Online Reputation Management: Reputation Changer Responds to New Mobile Marketing Study

Online, September 20, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The advent of mobile technology has changed the very face of retail, but, according to a new study, it has not necessarily been in the ways that marketing professionals would have predicted. New research from Neoworks has found that fewer than ten percent of consumers have purchased products after seeing an ad on their smartphone, a figure that may strike some marketing professionals as low. The study notes that mobile devices are influencing consumer behavior in other ways, however-namely, through the easy access they provide to online review sites. Neoworks projects that the frequency with which consumers will use mobile phones to consult reviews and product information, even while in a store shopping, stand to increase in the near future, with all trends pointing to mobile phones and online review sites as key factors in shaping the future of retail. This research has captured the attention of online reputation management firm Reputation Changer.

The firm's Chief Executive Officer, Cliff Stein, has issued a statement to the press, noting that, for businesses of all kinds, this data is tremendously relevant. "What this data shows is that mobile devices and online review sites are not just significant for online businesses, or those engaging in e-commerce," says Stein. "According to the research, consumers are going into brick-and-mortar stores, and then using their mobile phones to access reviews, pricing information, and more. The consumer now has a world of information available at his or her fingertips."

This abundance of information is a boon to the consumer, but, according to Stein, it can be a decidedly mixed blessing for business owners. "Consumers are not only accessing this online information, but they are also using it to inform their purchasing decisions," he explains. "Times are hard for a lot of people, and budgets tend to be tight. As such, consumers are ready and willing to do their due diligence in researching a product or a brand, looking up reviews and ratings, and ultimately seeking to ensure they are making the best possible use of their money."

This, Stein continues, is what makes online reputation management such an urgent concern, both for online businesses and for more traditional ones.

"The first step in online reputation management is for business owners to Google the name of their brand or their product, and simply see what comes up-what the average consumer will see upon Googling the same term," Stein remarks. "If the first listings that come up are positive information about your company, then you are in good shape. If they are negative listings or bad reviews, however, then you might be in serious trouble. The consequences of a bad online reputation go beyond mere embarrassment. They can also include lost sales and lost customers. In some cases, they even include increases in refund requests."

The unfortunate news for business owners is that they cannot prevent consumers from posting negative reviews about their products or services. "Reviews are not always based in reason or in fact, so even if your product is flawless, there is no guarantee that all of the reviews will be good ones," offers Stein. However, online reputation management firms like Reputation Changer can offers services to companies zealous for defending their online honor. "Our goal is to give business owners control over how their brands are portrayed on the Web," says Stein.

Reputation Changer does this by effectively inundating search engines with positive content about the client's brand. "We try to make sure that when a consumer searches for your company, the information he or she sees is positive, and that the unsavory listings are moved out of the way," Stein concludes. "We try to establish the client's brand as a superior brand in the minds of consumers."

ABOUT:

Reputation Changer is widely praised as the industry-leading online reputation management firm. Founded in 2009, Reputation Changer's vision is for giving individuals and businesses control over how they are portrayed on the Internet. The company is made up of account executives, online marketing veterans, SEO pros, social media gurus, and content developers. Reputation Changer's services include reputation monitoring, review suppression, brand enhancement, and more. Its client list includes Fortune 500 brands, small businesses, private citizens, and public figures, including elected officials.