reputation management.

Over the past several years, dozens of companies have entered the landscape touting the importance of reputation management. You’ve likely even been contacted by companies that market themselves as end-to-end reputation management companies. But what is reputation management and why is it important?

At its core, reputation management is exactly what it sounds like – tools that help you manage your business’s reputation online. There are three main pillars that make up the foundation of your online reputation.

Review Generation & Monitoring
Business Listing Optimization
Website

Review Generation and Monitoring

I know every dealer has had the importance of reviews pounded into their consciousness over the past several years. And for good reason – they’re that important. Consider the following data from Qualtrics.

91% of 18–34-year-olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Customers are willing to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews.
94% of people say an online review has convinced them to avoid a business.
3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with.

The value of reviews goes beyond just driving consumer action (or inaction). Businesses with positive online reviews get more love in Google search rankings too!

One of the most frequent questions I ask is “can you remove a negative review for our business?”. Most of the time, the answer to that question is no. It is possible to flag a review with Google if you can prove that it’s not actually a review of your business, overly offensive or explicit or creates a legal concern. If you’re successful, the review can be removed, but it’s a rare occurrence.

The absolute best thing to do is respond to every review, positive or negative. When customers see an articulate response to a negative review of your business, it has been proven to create a positive impression because it shows you care enough to reach out to try and make things right.

Understanding the importance of reviews is one thing, but generating reviews at scale is where you gain real momentum and that’s where software comes in. Automating your outreach is the key to making massive gains in review generation. It’s also the quickest way to bury bad reviews. When you consider that 72% of customers will write a review if a local business asks them to, investing in review generation is a no brainer. I recommend this to every dealer I talk to.

Business Listing Optimization

Business listings play an integral role in your business’s online reputation. While reviews and social listening are more customer centric, business listing optimization is a key component of your reputation in Google’s eyes. If you recently added a new location or maybe moved from an old location, making sure your business details are accurate is extremely important for search engines and how the judge the integrity of the listing. There are hundreds of directory websites that Google uses to assess the value of your listing and you’re not going to update those manually, are you? Of course not. And even if you wanted to, many of them wouldn’t allow you to edit the listing if you tried. I recommend business listing optimization so every local business we work with because it has measurably positive effects on your local SEO efforts.

Dealership Website

I’ve mentioned in this space before that 75% of consumers admit that they judge a business’s credibility on the quality of their website design so the importance of your web presence can’t be overstated enough. While your website isn’t necessarily a tool like the review generation or business listing optimization, but I absolutely consider it to be central to the overall brand experience of the dealership.

Where the OPE industry is unique from many others is that dealers often rely heavily on OEM co-op funds for most of their advertising and typically have outside firms managing their campaigns. This means that I see many instances of dealers not being privy If you’re a heavy spender in digital media, sending traffic to an unprofessional website might actually be hurting your business. A banner ad campaign with a modest budget of $1,000/mo could drive over 10,000 visits to your website on average. That’s a lot of eyeballs to expose your poorly designed website to.

It’s an age-old phrase, but it’s never been truer than it is today. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Managing your online reputation properly means being a customer’s first thought, first interaction and first option for their sales dollar. It takes a long time to earn a positive reputation and, in the Internet age, a short time to destroy it if you don’t proactively protect your good name. Investing in reputation management can provide quality and consistent long-term ROI for your business and that makes it a must-have for your yearly marketing budget.

How Smart Dealers Can Market Themselves in an Inventory Crisis

June 11, 2021

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Search Engine Optimization

This article originally appeared in the July edition of OPE Business

Do you remember last year when the pandemic hit, how much fear swept across small retail businesses? Nobody knew how the pandemic would affect sales and ultimately their livelihoods, causing many of our dealers to pause their marketing and advertising efforts. And while COVID was certainly unkind to many small businesses, many of the dealerships we work with reported better than expected sales volumes. The smart dealers who continued to advertise in the early stages of the pandemic, reaped the benefits of being proactive in their messaging.

