These days a read article about Liars companies, those who buy and sell fake online reviews: “New York fined 19 companies for paper writing fake reviews on the Internet”. The issue is not new, but still present and prominent role in all matters relating to the management of Reputation Online:
What is the level of credibility that can give online reviews?
This was the first question from the audience I performed at a congress of marketing, back in 2008 !! when we showed the then pioneering studies of online reputation for hospitality and tourism.
A few days ago came back to me the same question was with which I received in the presentation of a report Online Reputation for an outstanding tourist destination.
Liars, paid rankings, publications interested ,, … all this already existed before the portals of opinion and before the Internet. The problem now is that their visibility and potential impact on purchase decision seem to be really decisive in much of sectors.
There are already studies that attempt to quantify the phenomenon of false reviews and make projections of the volume of lies that we find in the near future on the Net, up to 20%; while others insist that online reviews enjoy high credibility and confidence among the general public.
To me those figures specifically concerned me unless we can answer the questions that move us all formations in which I participate. What can we do against false opinions?
A quick tips Decalogue not have to worry (much) by the false opinions
- It offers a good product / service if you do not, your problem is not online reviews.
- Be consistent with the promises you communicate and try to exceed customer expectations.
- Proactively manages your customers generate content about your business. You need them !! The more real opinions, be more dilute the more negative reviews will be protected cons false and more visible and stable will be your reputation.
- Find or create moments of truth in your brand WOW! Worthwhile be counted and shared with others on the Internet.
- Channeled to key opinions portals for your business and your different target audiences, not everything fit all. Remember that a good reputation online is one that is well distributed.
- Do not forget the phone! Both know what they say about your business as to encourage online reviews, the “mobile effect” is the main ally, or not, in your modern online reputation management.
- The pictures do not lie, you see beyond the text and encourages opinions in generating content about your brand photo and video format.
- Involve your teams customer contact in reputation management, do not leave it in the hands of computer or software providers miraculous.
- Do not lie, the lies have very short travel on the Internet, it is not ethical, legal or useful. If you succeed with false praise of your business and do not get caught, you will return like a boomerang in over promise format, which eventually criticizing actual customers.
- “Strive to be what they want to look like” Socrates.