How to respond to online reviews, good or bad
93% of shoppers surveyed make buying decisions based on online reviews. That's a huge percentage! If you run a business, your reviews are vital to your success.
You may think you'll only ever get positive reviews because your products or services are fantastic, so you shouldn't bother monitoring them. Knowing how to track and respond to online reviews is a must. One bad review can have a substantial negative impact.
You need to have a reputation management strategy in place and know what to do when good or bad reviews start popping up. Let's talk about it! Read on to learn all about responding to online reviews (good and bad).
Why Is It Important to Respond to Reviews?
There are many reasons why you, as a business owner, should respond to both positive and negative reviews. That's right—even positive reviews deserve responses!
While responding to positive reviews becomes less valuable as time passes, in the beginning, it will help you establish yourself as responsive and kind. Responding to negative reviews is important long-term.
Here are a few (but not all) reasons why it's essential for business owners to respond to online reviews, whether positive or negative.
It Improves or Solidifies Your Online Reputation
Your reputation is everything as a business owner. Even if you have the best products or services, you won't gain customers if you have a bad reputation. Public opinion is a driving factor behind your success.
Let's say you're not paying much attention to your reviews, and they're starting to lean negatively. Your star rating has gone down. Every low rating or negative review is a sign to potential customers that your business isn't worth using.
You show customers you're trying to improve when you respond to negative reviews. Even if nothing needs improvement, you're clearing the air so the commenter doesn't have the final word.
When you respond to positive reviews, you show customers you listen.
These things will significantly improve your business's reputation and online branding.
You'll Build Trust and Relationships
Part of owning a business is building relationships and trust with your customers. Responding to reviews (both negative and positive) is a great way to do that.
When you respond to someone upset with your products or services, you show them that you want to make it right (or at least explain the situation). Someone who was previously angry may calm down and see you and your business in a better light, and you can regain their trust.
You'll allow Yourself to Grow and Learn
Reviews are gifts. Even negative reviews are growth opportunities, so try to see them that way. They may feel like personal attacks (in some rare cases, they may be), but they're learning experiences.
When you actively engage with a negative review, you're letting an unhappy customer teach you something that may improve your business. At the very least, you learn an important lesson in politely and respectfully communicating with others.
Some Tips for How to Respond to Online Reviews
Responding to online reviews is tricky. You can give infinite responses, but you have to be careful if you want to make a good impression.
Remember, you're representing your business. Your response will determine how customers see you, which may sway them toward or away from your company.
Here are a few helpful tips to improve your responses to online reviews.
1. Respond Quickly
It's important to respond as quickly as possible (without being too rash). If you let a bad review sit out for too long without responding, more people will see it, which is bad for your reputation.
You may also forget about it. Reviews can easily slip your mind when you have many other responsibilities as a busy business owner.
Take a brief amount of time to decide how you will respond. While you should respond quickly, don't let yourself be careless. Give yourself time to cool off (if the review was inflammatory) and decide the best response.
Ignoring bad reviews won't make them disappear, especially if you don't have many reviews. Even if you're feeling anxious, responding within a few days (if not a single day) is a good move. Get it over with.
2. Learn From Your Reviews
When you get a review, try to take something from it.
If the review is positive, keep in mind what you're doing right and make a note to continue doing it (or even expand upon it).
If the review is negative, determine what you can change. In some cases, negative reviews aren't your fault, but don't immediately jump to that conclusion.
3. Be Polite
Politeness is key when responding to online reviews, whether positive or negative. Even if a review is downright mean or inappropriate, you need to stay as professional as possible.
You have your reputation to consider. While responding to negative reviews with the same energy the customer used is tempting, you're running a business. Consider how that would look to other people.
Your response is public, so taking the high road is best.
This can also help you diffuse the situation. People who leave negative reviews often want to know that someone is hearing their concerns. When you respond with kindness, their motivation to "fight it out" may dissipate and they may open themself up to a rational and calm interaction.
Use restraint.
Some brands can get away with "sass" in their responses, but this is a risky move, and that sass has to be part of their preexisting brand image. It's also carefully crafted, not just an "off-the-cuff" remark.
4. Keep It Brief
It's best to be brief (while still thorough) for positive and negative reviews.
For positive reviews, a quick "thanks!" and perhaps a CTA (such as asking the customer to tell their friends or check your shop later for new products) is more than enough to make an impact. Most people don't expect responses to positive reviews at all so that you will stand out.
Negative reviews will require more detail, but not too much. Make sure you address the problem, apologize, and give your customer steps to take.
It's often best to save the more extended conversations for private messages or emails, so you don't draw too much attention to the review, but still pay enough attention to the customer.
If you defend your business against a troll comment, you may have to go into more detail, but offer enough information to clear the air. Remember that most people won't sit and read long comments, so you don't gain anything from writing several paragraphs in response.
