Week 6

Three Reasons Not to Use Review Sites

Last week we discussed why you might want to use review sites such as Google My Business and Yelp in your marketing once the SEC permits their use in the coming months. Now let’s look at three reasons why you might not want to use them:

1. If you have a virtual practice with a national niche-focused client base, local review sites won’t play much of a role in your search engine optimization strategy.

2. Negative reviews may do more harm than the positive reviews provide benefit, creating additional compliance headaches. (Note: People can leave reviews whether or not you claim your various profiles.)

3. Review sites could create the perception that your brand is like a standard retail business, such as a local car mechanic or coffee shop, instead of a provider of expert advice, like an M&A attorney or an oncologist. Depending on how you currently position your firm, this may not be an ideal outcome.

P.S. We now release infographics twice a month on various marketing topics to social media. Check out last week’s on how to choose a niche.