As search engines become smarter, brand reputation basics matter even more
The AI that powers today’s search engines is getting smarter. Failing to manage your brand’s online reputation can damage it and lower its search engine ranking. Basics like managing reviews, updating content, and business listings are essential to keep your brand visible and controversy-free.
“External factors, such as the quality of backlinks, online reviews, and social media mentions, can influence a search algorithm’s view on the trustworthiness of a website,” our analyst Kelsey Voss wrote.
Managing reviews
Online reviews are crucial because they influence how search engines perceive and rank a business, Trent Ruffolo, senior product marketing manager at Yext.
Yext found that businesses responding to at least 75% of reviews generally have ratings over half a star higher than those that don’t respond.
Google filters results to display only businesses with high ratings. For instance, a search for “best pizza in Chicago” shows restaurants rated four stars and above. The results also include short “review justifications” from consumer reviews with keywords like “best pizza ever.”
“Managing reviews can be very complex and time-intensive, but the benefits of doing so could [be] significantly impactful to your business,” Ruffalo said.
Reviews influence consumer decisions and help search engines assess a business’s relevance and trustworthiness. Google’s AI models use specific words and phrases from reviews to match users’ search queries.
Listing management
Keeping business information, like holiday store hours, consistent across all platforms is important for search results.
Yext found that businesses with complete and uniform listings across platforms like Yelp and Facebook, as well as lesser-known sites like HotFrog, performed better on Google, with 82% more clicks from search. Google’s AI models draw data from many sources, and any inconsistencies could affect visibility, Ruffalo said.
Action item: Don’t only focus on main platforms like Google Business Profile. Ensure your business details are accurate and up-to-date on all platforms, including smaller directories that AI might pull data from, like MerchantCircle and Superpages.
Be consistent
Regular updates to your brand’s content or information signals to search engines that your data is reliable.
“If you are not actively managing your information more broadly and consistently, these AI-led models could present consumers with either inaccurate information, or worse, they may not surface your information at all,” Ruffolo said, speaking of generative search experiences like Google’s AI Overviews, or standalone engines like Perplexity or OpenAI’s new SearchGPT.
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