Why does harnessing the power of review sites in your marketing strategy makes good sense? Because us humans love the opinions of others when making a purchase decision. In fact, the majority of customers (some say up to 81%) read online reviews before making a purchase decision. Or is that 72%? Hang on, I think it’s 81%. Whatever it is, it’s high. And if you’re not listing your business on review sites, then you just might be leaving money on the table.
Join me as I have a fireside chat with Yelp’s Nicholas Lembo about:
What is a review site?
Why are review sites important for marketing a business? Feedback
Are they just appropriate to businesses in hospitality and tourism?
Who uses them and how? (Just peeps with opinions? Whingers?)
Should all business encourage online reviews? If so, how?
Is there an art to responding to respond to online reviews?
What if you get a negative review?
We cut straight to the chase today, so let’s get stuck right in to another fresh episode of Australia’s #1 marketing podcast.
EPISODE TIMELINE
00:38 Welcome & overview
03:38 Why I’m going to The Philippines
04:33 Introduction of today’s guest Nicholas Lembo of Yelp
06:04 Interview with Yelp’s Nicholas Lembo – Part 1
18:09 Insights in to 99Designs & Netregistry
20:06 Interview with Yelp’s Nicholas Lembo – Part 2
35:39 My Top 3 Marketing Tips from today’s interview
31:27 Motivational marketing quote of the week
31:49 Wrap-up and insights in to next week’s guests
EPISODE SPONSORS (PLEASE SUPPORT THEM)
Netregistry special offer – Get your online marketing sorted. Websites from $79 / month.
99Designs free coupon – Get a design you’ll love. in 7-days. 100% guaranteed.
RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED
Contact Nicholas Lembo on Twitter
Here’s some key review sites:
Yelp
Zomato
Trip Adviser
iTunes (Go ahead and review this show)
MY TOP 3 MARKETING TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Claim your page on all review sites relevant to your business.
- In claiming your page, be sure to make it as interesting and relevant to buyers as possible with loads of great content. Treat it as a second website.
- Encourage reviews and respond to the ones you get.
TWEETABLES
(GO ON, SHARE THE LOVE, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO)
INSPIRATIONAL MARKETING QUOTE
“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why even be here?”
Steve Jobs, Apple
OVER TO YOU …
What was your biggest marketing learning or ah-hahahha moment from this episode?
Leave your comment below.
My guest and I respond to each and every comment.
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9 thoughts on “266 – How to harness the marketing power of review sites with Yelp’s Nicholas Lembo”
Thanks Timbo. Reviews have been very important to our business. So this is a good reminder to us all. I don’t know why but it is quite complicated to write Google reviews – hence why there are so few of them (you need to log in via Maps).
Nicholas does your algorithm eliminate excessively negative reviews?
Really happy with all the GOLD I have just heard in this episode! And I thought all those review sites were only for the tourism industry….
Good one Timbo!!
Hi Steve,
The algorithm doesn’t “eliminate” any reviews, regardless or positivity or negativity. What it does is look at dozens of signals to make sure the reviews we recommend are the most useful, trustworthy and reliable for consumers. Reviews that are “not recommended” are still present on the site, they are just on a separate page and don’t factor into a business’ review count or rating. In the end, don’t fret because almost 80% of reviews on Yelp are 3 stars or higher (out of 5)!
Thanks Nick. Yes I was thinking of a local butcher that I googled recently. They had a whole lot of great reviews (5 stars) and one really harsh, seemingly unfair one (2 stars). But then I couldn’t find the harsh one yesterday. So perhaps that is what has happened here?
Just another marketing kick up the proverbial. We have been using Form Stack to questionnaire each new client after the implementation process, imagine if I could get that on a few sites.
Yep, imagine Drew. Get to it, buddy!
Start using them, Chris. A good job to outsource, me thinks.
Thanks Steve.