Fast forward to 2021 and the lasting effects of the pandemic are starting to manifest in inventory scarcity, resulting in a different type of crisis. Again faced with uncertainty, we’ve heard from many dealers who are pausing advertising programs, which is understandable if there is no inventory to sell, but the most proactive dealers can still position themselves to be top of mind when supply finally catches up with demand.

Here are three ways you can keep your dealership visible to potential customers.

Utilize Google My Business
If you’ve sat in any marketing webinar in the past two years, every dealership marketing consultant has likely driven home the importance of utilizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile and I am certainly no different. Why? Because it’s free and it’s extremely powerful. Here’s are two new features that will hep you make the most of your GMB profile:

Turn on GMB Messaging: Google recently turned on the ability for customers to message you directly from your GMB profile. Make sure you go into your GMB settings and turn on this functionality. Eliminating any friction between you and your potential customer is important, especially in this competitive space.
Add products to your profile: In 2020, Google gave businesses the ability to manually add products directly to their profiles, complete with photos and pricing information. So if a potential customer is searching for “Cub Cadet Ultima ZT1 42” and you’ve added that product to your local profile, you’ll boost your chances of being discovered for that product.

Engage Your Existing Customer List
In the OPE industry we find that dealers will spend tens of thousands of dollars per year to acquire new customers and ignore (or just take for granted) their existing customer base. According to Marketing Metrics, the probability of converting an existing customer is between 60 – 70%, but the probability of converting a new prospect is only between 5 – 20%.

The way our industry is structured, especially with how co-op ad dollars from OEMs work, the majority of our focus tends to be on new customer acquisition. And while acquisition is extremely important, think about where your business really makes its money and its margins. Most would say it’s in service and repeat purchases.

Every dealership has a customer list, but do you have contact information for your customers? An email address? A cell phone number? Maybe buried in your DMS somewhere? Smart dealers can take control of their data but utilizing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management). If you don’t have a CRM or a DMS capable of exporting your customer list, making this a priority for the second half of 2021 is a good move. When coupled with an email marketing and text automation tool, creating and maintaining a robust CRM pays dividends multiple times over by allowing you to communicate with existing customers in real time, informing them of service promotions or other incentives. And if you DO happen to have good inventory on a particular model, you may be in a unique position to sell quickly to a captive audience.

Once you have a system in place to capture and nurture those contacts, consider driving more people to sign up to join your list. Be creative by creating a “wait list” for customers to sign up to be informed when new inventory arrives you can have them sold by the time they hit the floor.

Don’t Stop Spending
If you decide to completely stop your advertising programs during slow times, remember that there is always a competitor out there who is maintaining some level of spend to make sure that their name is the first one found when customers are searching. You should definitely cut down your ad programs from your usual peak spending highs, but make sure you maintain a presence to keep your dealership in the spotlight. You can stop video ads, banner ads and even social ads during this time, but consider keeping some budget in the Google network, either utilizing Search ads or Local ads. These ad types appear when someone is specifically searching for you or products you provide so this tactic allows you to be present when a potential customer is showing some intent to find you. Best of all, if they don’t click, you don’t pay.

It is important to spend any “down time” preparing for when inventory starts to arrive because this forced shift in seasons won’t last forever. If you are proactive now, you won’t be scrambling to move late-arriving inventory before selling season is completely over.

Promote Local Inventory for Free

October 26, 2020

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Local Marketing

Promote Local Inventory with Google Merchant Center

While physical stores are now open, many folks have moved their shopping to digital channels. Online stores are seeing a huge surge in online buying behavior, and even brick and mortar stores are more likely to have orders placed over the phone or on their site after seeing an ad.

With millions of searches coming through Google each day, businesses have what customers are looking for in stock, they just need to connect with those customers. Merchants just need to get the word out about what they have in their stores.

