The Power of Reviews for SEO

Your website is your digital handshake - the first impression potential clients get when they discover your brand. But what if that first impression is COSTING you business instead of bringing it in? The harsh truth? Most websites aren’t doing their job. And the biggest mistake that keeps businesses invisible online isn’t a lack of traffic, fancy design, or even outdated branding. It’s unclear messaging! Why Expertise Alone Isn’t Enough You might be the best in your field. You might have spent years speaking on stages, coaching high-level clients, or publishing valuable insights. But if your website doesn’t clearly communicate: Who you help What you do Why you’re the best choice Then potential clients, event organizers, and media opportunities will pass you by. They will bounce to someone else who makes their expertise clearer—even if that person has half your experience. What Your Website Says About You (Without You Realizing It) Imagine an event organizer searching for their next keynote speaker. They land on your website, but instead of a clear, compelling message, they see: A vague tagline that doesn’t explain what you specialize in No clear next step to book you or request a media kit A homepage filled with inspirational quotes, but no real proof of your impact Within seconds, they leave and find someone else. Or consider a corporate decision-maker looking for a consultant to help their executive team. They visit your website but can’t find: A clear description of your signature framework or methodology Case studies or client results that prove your effectiveness A direct way to schedule a call Instead of chasing down details, they move on to a competitor whose website makes their value immediately obvious. Your website should work for you 24/7, acting as a client-attracting and opportunity-generating machine. If it is unclear, vague, or overwhelming, it is actively pushing high-value opportunities away. Three Quick Fixes to Boost Authority & Visibility The good news? You don’t need a complete overhaul to fix this mistake. A few strategic tweaks can turn your website into a high-converting, authority-building platform. 1. Make Your Headline Crystal Clear Your homepage headline should instantly communicate your unique value. What it should NOT be: “Inspiring change through leadership and transformation.” “Empowering others to reach their full potential.” “Welcome to my website.” What it SHOULD be: “Helping Organizations Develop High-Performance Leaders Through Executive Coaching.” “Keynote Speaker on Leadership & Influence | Trusted by Fortune 500 Companies.” “Helping Entrepreneurs Scale Their Businesses Without Burnout.” Pro Tip: If an event planner, potential client, or media contact can’t tell exactly what you do within three seconds, your headline needs work! 2. Speak Directly to Your Ideal Clients (Not Everyone) Many Thought Leaders make the mistake of keeping their messaging too broad, trying to appeal to everyone. Generic messaging: “Helping people create success.” Vague promises: “Unlock your full potential.” Instead, speak directly to your audience: “I help women in tech advance to leadership roles with confidence.” “I train corporate teams to master resilience and productivity.” “I help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into bestselling books.” When your messaging calls out your specific audience, they immediately feel like you understand them. This builds trust and positions you as the go-to expert in your space. 3. Add a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA) Everywhere Many Thought Leaders hide their call-to-action - or worse, they don’t have one at all. If your visitors don’t know what to do next, they’ll leave. Your CTA should be: Clear (“Book Me for Your Next Event”) Consistent (Every page should have one) Action-Oriented (“Download My Speaker Kit”) Where to put your CTA: At the top of your homepage At the end of every section In your navigation bar On your About page Inside blog posts In your website footer Pro Tip: Test different CTAs to see what converts best. Instead of just “Contact Me,” try “Schedule a Strategy Call” or “Get My Leadership Training Guide.” Position Yourself as the Go-To Expert Your website should make it immediately obvious why clients, event organizers, and media should choose you. That means: Showcasing your expertise with testimonials, client results, and media features Building trust instantly with professional design, clear messaging, and credibility markers Making it easy to work with you by offering direct next steps for hiring, booking, or collaboration If your website does not position you as the expert, you will be overlooked, even by people who need exactly what you offer. How to Get the Right Clients and Opportunities Coming to You Fix your messaging: Make sure visitors instantly understand who you help and how Simplify your offer: Decision-makers should not have to dig through paragraphs to figure out what you do Add Authority markers: Reviews, testimonials, case studies, media features Make your website works: Clear CTAs, mobile optimization, SEO-friendly structure, accessibility Is Your Website Invisible? Let’s Change That If your website is not bringing in consistent, high-quality leads, it is time to fix what is keeping you invisible! Want a website that positions you as the go-to expert? Let’s refresh your website so you can attract, engage, and convert the right clients - without wasting time or losing business. Click Here to Book a Free Consultation today!

Yes, reviews matter! Quite possibly more than you realize! But why are reviews so important? Quite simply: Reviews offer the power of someone else saying how incredible you are without you saying a word ! And with multiple reviews, it is the power of MANY people agreeing and sharing how incredible you are without you having to say a word. Reviews are a form of social proof, meaning that people often follow – and trust – the actions of others. Therefore, when a business demonstrates social proof through positive reviews, the likelihood of others purchasing their product or service is greatly improved. Getting Reviews At this point, you might be asking “But how do I get reviews?” . You have to ask for them! Unfortunately, I know, it is not always that easy! I have found many people are hesitant to ask, concerned that they will put the customer on the spot. Typically, though, most people won’t leave a positive review without being prompted to. It’s sad, but the average person will complain about a business they feel has wronged them before they think about praising a business. Therefore, you really do have to ask! And you usually need to ask more than once! I have found that having a Reputation Management program in place that sends texts and/or emails to your recently fulfilled clients drastically improves the chances of them leaving a review. It is even better when the system kindly asks more than once as a reminder since people are so easily distracted in today’s world. How do you get reviews? ASK FOR THEM!!!! Choosing a Reputation Management Program Now that you know that the most efficient and effective way to collect reviews is through using a Reputation Management service, how do you choose which Reputation Management program to use? The best Reputation Management services automatically post the review to other places, including your website, to improve visibility and your overall Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Even better is when the service reposts the review to your website and posts to your social media and Google Business Profile that you got a review! (Unfortunately, no Reputation Management program can directly repost the actual review to a different platform because all review platforms require a login to leave the review so the system knows it is legitimate.) Many Reputation Management programs do allow the customer to post their review to multiple locations very easily, including Google, Facebook, BBB, Yelp, and more. It is worth noting that research has shown that Google reviews are generally the most effective, but The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has also shown to be excellent for professional services. Exceptional Reputation Management programs also offer both written and video review options, which is fantastic since video is so effective for marketing these days! And since you usually just add a link to the program itself on your website (through an API), you don’t have to worry about it being text or video. The API (Application Programming Interface) takes care of that for you! Another option many Reputation Management companies offer is automatic replies to reviews. If you find that you and your team do not have (or make) the time to reply to reviews, this can severely hinder the success of having the reviews at all. In Brightlocal’s 2024 Review Survey, it was found that 93% of consumers expect a response to their review, and 34% expect the response within two to three days. Ideally, the response should come from the person working with the customer who left the review to ensure accuracy and authenticity. However, any response, even an AI-generated response, is far better than not leaving one at all.