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five ways negative reviews can help your online reputation

Posted by simon ashwin On Tuesday 10 Jun 08

It might seem counter-intuitive, but if you want to build a stellar reputation for your business, you should embrace negative reviews. Sure, the more positive reviews you have for your business, the better it looks, but there are some benefits to having some negative ones too.

Andrew Goodman, guest writing for HomeStars, hits the nail on the head:

I was recently a little disconcerted when I visited the American Apparel site, because of the presence of too many glowing, cheerleading reviews of its products. Some simply said "I haven’t tried this yet but I’ll be getting one really soon!" Poring over the various reviews, I actually felt like I’d be more likely to buy the product that had at least one negative or moderate review. Why? Because I wouldn’t be as likely to suspect that the reviews are fake.

Here’s how you can benefit from negative reviews:

1. Your need to know. If your products or services are crap, then you need to know about it. It’s better to hear it from your customers–so you can fix it–than never know about it and wonder why your sales suck.
2. Build credibility. As Goodman points out, negative reviews add authenticity to your reputation. Consumers are smart–mostly–and they know that if you have 1000 customers, a few will be upset over something. Take a look at the hotel industry. Just about every hotel has a review that mentions dirty sheets, cockroaches, or rude staff. Yet we still stay in hotels. We...

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   what is consumer generated content?

   Posted by simon ashwin On Tuesday 04 Dec 07

   Consumer (or User) Generated Content runs under the notion that the internet is a shared space for all to enjoy and Web 2.0 supports the concept that users have a real sense of ownership over such a vast space. At Whiteduck we believe this creates a very detailed and personal experience, ensuring users feel they have a connection with others using Web 2.0 technologies.

   
   Web 2.0 technology has revolutionized how we perceive and utilize the internet today. Gone are the days where the internet was a read only, one way medium. Today, posting text, graphics and videos is instant, quick and easy. Web 2.0 is not only about linking information; it’s about connecting people with brands.
   
   We consider the key to featuring user generated content on your web site, is giving users a reason to participate. Companies need to focus their web site content on the needs and desires of their target demographic. In order to successfully achieve user participation, it is a must to create the impression of an ‘inner circle’ with users, offering a highly personalized experience.
   
   This subsequently encourages them to submit their own content, creating a sense of user ownership and ensures that members strongly identify with the site because portions of the content are written by members for members to relate and comment on.
   
   What is Social Bookmarking?
   
   Consumer-generated content uses Social Bookmarking to bring a raw human element to a technological concept – the desire to connect with other like-minded...

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