Google noticed this trend, and opened up the Shopping section of their Merchant Center. They announced in a recent article that they’re aiming to make it free for Merchants to share stock on Google. Retailers can now upload products directly to their Google My Business, promoting inventory and specific models they currently have in stock.

Local Stock Becomes Free Advertising

While Google My Business is usually used as a free listing to let customers find driving directions, contact a business, or learn their hours, this new change means businesses can also push local product options to nearby customers without paying extra for online advertising.

To put it simply, if someone searches for “Cub Cadet Ultima Lawn Mowers in Lexington” then a local business like Central Equipment, who sells Cub Cadet mowers in Lexington, can have their individual mower listings show up in that Google search along with their store’s location. Since that person is searching for Cub Cadet Ultima mowers, Central can show them specific Ultima models, and show ‘In Stock!’ at their local store using Google’s Merchant Center.

Lawn mowers are a pretty expensive ticket item for most folks, so seeing that a specific model is in-stock to physically check out and test at a local store makes it more attractive than just shopping online. After all, many Outdoor Power Equipment dealership websites act like a catalog, showing all the possible items rather the ones they have in-store.

Here’s an example of what product in the Merchant Center Local Inventory Feed looks like.

You can see individual models of shovels, their price, and whether they’re comfortably in stock or the current stock is limited.

This is especially useful for hot items during peak season sales – one store may be out of stock, but you can advertise that you DO have stock of it.

It may be winter now, but this is an excellent time to get this system set up and become accustomed to it before the real rush hits.

If you want to learn more about how you can upload products into Google’s Merchant Center, or if you want us to take care of it for you – feel free to reach out! Dealers Digital offers Business Listing Management services.

Importance of Local Review Generation

September 28, 2020

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Digital Marketing

Review Generation is the process of gathering (hopefully positive) customer reviews for your business. Whether it’s about a great product selection, or a stellar customer service experience – you want folks to share what you’ve got.

Testimonials in local directories means people are voluntarily offering the most valuable form of marketing there is – word of mouth. As reviews stack up, your business looks more and more reputable, and new customers will be more likely to give it a chance.

Especially when customers had a bad experience with a previous dealer, seeing good reviews at your location can tempt them away from the competition.

Benefits of Review Generation:

70% of consumers trust personal reviews as much as professional reviews
Positive Reviews attract more customers
Good recent reviews can counteract bad ones left by unhappy past customers. One or two bad reviews in a sea of good reviews tells new customers that a bad experience is unlikely.
Positive reviews encourage clickthroughs. While search users tend to be less likely to click on sites they’ve never visited before, positive reviews lure them in with a promise of good results.
4-5 star businesses are given priority by Google and all other search engines. In other words, if you want to rank highly in SEO, you’ve gotta rank highly in people’s reviews. It’s absolutely vital.

Google itself has officially confirmed the importance of reviews in local search.

“Interact with customers by responding to reviews that they leave about your business. Responding to reviews shows that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business. High-quality, positive reviews from your customers will improve your business’s visibility and increase the likelihood that a potential customer will visit your location. Encourage customers to leave feedback by creating a link they can click to write reviews.”

With all these reasons, it’s clear you need to be proactive about acquiring positive new reviews for your business. It helps build trust in your brand, majorly improves your organic SEO, and has a strong connection to your public image,

Your review generation plan needs to be practical, timely, and effective for a range of different reviewer types and customer happiness.

In a recent Online Reputation Management Survey, While 87% of respondents classed reputation management as being very important to their business, just 17% of their time is actually spent on reputation management tasks.

With such a strong importance placed on positive reviews and online reputation, why are so many small businesses putting forth such a small effort to manage their reputation?

Maybe it’s confusing. Maybe it seems like a lot of work. Maybe they haven’t made the time, or simply don’t HAVE enough time.

Generating reviews is a time-consuming project, after all.

However, it’s one that is deeply worthwhile.

If you have questions about review generation or you want to schedule a demo of the Review Generation and Management services we offer, please feel free to contact us directly. We’re happy to answer any and all questions.

