Getting feedback from your customers is something every business has wanted – even before the internet age. But now more than ever, it’s imperative to your company to stay on top of that feedback when it comes in the form of an online review.
According to a recent survey, 92% of consumers now read online reviews – and we all know it only takes one bad review to start affecting your bottom line.
So, what can you do?
If you’re not sure how to handle your online reputation, read thru these steps. If you’re overwhelmed or don’t want to take on this task alone, we can help.
- Always respond to reviews. Ignoring a problem never makes it go away. In fact, sometimes not responding can damage your reputation even more. While one person may have left an unsatisfactory review, thousands more are reading it – and they want to know what you have to say. By not responding, prospective clients may feel that you don’t care or don’t dispute the feedback. Keep responses brief and professional and try to get the conversation to continue offline to resolve the problem.
- Continuously encourage good reviews. Review sites do not want you to solicit reviews, however you should be encouraging satisfied customers to “Check you out on Yelp” or “Visit us on Google”. Link your review sites to your website to make it easier for users to leave an online review. Make sure you’ve claimed your listings on review sites. This allows you to monitor reviews consistently and respond accordingly. Building positive reviews helps dilute any negative reviews and increase your web ratings.
- Rectify the issue. When handled the right way, your loudest complainers can turn into your most outspoken supporters. Do your best to salvage the relationship and potentially make them a repeat customer. In situations where this isn’t possible, keep in mind that respectful responses will make you look better and may help diffuse the reviewer’s impact.
The reputation management team at Debra Lopez Public Relations works diligently to monitor your online presence including forums, review sites, and social media accounts. We take a proactive approach by constantly generating new, favorable content for your business, and reporting negative reviews with false information. We are also prepared to counter and resolve any negative information that appears in the future.
Contact our Milwaukee reputation management team at Debra Lopez Public Relations for more information.