As businesses increasingly shift towards online platforms, it’s become vital for them to maintain a positive online reputation. Today, most people look for information about businesses and services online before making a purchase decision. This is where Google Maps comes in – it’s not just a tool for customers to find businesses and learn more about them, but also a platform for customers to leave reviews and ratings based on their experiences.
However, what happens when a business has no control over its online presence on Google Maps?
We recently discovered this non-management issue and risks with one of our clients, who has more than 2000 points of sale in three countries, including Peru. Each of these points of sale has an autogenerated listing on Google Maps, but our client has no access to these listings.
What’s interesting is that they were not even aware of these listings or the fact that some of their locations were receiving up to 20 reviews and 50 star ratings per month – in other words, thousands of reviews per month across all their points of sale – and they had no idea how to manage them.
We offered to take control of their Google Maps listings and showed them positive and negative cases. We shared the positive cases to show them the potential opportunities they were missing out on, such as responding to requests for services or products and rewarding customers for positive reviews. We shared the negative cases to show them the risks, such as recurring problems that could be identified and resolved through Google Maps, and the impact of negative reviews on their online reputation.
Leaving these listings unmanaged can have serious consequences. Not only does it leave room for competitors to take advantage of a business’s lack of control over its online presence, but negative reviews can also harm a business’s reputation. Therefore, it’s crucial for businesses to take control of their Google Maps listings and manage them effectively.
One successful case of taking control of Google Maps for businesses is that of a large retail chain. The company took over its Google Maps listings and optimized them for local SEO, resulting in a significant increase in website traffic and store visits. By optimizing their listings, they were able to increase their visibility and gain more customers.
In conclusion, businesses must take control of their Google Maps listings and manage them effectively to maintain a positive online reputation. Google Maps has become an essential platform for customers to leave reviews and ratings based on their experiences, and businesses that respond effectively to these reviews and ratings are more likely to attract and retain customers. Don’t leave your online presence to chance – take control of your Google Maps listings today.