6 Reasons Your Dealership’s Business Listing Needs to Be Accurate

February 25, 2020

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Digital Marketing Local Marketing

The Importance Of Business Listings

As a business, how likely is it that potential customers will come through your door if there’s no way for them to know if you exist?
The whole point of an online presence and digital business listings is to entice customers into your showroom so you can convert them to paying customers rather than just browsers online. Anything else is just a waste of time.

Nothing is more frustrating as a customer than finding out that you have been given the wrong information about where a business is located. As a customer, how likely are you to give this company your business? Not very. In fact, according to Placeable, 73% of consumers stated that they lose trust in a brand when the online listing shows incorrect information.

1. Missing hours of operation information can be a dealbreaker

There are many things that people look for in listings, whether they are looking at that search engine on a PC or on a mobile device. The top piece of information that most people look for is the hours of operation, especially with mobile searchers who are highly likely to visit a business within 24 hours of searching..

In fact, in a study conducted by local data aggregator Localeze, hours of operation were noted as the most helpful feature in selecting a business during local search. 76% of respondent reporting that they expect this information when searching and 61% believe that it is a feature that helps them to select a business.

Even if people are new to your dealership, it doesn’t give people a good impression if the business hours are not listed and they don’t know that it’s only open from 11 a.m-6p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Imagine that potential customer who is ready to spend their money on a fancy new zero-turn mower, but shows up on Monday at noon only to find it closed. That customer is likely going to do another search on a mobile phone to find a different store and spend their money there.

2.You can’t spell NAP data (and score a citation) without an A(ddress)

While most people would assume that the number one reason people do a search online is for the address or location of a business, the address is actually behind hours of operation as the second most desired information. But, of course, the whole point of being in business is to make money doing what you love or selling what you love. And that happens by attracting foot traffic and increasing customer base.

It bears repeating that if a business address is incorrect on listing sites such as Google or Bing, then customers will not be crossing the threshold. A simple thing such as the wrong number on a street address, or even the wrong town, can mean that a customer cannot find you. The US Postal Service relies on a complex system of checks to verify and standardize addresses, and many of the search engines will default to the USPS for correct mailing addresses.

What this means for the average dealership is that unless a business is in an established location, getting the correct address on their listing means that both the address from City Hall and the information on USPS must be consistent. If USPS doesn’t recognize that address, then a business owner must contact them to verify their new address and get that information updated on USPS’s online database.

3. Local searchers are mobile creatures

According to Localeze, mobile-phone-based searches drive in-store purchases with more than 75% of searches ending in a purchase—if a business has their listing details correct. Now if half of the people searching for a business listing on a local search engine, such as Google Local/Maps, can’t find the store’s business listing details, then the business is going to lose 100% of their business.

For ease of use for potential customers, some of those details need to be as readily available as possible in a mobile-friendly manner. This can be accomplished with a responsive website that supports cellphone and tablet-specific versions. Is your website responsive? We can help.

4. Updated, accurate websites still serve as a first impression

At the same time, more than 60% of searches on PC platforms have a similar chance of ending in a purchase. While mobile searches are becoming more of a standard in where a customer searches, you can’t discount the power of a consistent and accurate listing that is reflective of the business website.

Any listing should be linked to the business’s website and feature the exact same information, but more of it. While a website should be enough to entice a customer to visit or buy, if those inconsistencies exist, then trust issues may arise in a business’s practices before a customer ever crosses their threshold.

5. Local searchers mix it up across multiple devices, situations and times

People who search for listings are doing it in many more ways than when the Internet first coalesced into existence about two decades ago. In that time, we went from working on desktops to laptops to PDAs to Blackberries to Apples to tablets—and in each iteration, the methods of search have changed.

However, that has slowed over the last five years or so as web developers realize that they need to be smarter. Rather than designing three different sites for three different platforms, they have created websites that are scalable to the search device. And that has been helped along by the proliferation of types of devices in use everyday.

