It has been no secret that I am taking the marketing of my website slow. Although I acquired the names to all of my social networks, I wanted to roll each one out slowly. The same can be said about many various digital marketing options and tools. Just this month I decided to get Google My Business up and running. Luckily, I had over ten years of customer interaction. Getting some local reviews was not a problem.

The Premise of Edge of the Web

One of my favorite weekly listens is Edge of the Web. The quality of the recording and quality of the content is fantastic. The host, Erin Sparks, brings in an expert in digital marketing and they discuss any and everything. The host obviously knows his stuff and asks educated and well-thought-out questions.

Edge of the web radio is a weekly, hour-long digital marketing podcast hosted by Eric Sparks from Site Strategics.

Edge of the Web – The Show

The show is also produced weekly on YouTube with additional features. I don’t think it is very safe for me to watch YouTube while driving my kids to school – so I have only listened to the audio version.

Why Did I Pick a Podcast about Local Reviews?

In episode 325, Eric brings in Mike Blumenthal to discuss Local Search. They cover Mike’s backstory (I just recommended his Local U podcast) and what is going on in Local SEO. Some of the topics were:

• The demise of the YellowPages
• What are zero-click results
• How third party review sites can help rank

One area they spent a lot of time on was local reviews. They didn’t just discuss getting local reviews on Google My Business but went into why you should get reviews on Yelp and other platforms. It was even recommended to ask for reviews on your own personal site (so you can use that data on your website).

Getting Negative Reviews

When I opened up my GMB, I was concerned about the possibility of negative reviews. Not so much in how I do business, but more so through my cynical lens. I am pretty to the point and I have ‘fired’ clients for not being the right fit. I do my best to set expectations for both the client and myself. Sometimes we just don’t mesh. The last thing I want was a negative review because it wasn’t a good partnership.

I knew math would be in my favor. I have way more positive outcomes making websites, graphics, videos, etc… If I received a negative review, I would have to deal. Luckily, Mike and Eric gave some great tips on how to address negative reviews.

Respond. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or lengthy but respond. Others will take notice of your response and you see positive responses.

The Podcast: Episode 325 How Your Reputation Affects Local Search

EDGE of the Web gets it. You should subscribe if you take digital marketing serious. Not only do they give you fresh content each week, they also transcribe their episodes on the website. If you don’t like to listen, go ahead and read the conversation between Mike and Erin.