Keep It Real
Online reviews aren’t a new topic for me and that’s because I find them so important. We moved to Phoenix five months ago, so there’s still a lot that’s new to us. Whether we’re looking for a new dentist, authentic Mexican cuisine, a hotel for the in-laws or a mechanic, my wife and I live by online reviews — Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, Urbanspoon, etc. And we’re not the only ones.
A recent survey from SEO provider BrightLocal found that “more consumers are reading reviews as part of their pre-purchase research for all types of products and services.” The 2013 survey revealed that 85 percent of respondents read online reviews for local businesses, which is up from 76 percent in 2012.
But what about those phony reviews? Technology research firm Gartner Inc. says by 2014 10 to 15 percent of all online reviews will be fake and paid for by companies. How closely do you pay attention to what consumers are saying about you online? Do you suspect a competitor spreading online negativity? Have you been a victim (or benefactor) of online reviews? Let me know.
Color Sells
There’s no doubt color sells. But how well do you see all that color? Here’s one for the road. Give this Online Color Challenge a try when you have a second to find out how well you see what you’re selling.
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