According to Pew Research Center, In 2015, smartphone ownership in America was at 68%, with tablet and computer ownership at 45%. Statista says that almost half of American adults use their smartphones the most to search for local information online, the other half being split between computers (40%) and tablets (11%). According to Localeze, like the types of devices used, what we are searching for varies by the time of day and device. Entertainment is searched for during work hours on computers, restaurants during evening using phones and health/fitness evening using tablets.

The most important part of those mobile searches is accuracy. If someone cannot find your business in a local search or find inaccurate results whilst out and about, then your business has lost the chance for that browser to become a customer. So having those business listings correct in all of the device formats is a must as we, and our technology, continue to evolve in the way we interact with local businesses.

6. Local search results are trusted sources of information

Last but certainly not least is the fact that local search results are considered the most trustworthy. In a study by Neustar, it was determined that these searches, such as “zero turn mowers Batavia, NY”, are what people do the most since they put that trust in local business more than big box, big website stores.

Local searches lend themselves to instant gratification and that interaction between browser and salesperson will convert that browser from someone who might get just the minimum to a loyal customer – a customer who brings their equipment back in time and time again for parts, service and repair. Acquiring a customer is a big deal. And local search visibility is the first step to earning that business.

Those interactions are what lead people to local searches and the absolute necessity of getting your listings correct. Trust leads to loyalty, which leads to more business, which leads to happy customers and business owners.

And it all starts with that correct business listing in that customer’s local search.

Social Media Tips: Responding To Negative Reviews

January 8, 2020

by Brett Morris with No Comment Business Listings Social Media

According to research, most people leave negative reviews to inform future potential customers about a business – not to lash out or get the final word. They want a response, and want it in a public space in order to show future customers what you’re made of.

How you respond to an unhappy customer shows your company’s values, both to the customer, and all future potential customers. Seeing a company handle a tricky complaint, or offer a reasonable solution suggests that the management is proud of their business, and want to go the extra mile to provide good service.

If that sounds intimidating, don’t worry – A simple apology and empathy with a customer’s experience can go a long way.

There are 4 things to keep in mind when responding to a negative review.

Empathize | Solve Simple Issues | Keep It Short | Stay Private

Empathize

The first step to fixing a problem is acknowledging that it happened, and showing that you understand their point of view.

Regardless of why they’re upset, the first step is to show you understand their problem, sympathize, and avoid being angry or defensive.

Learning you made a mistake and owning up to it, apologizing, promising to learn from it and improve future experiences can show professionalism and an earnest desire to grow.

Solve Simple Issues

Is the solution to their problem incredibly obvious?

If someone complains about store hours, and you know the day they’re referring to was a holiday, gently remind them where to find your store hours during holidays.

If their problem can be simply, directly, and politely resolved, it’s smart to get that taken care of.

If their problem can’t be fixed, sometimes it’s best to just apologize and move on.

Keep It Short

Don’t ask questions in response to negative reviews. Don’t argue that they’re wrong.

Ideally, you should only ever give 1 comment to a negative review. If it’s not that simple, bring the conversation offline.

If you think their complaint can’t be solved, or their expectations are too unreal, stick to the apology and invite them to contact you through phone or email for further assistance.

Stay Private

When a customer is especially angry, or has a complex or sensitive problem, speaking to them offline is a good move.

Let them know you want to help resolve their problem, and offer a point of contact for them to reach out to you privately, via phone or email. You don’t want to air dirty laundry, and openly arguing about a legitimate complaint or mistake doesn’t look good.

Keep your business’s name and location out of this! You don’t want a search engine like Google showing people all your negative reviews to a new customer who is researching your company.

There’s also software you can use that pulls all your reviews from across the internet into one spot, so you can respond to them quickly and easily. If you don’t have the time to handle your reviews, or don’t know how, you can also ask us for help!

Dealers Digital’s Social Media Management package offers review management as an essential aspect of keeping your public image a positive one.