There are a dozen or so Web sites that review local businesses over the country. Take a look, and understand what people tell behind your back

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by Ricky McRoskey

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If you run a consumer business, chances are pretty good a few of your customers are posting their opinions about it on the twelve or so Web sites that review topical businesses transversely the rural parts. These sites draw tens of thousands of daily posts and proposition themselves as online destinations for consumers to offer or get an unvarnished take in continuance a business—to be both the critics and lobbyists. The largest of these sites, in terms of July monthly unique visitors, include YellowPages (roughly 18 very great number uniques), Yelp (roughly 17.8 million), Yahoo! Local (YHOO) (roughly 13.2 million), and Citysearch (roughly 10 very great number), according to Web analytics firm Compete.com. "These sites are going to become more important," says Matt Booth of Kelsey Group, a research constant that specializes in local search. "And in that place are going to be an increasing number of them."

In a 2007 study of over 2,000 Internet users by online analytical firm comScore (SCOR), 24% of respondents said they looked at one online review before making an offline service purchase in the three months prior to subsistence surveyed. The study showed that limited review sites are attracting new visitors at a rate four times as high as the rate at which overall Internet use is growing. It also found that more than three-quarters of respondents call online reviews "influential" in their purchase decision process.

Most of these sites hindrance businesses monitor their company profiles and respond directly to reviewers. Usually for a fee, businesses can "claim" their listing on a seat and then post photos or special promotions. On City Waboo, for example, businesses can reach out to frequent customers to offer them a coupon or discount. On MerchantCircle, businesses in towns with less than 1,000 people can school up company profiles, and customers be possible to review the businesses—some of which don’t have Web sites. On Yelp, company owners can set up alerts so that every time someone reviews their business, they accept a message and can respond directly to the patron—lacking either party having to give away an e-mail address.

The best way for weak companies to track how this cosmos of online critics is driving function is to do it the old-fashioned way: by asking customers how they found the business when they pursue a course of life in the door. "That continues to be the most prevalent way [businesses] be able to track what’s laboring for them and the sort of isn’t," says Yelp co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman.

Sites edit reviews differently. Some take a relatively hands-off carry toward, leaving comments alone unless they are indecent or defamatory. Citysearch doesn’t shift the placement or wording in its reviews as a general rule, says Chief Executive Jay Herratti, and this have power to sometimes bring to nought dealing owners. "Some owners are traumatized when they cause to be negative reviews that they feel are uncandid," he says, "but we try to accord. them a notes so they can rejoin to reviews and tell their story." On Angie’s List, members pay a monthly fee to read and write reports forward home service companies like plumbers or carpenters. As such, no reviewers be possible to post anonymously, and the company’s data department reviews all reports before posting them to ensure that they are accurate and valid. "The key is providing a trustworthy venue," says founder Angie Hicks.

Businesses that privation to take advantage of these sites have to pay by reason of it. Almost whole sites sacrifice businesses "premium" or "enhanced" features that give them ad placement priority (Yelp), the ability to join an ad network (Citysearch), or the faculty to track loyal customers. For instance, BooRah.com, a site that aggregates online chop-house reviews, recently launched a constancy program that helps restaurants track reiterate customers with a discount card. Advertising packages at Citysearch can range from $199 to $5,000 per month, say Herratti. City Waboo’s guerdon features cost about $40 monthly. Before signing up for the various programs, businesses should discern how much traffic a site attracts.

Considering that dealing with online critiques is becoming the new model for local businesses, it behooves owners to know the sites, read the reviews and complaints, and, as Hicks of Angie’s List advises: "Take them with a whit of wit."

For a expect at some of the most prevailing sites, flip through this slide show.