It used to be that you would talk to a friend, family member or someone else about a service or product, but now “word of mouth” comes in the form of online reviews and social sharing.

If you have enough negative reviews or just one negative review that sounds truthful and accurate it will destroy your sales. On the other hand, if you have positive reviews, especially a lot of them, it has a positive impact on your sales.

Managing your online presence has to include managing your online reviews and not just on one site, but social sites, business listing sites and review sites. Maintaining a positive brand image online is something a business must be proactive about.  Any business online is vulnerable to negative press whether it is from a disgruntled customer or a competitor using negative press tactics.