Everyone's a Critic: Winning Customers in a Review-Driven World

Eighty percent of consumers now consult online reviews before making a purchase. These days a disgruntled but ignorant customer on Yelp might have more clout than any expert guidebook, magazine article, or newspaper critic. Business owners feel they are at the mercy of these companies’ algorithms, with little to no recourse when unjustly bad reviews damage their bottom line.

But some savvy businesses have figured out how to fight back. The winners in this new marketplace are finding ways to use reviews—both positive and negative—as their competitive advantage.

In Everyone’s a Critic, Bill Tancer draws on case studies, field research, and never-beforepublished data to create the definitive guide for the business owner. He offers valuable insight for anyone seeking to make the most of their online consumer reviews, including the little touches that have outsized impact on positive reviews; how to deal with bad reviews; and how to spot reviewers who are trying to take advantage of you. Consider:
A Los Angeles barber who found a way to make one-star Yelp reviews part of his branding strategy
How a New York City locksmith became the highest rated on Yelp and Angie’s List in just six months
A Bay Area optician who analyzed his competitors’ online reviews to find his market niche
How a small South African hotel chain has been able to capture the top 3 rankings for hotels in London on TripAdvisor, beating more than 1,000 others, through obsessive attention to online reviews.