Responding to Customer Reviews: Dos and Don’ts

Customer Reviews Best Practices

What’s one thing you always do when searching for a new business to trust with a specific product or service? More than likely, you look at online reviews. These days, online reviews hold a great deal of leverage over consumers’ buying decisions—so it’s important that your business has as many positive reviews as possible on sites like Yelp, Facebook, and even your Google My Business page.

So, what are some of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to handling online reviews? We’ve got you covered with some dos and don’ts.

DO Respond to All Reviews

It may seem pointless to respond to a positive review, but in reality, you should be taking the time to answer as many reviews as possible. Even if you’re just thanking the person for leaving such a glowing review of your business, responding shows that you are invested in what your clients/customers think about your business. Whether it’s a raving five-star review, a brutal one-star review, or anything in between, do your best to reply!

DON’T Get Combative or Defensive

It can be frustrating to get a negative review online. It can be even more frustrating when that review contains misleading or even false information about your business. Still, it’s important to be careful about how you respond to negative reviews about your business. Remember that the general public will be able to read your response—and if it comes off dismissive of the reviewer’s concerns/grievances, this can make your business look worse.

While this doesn’t mean you cannot politely correct a reviewer if they are objectively wrong about something, you should still take an empathetic tone and invite the reviewer to contact you directly to discuss the matter further.

DO Get Strategic With Keywords

When you respond to an online review, this can also be a great opportunity to incorporate a little search engine optimization effort. By naturally sneaking in some keywords (such as your city/location and the name of your business) in your reply, you may be able to boost your search engine rankings a bit. Just be careful to keep it as natural as possible and don’t keyword stuff.

DON’T Forget to Ask for Reviews

If you’re not getting a lot of online reviews from your clients/customers, it may be time to start asking! Reaching out to customers you know have been happy with your company in the past is a great way to get more positive reviews online. You can also include reminders to leave a review at the bottom of your sales receipts or even post on social media to request reviews from your past clients.

Looking for More Help With Your Online Reputation?

There’s a lot to keep in mind when navigating the often tumultuous world of online reviews. At the end of the day, perhaps the best piece of advice to remember is to respond and treat others the way you would want to be treated as a customer.

If you’re looking for more help managing your online reputation or branding, CleverLight Media is here to help. Contact us today to get started!

About the author

Lindsey is a senior project manager and content strategist at CleverLight. She leads our clients through the web design, development, and content marketing processes with excellent communication and time management skills. Since joining the team in 2020, she has become an integral part of the day-to-day operations at CleverLight.

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