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How to Remove Negative Articles and Press from Google

How to Remove Negative Articles and Press from Google

Are Online Reviews Harming Your Business

Consumer’s use sites such as Yelp, Google Places, CitySearch, and Yahoo! Local to perform searches for local businesses. With that, damaging reviews can be displayed to the prospect. Statistics show that 50% of US Consumers are more likely to use a local business after reading a positive review online while 64% of consumers search for online reviews before making a purchasing decision. 85% of consumers are more likely to purchase products/services when they can find recommendations online.

Reviews Do Matter

When consumers read positive reviews, it helps to reinforce their decision to purchase a product or service. 87% of consumers abide by that mindset. However, 80% of consumers say that a negative review online has made them think twice about purchasing a product or service recommended to them.

Tips on How to Avoid Reviews

1. Follow up with customers immediately after the sale.
2. Make complaining easy. Train your staff to avoid being defensive and solve the issue immediately upon receipt of the complaint.
3. Have a complaint form available on the site in an obvious spot.
4. Follow-up quickly and try to resolve the complaint.
5. Respond to negative reviews online.
6. Never fake reviews or enter them on behalf of your clients.
7. Communicate with your local competitors. By being on good terms, you will decrease your chances of getting a negative spam review.

Most Important Review Sites for Local SEO

Here is a list of the four most important review sites to focus your local SEO on.

1. Yelp
2. Google Places
3. Citysearch
4. Yahoo! Local

Google Places
Do you want to rank #1? The first listing on Google Places has an average of 33 reviews. Page 1 listings in Google Places have an average of 26 reviews. The first spot normally has the most local views a quarter of the time. As the list moves down, your reviews decrease by more than three quarters.

Yelp vs. CitySearch
Yelp receives more than 20 million reviews and 53 million monthly unique visitors. This is a large difference from the 3.4 million reviews and 15.5 million monthly unique visitors Citysearch receives.

About The Author
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