Wednesday, 11th of January 2012
Don't trip up when its comes to your online rep
TripAdvisor, the website that allows travellers to post reviews of hotels and guest houses, has come under attack from Dragons' Den panellist Duncan Bannatyne, who says the consumer resource is bad for business.
Duncan is considering legal action against the site, which he has called "despicable and cowardly", after what he felt was a "dishonest" review compared his Charlton House spa hotel in Somerset to Fawlty Towers.
In fact, those kind of reviews sum up what social media sites like TripAdvisor are all about. It’s a celebration of consumer power, of the right for everyone's opinion to be heard and given a fair hearing.
In an era of volatile social networking, how a potential customer’s buying decision is influenced by travellers’ reviews is an important factor to be considered.
In the cases where hoteliers are engaging with their reviewer, they have realised the importance of online reputation management and are counteracting negative publicity by putting up a direct response.
Here at Viva we can’t stress enough the importance of keeping a close eye on what’s being said about you and your business online. It’s imperative you monitor and respond to any comments and reviews, as well as taking an active part in social media to help mold how people perceive your brand.
These cases highlight just how commercially important social media sites such as TripAdvisor have become. And if you didn’t acknowledge their PR potential before then perhaps now is the time to do so.
- Phem
