Unless you’ve been off the grid, you know that today’s intelligent services (think voice search, mobile, augmented reality, etc.) have been accelerating change in technology and data. Today, when consumers seek out information, they receive fast, relevant answers from listing publishers and intelligent search. Do you know what you would find if you asked Siri about your business? How about a social media site search, or a search on maps? Yext knows that search engine and intelligent service algorithms find results based on a diverse set of information types, which can often lead to duplicate and conflicting information online. The expansion of these intelligent services makes it less likely that a consumer will travel to your business’s website – many Google searches now generate a knowledge graph answer ahead of any website links. This also means that you need to up your search engine optimization (SEO) game, to appear in these intelligent searches.

In today’s digital world, online reviews spread like wildfire and are acting as word-of-mouth marketing. Other than rapid growth, why are these reviews so crucial to your business?

You have an incredible website, totally maximized to serve your customers’ every need, and it looks amazing too! Not surprising for all the work that went into it. But even as your website shines like a beacon of truth, dozens of other websites and apps may be offering out-of-date or just plain wrong information about your business.

Complaints and negative comments are a perpetual reality online. No matter how large or small, every bank or credit union will receive negative feedback online. Some institutions will delay or avoid engaging with the public on social media for fear of opening a Pandora's box of complaints. Others feel intimidated by the human power required to manage multiple social accounts, respond to direct messages, and tweeted questions that could be easily answered by searching your website. We're here to tell you it's not only doable, but that social media complaints are an opportunity for your institution to develop its brand, increase customer loyalty, and win new customers—if you follow these best practices.