(Newswire.net — June 2, 2015) Sydney, NSW — Social media has always become the #1 marketing tool for business. With access to the online world easier than making toast, this ease of access is also ripe for abuse.
One of the most popular review sites is Yelp. Yelp is primarily a local business favorite (namely restaurants, retailers, etc.). Users give a star rating, and brief summary, based on their personal shopping experience. In theory, the review and star rating can be the tipping point for any customer. If they see too many bad reviews…forget it. They go to their competitor.
What if they didn’t actually patronize the establishment? Can they still leave a negative review?
Unfortunately, they can.
According to Fortune.com, Yelp is facing a backlash from small business owners. In one instance, Michael Scelfo, chef-owner of Alden & Harlow in Boston, had an experience with two customers who sat without reservations and started to ‘Yelp’ on their phones as a bargaining chip for freebies. In retaliation, Scelfo started the hashtag #wedontnegotiatewithyelpers and captured the two on his Instagram. His hope was to call attention to a major flaw in the current online review system. The abuse is not an isolated incident. When the owners of Memories Pizza in Walkerton, IN chose to support Indiana’s new “religious freedom” law, and was subsequently counted as a business that discriminated as LGBTQ people, they were ridiculed on Yelp within hours. By April 7, there were 688 one-star reviews, 188 five-star reviews, and 1,044 reviews categorized as “not currently recommended.” How many of these people actually patronized Memories Pizza?
Many people depend on independent reviews to make buying decisions. “Small Business owners are ill prepared to fight a juggernaut of negative publicity”, stated Jim Graham, owner of The Business Formula. Even a single negative review can knock a business off its stride. With more than a few negative reviews, a business can actually be forced to close its doors.
“Running your own business is a 24/7 job. Adding media, publicity and damage control is out of most small business owner’s arsenal”, says Graham.
The Business Formulas works with small business owners to create and execute effective online marketing and authoritative media outreach outside the realm of Yelp. Jim Graham and his team use proprietary technology and highly unique social media strategies to not only combat negative reviews, but give businesses positive media exposure, leads and more sales.
According to Graham, “We don’t simply ‘tweet’ or ‘engage’ your audience…we execute a decisive plan to help you dominate your market.”
The Business formulas is no stranger to the global economy nor the occasional negative reviewer. With over 15,000 clients globally in five different languages, they’ve amassed more experience than 99% of all social media companies.
About The Business Formulas
Business Formulas currently works with over 15,000 clients globally in five languages; English, Russian, Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese. We specialize in Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Websites and Sales Pages, Targeted Traffic, Online Strategies, Webinars, Product Creation, Copywriting, Affiliate Marketing, Key Wording, Apps and Coaching.