I know they say you should never ‘Google’ yourself but sometimes it’s a necessary evil. Its important to get a feel for how the public views your business and you as a business owner. Here are five reasons why you should perform online searches and how that can benefit you in the long run.
1. You can see what your customers really think and make changes to your services. It’s always better to face the music and make corrections so you can begin to earn newer, positive reviews. Every business has difficult times but if a customer sees you turned things around in the most recent reviews, they’ll give you a chance. Remember to keep an open mind and listen to what your customers are saying. They aren't always right but their perceptions can tank your reputation. Show you care by making an effort to hear them and make adjustments.
2. You have the opportunity to address misunderstandings or clear up confusion. If you see a forum on Reddit or a post on social media about your business that has misleading information you have the opportunity to set the record straight. Someone may have posted incorrect hours, Or maybe they suggested you don't make your food from scratch and claim you order it from a foodservice company. You can make sure customers know the truth about your business no matter how big or small the misunderstanding may be.
3. You can get a pulse on how your employees are acting toward your customers when you aren't around. When you’re in the café your staff may be quick and personable. But when you’re gone you may have a different situation on your hands. You may find your staff need to be trained in skills you didn’t realize they were lacking.
4. Get an idea of what employees really think about your business. It will help you retain employees longer if you know their unfiltered pain points. This can make or break your business. It can seem scary to see what your employees think of your business and how you manage but you can’t improve unless you know what is wrong. Employee retention is critical to a well-run business - unless you enjoy doing interviews and teaching trainees.
5. See what information is floating out there that needs to be updated or taken down. Make sure your contact information, logos, hours, and offerings are up to date everywhere you can reach. Be sure to look at social media profiles, review sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor, business directories and professional sites.
As a bonus, searching for yourself or generic services like yours in your area online helps you to see where you rank in search results. You can see what types of search terms help pull up your business so you can hone your website’s keywords or update your content accordingly. See where you rank among your competitors and work on improving your ranking above them.
Comments