I think about reputation a lot. Not only as a concept or an idea but as an actuality that governs the choices we make about individuals, brands, businesses and politics. It's important to remember that reputation is all about perception, as it is created from the...
The dos and don’ts of building an online reputation
Over the past five years I've come to learn most about building an online reputation from those who actually do it. I can read journal articles, news stories, industry research papers and blogs, like this one, but the greatest education I've had is from business...
All good things take time
I've come to realise one very important difference between businesses that value their reputation and those that don't. In essence it boils down to one very critical factor, that if managed correctly, garners significant returns, while if done incorrectly can be...
The benefits of the unreasonable negative review
I read an interesting article online recently that confirmed many of the things I already thought about a particular kind of negative review - the unreasonable one - and how useful and powerful they are for the businesses that receive them. The study, to be published...
It’s space Jim, but not as we know it
I've been thinking about virtual space for a while - not only because it is the strange, necessary and contested space of digital marketing - but because of the disappointing manner in which some of the more gargantuan online entities have shifted and melded to become...
Small company with a huge heart grows with help from NoCowboys
Secure Communications Alarms & Security, based in Onehunga, Auckland is a small company with a huge focus on customer satisfaction. I spoke with owner Dave and administration manager, Clare, about the things that matter to them in business and the ways that...
Control, it’s all in your hands
In the last blog piece I wrote I featured and discussed the latest survey results into online consumer reviews by BrightLocal. Since then I've been pondering a question that often has me stumped - why do some businesses neglect to market their reputation? Why, when...
Reviews – it’s not all about the star rating
It's important to remember that reviews are a subjective opinion of a consumer's experience of a service or product, and for other consumers reading reviews, they don't just focus on the number of stars - they read the text of the feedback itself. So what makes a good...
When you can’t find real fault, pick on the haka
Is there anything that raises the ire of certain Northern Hemisphere rugby critics and fans more than the All Blacks' haka? Whenever the World Cup rolls around it's always the same, tired, ignorant, and insensitive criticisms of a tradition of our game that has been...
Guide the conversation
I read many, many articles, news stories, reports and academic papers about online consumer reviews. A casual Google search will bring up thousands of observations about the greatest consumer motivation to connect with businesses - legitimate, authenticated online...









