Online reviews can be frustrating; it’s hard to find any business owner who doesn’t believe this. Online review platforms exist whether we want them to or not, and whether or not a customer leaves a review (and especially a negative review) is something we can never control with 100% certainty.
A solid online review management program, however, can help a business define and control their own narrative to the extent they are able. Publicly responding to reviews, thanking customers, addressing complaints, and more can help you turn review platforms into an active part of your marketing plan that expands your voice and improves your reputation.
Control your online presence; don’t ignore reviews
You’d be shocked at how many business owners and managers tell us “well, I just don’t pay attention to reviews. I prefer to focus on running my business and making my customers happy so they don’t leave bad reviews.” Look, we get it. You aren’t a PR specialist, and a lot of negative reviews can be unfair, untrue, and emotionally draining to look at.
However, the data show that 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business or buying a product, and negative reviews can easily drive away potential customers. Simply put, if you aren’t managing your online reputation effectively, you’re missing out on the opportunity to even provide that happy customer experience in the first place.
How to respond to online reviews quickly (and politely)
When responding to your online reviews, it can be tough to know exactly how to respond. This is especially true when it comes to negative reviews, where emotions can run high both in the reviewer and the business operator, and arguments or insults become commonplace. Rather than leaving every response up to your emotions at the moment, the most effective thing you can do is remember the three T’s: Timeliness, Tone, and Tailoring:
- Timeliness: According to the online review platform Yelp, reviewers are 33% more likely to upgrade their review if you respond within 24 hours. While it’s easy to “attack” all your reviews in a big chunk once a week or once a month, taking just a few minutes each workday to reply to any new reviews gives you the best chance of your customers actually viewing and considering your response.
- Tone: You want to maintain a tone of politeness and professionalism, no matter what. Often the simple act of taking the high road can disarm the power of a negative review–if they’re ranting or “yelling” and people see you responding with unerring calm, you’re clipping the wings of an otherwise impactful negative review. Note: this doesn’t mean you have to be deferential to every single wild accusation–while arguing with reviewers isn’t usually recommended, if the information is flat-out false you can voice your disagreement. Just do so with tact and professionalism!
- Tailoring: If you get a lot of reviews, it’s tempting to have a stock response you copy and paste to quickly cross this chore off your to-do list. However, reviewers and review readers will quickly pick up on “canned” responses and your work replying to reviews suddenly leaves you looking insincere. While templates can be a genuinely helpful starting point, take a bit of extra time to personalize your response to the details left in each review (whether positive or negative). It provides an opportunity to really give your company a reputation for that personal touch!
Don’t forget to thank your reviewers
While managing negative feedback can feel like the most pressing concern when it comes to your online reputation, don’t neglect the power of interacting with your supporters as well. A simple “thank you” to customers who leave positive reviews can show appreciation for their business and allow you to slip in another call to action (“Please consider returning or using our services again”). And even positive reviews can also have minor complaints that are worth addressing to give a generally happy customer the confidence to become a repeat customer.
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, giving thanks isn’t only for positive reviews! If a negative review is constructive, a response that thanks to the customer for sharing their feedback, explains in a few words how you’ll use that feedback to improve your business/keep the issue from happening again/etc, and attempts to bring the conversation into private (eg: “if you’d like to discuss further, please email me at _____”), that can be a fantastic show of good faith to both the reviewer and anybody using the review to determine if they want to patronize your business.
Ask and you shall receive!
Online review platforms often seem heavily weighted against businesses–review sites typically take an average of good and bad reviews but don’t account for the fact that customers who have had a bad experience are significantly more likely to leave a negative review than happy customers are to leave a positive review.
The fact of the matter is most consumers don’t think to go out of their way to leave good reviews like they might with bad reviews. One of the simplest things you can do to boost your rating and your online reputation is to bring this front-of-mind to your customers: just asking your customers to leave a review if they’ve had a positive experience can make a huge difference!
This may seem too obvious or even manipulative, but all you’re doing is making sure your online reviews are more accurately reflecting your reputation, and satisfied customers are often happy to help. (And as a bonus, when you ask customers to leave positive reviews when they’ve had good experiences, you can also ask customers to contact you directly with complaints to keep them off of these public platforms.)
If you need help responding to reviews effectively and consistently or encouraging new positive reviews, Skol Marketing’s team is here to help. If you’d prefer one-on-one guidance or would like to discuss how our assistance can help you manage your online reputation, please don’t hesitate to contact the local digital marketing experts at Skol Marketing.
