After a couple of weeks to step away, recharge, and reflect, I find myself energized as we dive into 2025. Looking back at 2024, I can confidently say it was a transformative year—one that reignited my passion for tech marketing and reaffirmed the immense value of online reputation management for businesses. Joining GatherUp was a homecoming of sorts, rekindling my love for MarTech and giving me the chance to help local businesses navigate today’s digital-first world. One standout moment was uncovering the real impact on review volume, quality, and sentiment that came through, with our research analyzing 23,000 locations leveraging GatherUp in 2023. Seeing their NPS and star ratings soar—and their business growth follow—was an incredibly rewarding experience.
Over the past six months, I’ve had a front-row seat to the power of online reputation. It’s clear: reputation isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s table stakes for success. For example, 85% of consumers report feeling a degree of trust in online local business reviews, and fewer than 1% say they never consult reviews before choosing a business. Yet, for many local businesses, reputation management feels like an impossible challenge—something they want to prioritize but struggle to fit into their packed schedules. Why? Because the demands of running a business often mean that urgent tasks overshadow the important-but-not-urgent ones.
Why Reputation Management Often Falls Behind
This struggle reminds me of the time management matrix. Business owners are laser-focused on what’s urgent—whether it’s important or not—because those tasks demand immediate attention. Meanwhile, “not urgent but important” activities, like building and managing an online reputation, take a backseat. These activities, while not immediately pressing, are essential for long-term success. A strong online reputation builds trust, attracts new customers, and ensures businesses remain competitive in an increasingly digital-first market. It’s not due to lack of care; it’s simply a matter of bandwidth.
But here’s the thing: reputation management is more like a marathon than a sprint. Just like a marathon, it requires consistent training and hitting key milestones along the way. In reputation management, this could mean setting up systems to regularly solicit reviews, creating a plan for timely responses, and periodically analyzing trends to fine-tune strategies. Each step builds the endurance and strength needed for sustained success.
All the research we’ve been doing at GatherUp highlights just how savvy modern consumers have become. They’re not just skimming reviews; they’re analyzing them. Here’s what they’re looking for:
- Review freshness: Are the reviews recent, or does the business seem inactive?
- Engagement: Does the business respond to reviews? If so, how thoughtful are the responses?
- Comparison: How does this business’s ratings and feedback stack up against competitors?
From the Beyond the Stars Report, we’ve also seen some fascinating data that underscores the importance of reputation management:
- 85% of consumers feel a degree of trust in online local business reviews.
- Fewer than 1% of consumers never consult reviews before selecting a local business.
- Over half of consumers are now consulting social media for local business recommendations.
- 59% of consumers are spending more time reading reviews than they were 5 years ago.
- 92% of consumers believe that responding to local business reviews should be seen as part of providing good customer service.
- 82% of consumers are more likely to choose a local business that is actively responding to its reviews.
- Just 14% of people will try a business with a listing that’s been stamped with a review warning.
These stats reinforce the reality: reputation management isn’t optional; it’s essential. For many businesses, partnering with digital agencies can be the key to successfully navigating this challenge.
The Role of Digital Agencies: Helping Businesses Thrive
So, how do local businesses ensure this critical work doesn’t get lost in the shuffle? For many, the answer lies in partnering with digital agencies. Agencies act as the strong arm of marketing, giving businesses the expertise and support they need to manage their reputation while focusing on their core operations.
Digital agencies excel in three key areas that are critical to the buyer’s journey:
- To Be Found: In a crowded digital landscape, standing out is essential. Agencies help businesses build a stellar star rating and craft an online presence that invites rather than deters potential customers.
- To Be Considered: Beyond visibility, businesses need to show empathy and build trust. What’s it like to work with you? Will their needs be met? Agencies use thoughtful design and messaging to address these questions and connect with prospects.
- To Be Selected: Finally, agencies optimize for conversion, ensuring the journey from interest to action is seamless. Whether it’s booking an appointment, requesting a quote, or simply walking into the storefront, the process should feel effortless.
From the 2025 Future of Digital Agencies report, agencies have additional opportunities to drive value for their clients:
- Empowering Clients Through Data and Insights: Agencies can guide clients toward first-party data strategies, including surveys, feedback forms, and review requests. Transparent communication about data usage fosters trust and positions businesses as customer-focused.
- Managing and Leveraging Online Reviews: Help clients actively solicit, monitor, and respond to reviews through automated systems and consolidated dashboards. Promptly addressing feedback enhances client-consumer relationships.
- Using Data Visualization and Cross-Channel Attribution Models: Demystify customer journeys through intuitive dashboards and attribution models that highlight the value of each marketing channel. This approach improves transparency and decision-making.
Energized About GatherUp’s Mission
This is why I’m so thrilled about our work at GatherUp. We’re not just a tool; we’re a strategic partner for digital agencies, empowering them to help their clients—local businesses—get found, considered, and chosen. Reputation management isn’t just about star ratings or reviews; it’s about creating trust and building lasting relationships. It’s about helping businesses thrive by making them the obvious choice for customers.
Reflecting on 2024, I’m reminded of the power of focus and consistency. Reputation management, much like trust, isn’t built overnight. It takes ongoing effort and dedication. As we step into 2025, I’m excited to continue partnering with agencies and local businesses to make an impact. Let’s build something remarkable this year—together.
