The Best Online Review Management Companies for SMBs
Why you need a reputation management company
So, why is it worth reaching out to one of the top reputation management companies?
Reputation management takes the work out of making sure every customer has a positive experience with your company. These services aren’t just for sharing testimonies from happy customers — reputation management handles negative feedback that could be hurting your business.
Some other reasons to choose a top reputation management agency include:
- Building trust: Handling negative reviews, chatting with your customers, and building your brand all grow trust with your clients (and prospects!) By having a team respond to reviews and engage with customers, you show that you care about their experience with your company and their opinion.
- Improving rankings: Reputation management often involves practices that grow your rankings. For example, contacting users and getting more reviews can reflect positively on your SEO attempts.
- Analyzing customer input: When you hire a team to manage your reviews, you can also use them to analyze customer feedback and get input into your practices. You can then use their input to make your company better, earning you more positive reviews later on.
These are just a few reasons why customers work with the leading agencies to protect their brand.
How do I pick a reputation management company?
Each business has unique needs for reputation management services. We’ve put together a reputation management company checklist to help you pick the best match for your company:
- Identify your needs
- Make a shortlist of companies that can address your needs
- Read customer reviews and review their online presence
- Look for good communication and a culture fit
- Make sure the company has a detailed plan
Here’s how to choose the best reputation management companies to put on your shortlist.
1. Identify your needs
Before researching the top online review management agencies, it’s best to determine your company’s needs and priorities regarding reputation management.
Do you need to get customers to write glowing reviews about your business and offerings? Or do you need help managing your reputation online after a crisis?
Identifying your priorities will help you narrow down your choices.
2. Make a shortlist of companies
Once you’ve identified your needs, you can shortlist reputation management agencies that serviced other businesses in your industry. This way, you’re working with companies familiar with your industry and the challenges businesses like yours face.
You can also consider agencies that have expertise in the services you need. For example, if you’re in the healthcare or hospitality business, you most likely need positive reviews to gain your prospects’ trust.
Look for the top online review management agencies that can help you earn more reviews. You can also consult a full-service digital agency like WebFX. Our reputation management services can help improve your business’s credibility among Internet users.
3. Read customer reviews and reviewing their online presence
Make sure the agency you’re hiring to manage your reputation is trustworthy. Read customer reviews and look for social proof on their website.
Do they have case studies and customer testimonials on their site? Read through them and find out what their customers say about their services and strategies.
Make sure they use white-glove strategies to uplift the reputation of their clients. You’d want your agency to use only ethical methods to improve your reputation, as black-hat strategies may backfire and hurt your business!
4. Look for good communication and a culture fit
Before hiring a reputation management company, you must also evaluate if the two of you have a good communication and culture fit.
Get to know their team and culture and see how comfortable it is for your team to work with them. Do you have shared values? Do they show interest in understanding your pain points and are keen on helping you achieve your goals? Observe the team dynamics during your first few meetings.
At WebFX, we take time to understand our clients’ businesses, industries, needs, and challenges. We strive not only to hit metrics that improve your reputation, but to also deliver results that grow your bottom line.
5. Make sure the company has a detailed plan
Transparency is important in your working relationship with your online review management agency. What strategies will they use to help you address your needs?
Make sure your partner provides a detailed strategic plan for your business. If parts of the strategies are unclear to you, ask them to clarify them. You want to ensure they won’t implement band-aid solutions to improve your online reputation.
FAQs About the Best Online Review Management Companies
Want to learn more about the details of review management? Check out our FAQ, which covers some common questions businesses have about finding and hiring a review management company!
What is an online review management company?
An online review company is any businesses that monitors, earns, and responds to reviews on behalf of another business. They handle all aspects of earning and improving reviews to help build their clients’ reputation online.
How did you build this list of the top review management companies?
Great question! To build this list of the best review management companies, we considered a few different factors.
First, we looked for companies across the globe to give a complete look at review management services around the world.
We also considered companies with high reviews and results on sites like Clutch and Google Reviews. We looked through client comments and opinions to see what companies provided the best service across the board.
Finally, we considered their deliverables, cost, and company size to find the top choices for businesses like yours.
What services do review management companies offer?
Since online review management focuses on maintaining your reputation, they offer many services related to doing so. Here are a few services that you can find with most agencies:
- Continuous monitoring of online reviews across platforms
- Catching and responding to negative reviews
- Reaching out to customers to earn more reviews
- Connecting with dissatisfied customers to improve reviews
How much do reputation management services cost?
Businesses may pay anywhere from $500 to $10,000 per month for reputation management services, depending on your goals, location, company, and more.
Some agencies may charge an initial fee as well as an ongoing monthly cost. If you pay by location, you could pay anywhere from $50 to $1000 per location.
See what it’s like to work with a top online review management company
Monitoring reviews about your business online and managing your reputation can help you gain the trust of your prospects and improve your relationship with your customers. If you want to work only with the best reputation management companies, consider WebFX.
We’re an award-winning full-service digital marketing agency that offers reputation management services. With over 28 years of experience in more than 200+ industries, WebFX can craft winning reputation management strategies that can help you attract prospects and gain their trust.
Browse our online review management services to determine which suits your business. You can also contact us online or call us at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist to discuss your needs!