E-reputation of cheese makers

You've got a popular (physical/non-online) cheese business in your locality, but you'd like to extend your reach and visibility! A "smart" online presence can be an excellent way of making your business more visible as a cheese maker. Find out all you need to know about it, and how Google Business profile can be the simple and effective solution for a cheese dairy.

How can cheesemakers increase their regional visibility through an Internet communications strategy?

As a cheesemaker, it's important to be visible on the Internet. And yes, the local customer is not necessarily your main target... you can have tourists, traveling professionals, events (weddings, seminars, catering) and so on. And all of these can provide significant sales at the end of the year. So you want potential customers to be able to find your business online, and a great way to do this is to create a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). With a Google Business Profile, you can manage information about your business, so that customers can easily find information such as your location, hours and contact details, as well as other information (logo, photos, articles, events, bookings, products etc.).

You can also add photos and customer reviews, so use Google Ads to gain visibility and attract new customers or prospects. You can also use social media sites like Facebook and Instagram to promote your cheese productions, share recipes and keep in touch with your customers. But you'll agree that you never see these social networks and associated media on the first page of Google, which is the most widely used search engine in France (95%).

Finally, if you can, it's also a good idea to have a website with all the information you need, from your prices and contact details, to an example of a cheese platter, and to showcase your suppliers to present traceability and build a unique story for yourself as a cheese maker. It's even possible to link and automate your website with GMB (Google My Business) and social networks for greater efficiency. With the right combination of these tools (Google My Business + Website and optional social networks), you can be sure that your cheese business will be visible on the internet and attract more customers. All you need is a good reputation: the famous Google stars or Tripadvisor.

What are the expectations of customers who like local cheese and buy online?

As a cheesemaker (with or without an online store), your primary interest and objective must be the satisfaction of your customers. To achieve this, you need first and foremost to identify any needs or potential problems your customers may encounter, reassure them and show your customer orientation: present yourself as an expert, anticipate questions (that you've been asked 100 times) by putting them in a google My Business FAQ, for example. Fluid, clear communication (even a little humor) is one of the most important things you need to take into account. Seasonality is also an element to take into account, as it impacts your products on the shelves and therefore customer demand. For example, a video presentation of a restaurant friend's tartiflette recipe (with your cheese) shows you as an expert and promotes the restaurant owner, who will return the favor (by ordering your cheeses).

Google My Business provides you with marketing tools that enable you to meet your customers' expectations and showcase your expertise in your field. And if all these elements are present (expertise + product quality), all you'll need are effective review collection scenarios to get a rating and 5-star reviews in Google. You need to know how to ask for reviews, but not when or how...;-)

What types of problems could have a negative impact on a cheese maker and his Google My Business rating?

• Contaminated or spoiled cheese.
• Hygiene problems in store.
• No traceability of cheese origin.
• Use of additives or non-natural products.
• Food poisoning or allergy (pistachio or peanut cheeses without alerts)
• Staff relations problems
• Relationship problems with other retailers
• Etc.

Why are Internet notoriety and e-reputation important for cheesemakers, and why are they so important for the value of their business?

For cheesemakers, online reputation and notoriety are not yet widely used, but they are very important. In fact, it's by taking into account the establishment's Google listing, or google business profile (its second name) and customer reviews, that lovers of good cheeses make their purchases when they want to impress their guests with exceptional dishes Surprised? We're lucky to have 1,200 varieties of cheese in France, and the stars have understood this, and some cheesemakers have become stars themselves. That said, it's in your interest to forge an impeccable online reputation with positive Google reviews, and even customer photos of your establishment. Forging a solid e-reputation will be a strong vector for your sales and therefore for the value of your business.

In addition, it's essential to maintain the reputation of your online cheese shop by respecting delivery times on your website or when ordering in-store. Also, when you make commitments (quality, return policy, etc.), you need to make sure that you respect them, or even compensate for them (free delivery, something new to try, etc.). You also need to ensure that your cheese shop complies with safety, health and accessibility standards for establishments open to the public (the little wooden ramp in front of the store is always a plus).

Expert advice: don't try to do everything at once, but rather set one objective per month for a year. I call this the 12 labors of Asterix, so that in a year's time, your cheese dairy's communication and visibility will be totally different!

Are you looking to optimise your Google listing? To get real and good customer reviews?

Discover the simple method that will allow you to always be first and ahead of your local competitors in Google My Business