5 Online Review Sites Your Business Should Be On

Online review sites are important for for your business for several reasons. Improving your local search results, educating potential customers, and gathering feedback from customers are just a few.

The problem is, there are about 1 bazillion online review sites to choose from. Rather than trying to get your customers to write reviews on all of them, why not try to focus your efforts on the most popular ones instead?

Here are 5 review sites I recommend as part of your online marketing strategy (in no particular order):

1. Yelp

Your business simply HAS to be on this site. Users can rate your business on a 5-star scale and leave a brief review of their experience. Customers can also check-in to your location using the mobile app.

Other features for business owners include: posting specials, responding to reviews, and advertising.

Use this post as a guide if you need help claiming your business on Yelp.

2. Foursquare

What started as a simple check-in app is now a major player. Foursquare recently announced the splitting of their app into 2 separate apps.

Foursquare users used to only be able  to check-in, leave tips, and “like” the locations. These features now be part of the Swarm app. Detailed reviews will be allowed on the Foursquare app instead.

Don’t forget to claim your business on Foursquare too. This will allow you the option to edit information and post daily specials or events.

3. Google+ Local

As a rule of thumb, if it’s business-oriented and run by Google, your business should be on it. This is certainly true with Google+ Local. Users can rate your business 1-5 stars and leave a detailed account of their experience. These reviews are directly tied to your Google SERP (see below), so it’s extremely important to make this a part of your ongoing marketing plan.

4. Angie’s List

Angie’s List is a household name when it comes to online review sites. This site is geared toward service-based businesses. Users pay to be a member and gain access to details about businesses who are listed on the site. Angie’s List uses an A-F grading system and detailed reviews from real customers.

As a business you can set up a free account and encourage customers to rate your business on the site.

5. Citysearch

This site allows users to write brief reviews and upload photos. It also provides a map within the business listing to make it easy for customers to find you.

You can unlock your business page for free and start gathering reviews within a couple minutes time.

Here are a couple up-and-coming online review sites you should keep on your radar:

1. WikiReviews

This site shows great potential. The WikiReviews website and app will take online reviews to a new level with unique features like video reviews, community voting, and a watch list that allows users to keep an eye on products or businesses they’d like to try. Users will be able to rate local businesses as well as products, projects, and artistic endeavors.

2. Houzz.com

This website also goes well beyond basic reviews. It’s design for home-based service professionals who are looking to share ideas and gather feedback about their services. Business can share their projects for the public to see and share feedback to potential customers who are asking for advice.

Keep in mind, most industries have specific review sites dedicated to their niche. If you need help determining which online review sites you should be on, let us know. We’re here to help!

What has your experience been with online review sites? Share it in the comments below.