SuperPages.com announced over the weekend it would be adding user review content to its website.  The effort is meant to allow local businesses to further promote their services and to interact with customers. Although SuperPages indicates this gives them a competitive advantage, their closest competitor has hosted user reviews for some time.

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Social network traffic continues to increase at a dramatic rate. To date, however, these sites have had a challenge in leveraging this traffic into revenue and ad platforms. Evidence of this can be seen in Facebook’s decision to hire Sheryl Sandberg to assist CEO, Mark Zuckerberg with expanding and monetizing Facebook’s growth. (more…)

Word-of-mouth-marketing has always been seen as one of the most trusted sources of information that a consumer can come by. I mean, if you can’t trust your best friend’s hairdresser on which diffuser (define) to buy, who can you trust? Well move over hairdressers of the world, there’s a new trusted source in town, and it packs quite a punch. (more…)

The importance of reviews and ratings – positive and negative — can’t be overstated in local search. In terms of consumer motivation, it’s all about informing others or rewarding a business for its excellent product/service.

Once feedback is submitted, though, the review or rating can live online for an eternity. How you react and interact with the online version of word-of-mouth referrals can have important implications for your business.
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Back in the dark ages, referred to by some as BC (Before Computers), consumer opinions regarding personal experiences with businesses were passed around in a practice known as “Word of Mouth” marketing.

Jane tells Mary about how great her new microwave is, or that the service could have been better at the new restaurant in town. Soon enough, word gets around and sales are up for that microwave, and the service is carefully watched at the new restaurant.

The Internet has transformed word of mouth referrals into “user reviews” and “ratings,” where consumers can comment on and rate products or services that they have purchased or experienced. (more…)