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How to Avoid the 5 Mistakes Contractors Make with Their Online Reputation (IBS 2023)

How to Avoid the 5 Mistakes Contractors Make with Their Online Reputation (IBS 2023)

Presentation given at 2023 International Builders' Show February 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In a digital-first world, word of mouth has moved online. Homeowners are increasingly making snap judgments on whether to hire you or your cross-town competition solely based on some online signals. Are your digital marketing efforts helping or hurting? This session examines the five most common mistakes contractors make with their online reputations. See how, when done right, your website, your Google listing and your social media can help build your reputation and grow your business. Plus, we’ll cover the best ways to combat negative comments on social media and how to be proactive in deterring additional negativity. Leave knowing the exact strategies, numbers, reviews and star ratings you need to be among the top contractors in your area.

Brandon Schmidt

February 01, 2023
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Transcript

  1. The material in this education session has not been reviewed,

    approved, or endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The topics discussed and the materials provided herein are for informational purposes only, are not intended to be an exhaustive presentation of information on a particular subject, and should not be treated as such. The speaker or speakers are not acting on behalf of or at the direction of NAHB. NAHB specifically disclaims any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, in the use or application of any of the materials presented in this or any other education session presented as part of the International Builders Show®. NAHB Disclosure
  2. Continuing Education Credit Each IBS education session provides .5-3 hours

    of continuing education credit toward NAHB professional designations. NKBA and AIA members may also earn continuing education credits by attending IBS education. Please refer to each session’s listing in the show guide, website or app to determine the organization providing CE credits and the number of hours you will receive. Directions for reporting your hours can be found in the IBS Show Guide.
  3. • 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a

    business. • Online reviews impact 67.7% of purchasing decisions. • 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. • 74% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more. • Every one-star increase in a Yelp rating means a 5-9% increase in revenue. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanerskine/2017/09/19/20-online-reputation-statistics-that-every-business-owner-needs-to-know/#3118af34cc5c The Power of Online Reviews
  4. • Have you had a bad review? • Do you

    have a plan for getting reviews and testimonials? Crowd Participation
  5. • When was the last time you Googled your company’s

    name? • Google it now! • Do you like what you see? Crowd Participation
  6. Results We Hope You Don’t See! • Google Your Name

    • Google Your Name + Reviews • Google Your Name + Sucks
  7. Other Ways to Monitor • Google Alerts • Sprout Social

    • Falcon.io • Hoot Suite • Native Sites
  8. Need to React + Fix Bad SERP Results Bad Reviews

    on an Individual Site No Reviews Bad Reviews on Multiple Sites
  9. • Is it a real problem you need to address?

    • Is it constructive criticism? • Did your company do something wrong? • Is it a troll or spammer? Responding to Negative Reviews
  10. What you cannot do: • Pay for reviews • Incentivize

    customers for reviews Dos and Don’ts when Asking for Reviews What you can do: • Incentivize employees • Create systems for asking for reviews • Be intentional about asking for reviews
  11. Home Builder Avg number of reviews: 32 Avg star rating:

    4.4 Industry Standard Bathroom Remodeler Avg number of reviews: 61 Avg star rating: 4.7
  12. Local Context 1. 26 Reviews / 5.0 avg 2. 8

    Reviews / 5.0 avg 3. 14 Reviews / 2.7 avg
  13. Local Context 1. 21 Reviews / 4.5 avg 2. 103

    Reviews / 4.9 avg 3. 20 Reviews / 4.2 avg
  14. 1. Employees (past or present) 2. Competitors 3. Mistaken Identity

    4. Abusive, Hateful 5. Political 6. Off-topic 6 Reasons You Can Flag a Review for Removal on Google
  15. • Created an Endorsement Guide to provide guidelines on how

    to use endorsements for a variety of industries. • Guides for advertising and marketing, endorsements, influencers, reviews, credit and finance, FinTech, and online advertising and marketing. • https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are- asking#intermediaries • Consumer Review Fairness Act (CRFA) protects people’s ability to share their honest opinions about a business. • https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-review-fairness-act-what-businesses-need-know Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
  16. Review Washing This image is taken directly from the research

    company’s website where builders are encouraged to selectively post only positive reviews, while appearing to be validated by the research company.
  17. Review Rules • If you share your reviews, all reviews

    (good and bad) must be public. • Sites like Facebook, Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google, etc. must comply with the all-or-nothing display of star ratings as well.
  18. Reviews vs Testimonials • Reviews are customer opinions • Testimonials

    are comments you solicit from your best and more appreciative customers. Paul Cardis with Avid Ratings states, “You are allowed to selectively post testimonials, but you are prohibited from selectively posting star ratings.”