Business owners in Houston are often aware of the potential impact that their online presence can have. Reaching customers through social media may be an effective way to promote sales and specials and reach a wider audience. However, the connections that are created have the ability to harm a business’s bottom line, too, even when posted information does not come from the company’s official website or social media account.
A recent post on Yelp.com pointed out that the personal or political views of a business owner may affect people’s willingness to visit a store or restaurant because many see their purchases as votes of support or approval. This message was accompanied by others on the popular restaurant review site declaring that regardless of the quality of the product offered by a Florida ice cream shop, they would not be visiting the local eatery again.
The response was prompted by a Facebook status posted on the owner’s personal account. Many apparently interpreted the missive negatively, and even though it was later removed, the comment had been captured as an image and spread through other social media sites. Thousands of people have now viewed the original comment and supplied their own assessment of the author’s words.
Information about a business is often available online, even when the owner does nothing to contribute to it. A business litigation attorney may be able to provide legal advice about whether a company has been subjected to slander or other unfair business practices that may compromise its financial success.
Source: Washington Post, “‘The ice cream is as bitter and cold as the owner’: After tirade, Internet turns on woman’s business,” Cleve R. Wootson Jr., July 22, 2016