Alberta Business Marketing

Google has identified over 100 000 businesses in the U.S. as “Favorite Places” based on user reviews on Google Maps and they have rewarded them with QR Stickers – Window Decals like the one below.

When snapped with a smartphone camera the two dimensional bar code hyperlinks to the business Google Listing which shows the user reviews and Google Map listing for the business. (Learn more about What is a QR Code and Why you should know)

In related news, starting today on Google’s local site for handheld users, Google provides top-level search categories like restaurants, shopping, gas, lodging, etc. on the front page. Click that button and you’ll see the closest-by search results ranked by user rating.

New Business Interest for Google

Encouraging guest reviews is vital to any business success and although Google Maps reviews have been around for quite a while, the new sticker campaign is a not-so-subtle brand builder for Google Maps revealing yet another business interest – Google  business reviews.  For businesses, Google uses the sticker campaign to ask: “Want to become a Favorite Place on Google?“, reminding business folk to ensure that their listing on Google Maps (aka Google Local) is accurate in the Google Local Business Centre.  Never mind that you’ll be increasing the accuracy and value of Google Maps database in the process.

Guest Reviews Matter

If I were TripAdvisor (fresh with a new restaurant review iPhone app) or Yelp whose iPhone app which beckons reviews on all kinds of businesses, I’d be more than a bit concerned about these stickers.    Each has worked hard at building recognition for their own brands as the de facto standard in ranking businesses.  Of course Google has been in the business of ranking all kinds of businesses online for much longer (search engine rankings) and have established considerable consumer trust.  Expect the sticker campaign to raise the importance of Google Maps reviews in the eyes of many.

Brand Building by Association

Association with a well respected brand is an excellent marketing strategy.  Businesses that link to their TripAdvisor reviews, or have an app in the Apple iTunes store know this well.  For the “Favorite Business of Google” sticker recipients, just having the sticker on the window is likely to encourage even non-smartphone users to form a favorable opinion of the business.  After all, folks may know about TripAdvisor or Yelp, but most everyone has a generally favourable opinion of the Google brand.

Learn more about Google’s QR Code gift to Favourite Places.

What do you think about Google’s QR stickers.  Do you think it will catch on?

Tweet This

Tags: google, google news, handheld, maps, qr codes, reputation management
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off

Restaurant Ratings and Reviews have been popular for some time now, but the new TripAdvisor iPhone app, LocalPicks makes it easy for diners to post reviews and even include a photo before they even leave the restaurant.

Consumer-generated mobile restaurant reviews will become an important marketing tool for restauranteurs in 2010.  Are you ready?

To refresh your memory, I’ve written about handheld review apps with Goodrec back in February,  and the free LocalPicks app when it first appeared in the iTunes store in July 2008.  I rely on this handy app to find decent places to eat whenever I’m traveling.  The user-generated review community at TripAdvisor hasn’t steared me wrong yet (although I’m sure I’ve missed out on some good places that have gotten lousy reviews by Tripadvisor diners).

What’s New and Interesting in LocalPicks by TripAdvisor

The new version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app provides a filter of nearby restaurant suggestions based on user reviews, cuisine style, distance and price so I can suss out the best options for me and my growling tummy.

And of course each restaurant listing features restaurant phone number, so with I click I can dial and make reservations.  I can even get directions and use the built-in gps to navigate my way to the maître d’.

The Little Button that Changes Everything

While some applications like Goodrec have given diners the opportunity to make restaurant reviews on their iPhone before now, these apps had little chance to make an impact without dropping the reviews into the well-known, well-populated  TripAdvisor database.   The “Write a Review” button on the latest version of TripAdvisor’s LocalPicks app feeds handheld user reviews directly into TripAdvisor’s already burgeoning ecosystem of Traveler-generated reviews.

Writing Reviews on LocalPicks is possible right in the Restaurant

Like the TripAdvisor Website, the app gives users a variety of categories to rate restaurants including overall, food, service, value, atmosphere and the opportunity to answer a simple yet vital Yes/No question: Would you recommend this restaurant to a friend?

App users can even upload a photo from the restaurant.

Can you feel the power shifting to the consumer?

Are you excited or anxious now that your restaurant guests have the ability to rate or review your restaurant in the power of their hand?

As a consumer, the new power excites me.  As a tourism operator, the new power excites me even more!  As a restauranteur, you can choose to be threatened by this new wrinkle in the power of social handheld media or you can rise to the challenge and benefit from it by encouraging reviews by your patrons while they are still in your restaurant.

How your restaurant can benefit from the emergence of handheld ratings and reviews:

• Provide great service, serve great food and deliver value for money.  Educate waitstaff and kitchen staff that their job security may truly be in the hands of your patrons.
• Listen to the reviews and stories told by patrons and adjust your products, services when they aren’t up to guest standards.
• Leave a note on your receipts encouraging folks to leave a review.  Have your servers be on the lookout for handheld toting guests and offer an invitation to review your restaurant.
• Encourage regulars to take a moment to tell others about your restaurant on TripAdvisor – even if they do it from home, the reviews will show up for others who rely on TripAdvisor for advice.
• Offer bonuses to wait staff who succeed in encouraging their dinner guests to leave reviews.
• Print business cards with links to TripAdvisor or other relevant review sites your clients use.
• Create a community of caring customers by becoming social on sites like Twitter and Facebook.
• Print your Twitter handle on your receipts – and provide special value to your fans.
• If you are a DMO, CVB or other agency that supports tourism in your region, help your restauranteurs to understand the new power of the handheld consumer to influence their business.  Get them excited about offering great service.

The opening of Apple’s app store for iPhone is only a little over a year old and it has taken a bit of time for applications to catch up to the promise of the “Here and Now Handheld Web” – now that it’s here, all marketing is social.

What do you think? Will mobile ratings and reviews be as big as I think they will be in 2010?

Tweet This

Tags: localpicks, reputation management, restaurant, reviews, tripadvisor
Posted in Social Marketing | | Comments Off

TripAdvisor is leveraging the power of its network of travelers… some 25 Million Monthly users in order to pull cash from the wallets of business listing members. New enhanced business listings will include links to your Website, email address and phone number.

What’s the cost of Trip Advisor Enhanced Business Listings?

The cash grab, including the 50% off special LOW RATE for hotels with less than 10 rooms is a whopping $300. Larger hotels will be paying THOUSANDS of dollars. If your hotel has over 100 rooms get ready to shell out over $3000 (if you get in early!), that’s $6000 if you wait until after january, 2010.

For most smaller tour operators, bed and breakfasts, inns and hotels posting a link to your Web site and email and including your phone number in your TripAdvisor listing is a decision that will weigh heavily.

Can operators afford not to have the full listing of what has become the Yellow Pages of the Internet for bed and breakfasts, hotels and inns especially?

For those who track their inquiries and sales with religious ferver, the amount may easily be offset by new revenue from direct bookings. If you’ve never tracked business from TripAdvisor, it might be best to take a pass on this offer.

Best to Wait it out?

My advise is that tourism businesses need to wait a while to see if the value will be realized. TripAdvisor is sure to be gauging the response of operators to the pricing of this “value-added” service?? to its business members. If we all ignore the emails being sent out, perhaps TripAdvisor will be a little more small business friendly in the pricing of these enhanced listings. It’s worth hoping for isn’t it?

Tweet This

Tags: business listing, enhanced, reputation management, tripadvisor
Posted in Alberta Business | | Comments Off