Managing Online Reviews
Over 90% of consumers turn to online reviews before purchasing a product, and 70% make decisions based on what online reviews say. Whether you know it or not, your business and reputation is on trial every single day and it can directly impact your bottom line – every day! Review sites like Google, Yelp, Trustpilot and BBB host over a combined 300 million reviews and each require a slightly different strategy.
What is Online Review Management?
To be blunt, it’s exactly what it sounds like.
Managing online reviews is the secret sauce to a flawless online reputation.
By taking control of your online review strategy and managing each and every review that comes in with care, you can protect and strengthen your company’s hard-earned reputation.
A lot of businesses make the mistake of not responding to negative reviews, but consumers are actually more inclined to work with a business that shows great customer care.
Respond with care.
If you receive a negative review, knowing how to respond with a polite response and a potential solution can turn a disgruntled customer into a happy one.
Respond in a timely manner.
Today, a lot of review sites state the amount of time a business takes to respond to its reviews. You want this timeframe to be within 24 hours, if possible.
It’s critical to respond to reviews as fast as you can, since bad reviews can spread like wildfire. By responding quickly, you have the ability to prevent further damage.
Tap into social media.
Over 90% of shoppers now turn to social media to influence their buying decisions.
By having a solid social media strategy in place and utilizing the latest trend (like influencers or new social media platforms) you can connect with reviewers and followers and increase your sales.
Keep reviews up to date.
No one cares about reviews from three years ago.
If your business hasn’t had a positive review come in for more than six months, it’s time to solicit for them.
63% of consumers are more likely to buy from a site with current product ratings, so keep your reviews fresh and create a review request strategy for consistently obtaining positive reviews and customer feedback.
This feedback can be used in future marketing materials to keep your brand timely and relevant.
Use review management tools and agencies.
Not every business has the bandwidth to keep up with all online mentions, social media inboxes and reviews that come in.
Major corporations and franchises can utilize online review management tools and reputation management solutions to assist in managing, monitoring, and even generating reviews for them.
If you own a small business and need assistance managing your online reviews and coming up with an ongoing strategy for capturing them, you can reach out to local SEO and reputation management agencies like MyCleanRep to handle it for you.
Here at MyCleanRep, our review capturing methods are custom-tailored to fit your existing business model. Contact us today for a FREE review management consultation.