The Danger Of Google Local And Reputation Management

Google Local is one of those little gems that can deliver a sizable amount of traffic to businesses. It can also be a hidden danger to your reputation unless you have a reputation management program in place. Reputation management is not about cleaning up after a problem has arisen. Its focus should be on identifying possible risks and dealing with them early.

You may wonder how Google Local could be a risk to your reputation. Let’s step back a moment and look at Google Local. If you have a business that has a defined location then you can submit your business to Google where it will be indexed. If someone enters a search for a specific term and place – for example, “blue widgets in Glasgow” – if that is you then you stand a good chance of appearing on the front page of the search results. As I said at the start, that can help drive a lot of traffic to your business.

Now back to your reputation. There are two possible problem areas with Google Local. The first is in the setup of Google Local. Sometimes they just get it wrong and can show the wrong buildings or be slightly off in their map locations. Whilst a bit of hassle, it isn’t necessarily the end of the world.

The second issue is far more important. Google Local allows customers to rate your business and leave reviews about your business – both positive and negative. Although it doesn’t happen that often, competitors have been known to leave low rankings and negative reviews. This is where your reputation management needs to be spot on.

Your first step goes without saying. Provide a quality service and product and you should have happy customers. Your second step: regularly check your listing to see if there have been any negative reviews and deal with them, if possible. If you feel that these reviews are malicious, contact Google Local.

Whilst Google Local provides a business with many benefits, you have to accept the bad with the good – in this case the possibility of having your reputation damaged. Put in place a decent reputation management program that is backed by quality service and products and you may avert any problems. The one thing you should never do is establish your Google Local listing then forget it.