5. If It's Negative: Make It Right
If someone leaves a negative review (and the review is legitimate, of course), you're being given an excellent opportunity to make things right. How will you do that?
Again, it's often best to take this conversation into private messages or emails to ensure you can fine-tune your next steps to the disgruntled customer's needs.
Sometimes being heard is enough, and the customer won't want anything else. Telling them that you will make changes to ensure the problem never happens again can be comforting.
In other cases, you may want to offer a coupon, replacement item, or service (depending on your business's offerings). Note that discounts, replacements, or "freebies" might seem bad for business, but this isn't the case if it means salvaging your reputation and making a customer happy.
6. Be Authentic and Empathetic
Customers value honesty and authenticity. While you should be professional in your responses, you should also be human. Many customers respond negatively to reactions that seem too "corporate" because they seem inauthentic.
Connect with your customers and you'll gain their trust.
Responding to Online Reviews Is Essential
Learning how to respond to online reviews is tough and will involve trial and error. As you progress, you'll discover the best ways to communicate with both happy and unhappy customers while maintaining your professionalism and reputation.
Speaking of your reputation, do you need a reputation management strategy? We want to help. Learn more about our services so we can start working together today.
You may think you'll only ever get positive reviews because your products or services are fantastic, so you shouldn't bother monitoring them. Knowing how to track and respond to online reviews is a must. One bad review can have a substantial negative impact.
You need to have a reputation management strategy in place and know what to do when good or bad reviews start popping up. Let's talk about it! Read on to learn all about responding to online reviews (good and bad).
Why Is It Important to Respond to Reviews?
There are many reasons why you, as a business owner, should respond to both positive and negative reviews. That's right—even positive reviews deserve responses!
While responding to positive reviews becomes less valuable as time passes, in the beginning, it will help you establish yourself as responsive and kind. Responding to negative reviews is important long-term.
Here are a few (but not all) reasons why it's essential for business owners to respond to online reviews, whether positive or negative.
It Improves or Solidifies Your Online Reputation
Your reputation is everything as a business owner. Even if you have the best products or services, you won't gain customers if you have a bad reputation. Public opinion is a driving factor behind your success.
Let's say you're not paying much attention to your reviews, and they're starting to lean negatively. Your star rating has gone down. Every low rating or negative review is a sign to potential customers that your business isn't worth using.
You show customers you're trying to improve when you respond to negative reviews. Even if nothing needs improvement, you're clearing the air so the commenter doesn't have the final word.
When you respond to positive reviews, you show customers you listen.
These things will significantly improve your business's reputation and online branding.
You'll Build Trust and Relationships
Part of owning a business is building relationships and trust with your customers. Responding to reviews (both negative and positive) is a great way to do that.
When you respond to someone upset with your products or services, you show them that you want to make it right (or at least explain the situation). Someone who was previously angry may calm down and see you and your business in a better light, and you can regain their trust.
You'll allow Yourself to Grow and Learn
Reviews are gifts. Even negative reviews are growth opportunities, so try to see them that way. They may feel like personal attacks (in some rare cases, they may be), but they're learning experiences.
When you actively engage with a negative review, you're letting an unhappy customer teach you something that may improve your business. At the very least, you learn an important lesson in politely and respectfully communicating with others.
Some Tips for How to Respond to Online Reviews
Responding to online reviews is tricky. You can give infinite responses, but you have to be careful if you want to make a good impression.
Remember, you're representing your business. Your response will determine how customers see you, which may sway them toward or away from your company.
Here are a few helpful tips to improve your responses to online reviews.
1. Respond Quickly
It's important to respond as quickly as possible (without being too rash). If you let a bad review sit out for too long without responding, more people will see it, which is bad for your reputation.
You may also forget about it. Reviews can easily slip your mind when you have many other responsibilities as a busy business owner.
Take a brief amount of time to decide how you will respond. While you should respond quickly, don't let yourself be careless. Give yourself time to cool off (if the review was inflammatory) and decide the best response.
Ignoring bad reviews won't make them disappear, especially if you don't have many reviews. Even if you're feeling anxious, responding within a few days (if not a single day) is a good move. Get it over with.
2. Learn From Your Reviews
When you get a review, try to take something from it.
If the review is positive, keep in mind what you're doing right and make a note to continue doing it (or even expand upon it).
If the review is negative, determine what you can change. In some cases, negative reviews aren't your fault, but don't immediately jump to that conclusion.
3. Be Polite
Politeness is key when responding to online reviews, whether positive or negative. Even if a review is downright mean or inappropriate, you need to stay as professional as possible.
You have your reputation to consider. While responding to negative reviews with the same energy the customer used is tempting, you're running a business. Consider how that would look to other people.
Your response is public, so taking the high road is best.
This can also help you diffuse the situation. People who leave negative reviews often want to know that someone is hearing their concerns. When you respond with kindness, their motivation to "fight it out" may dissipate and they may open themself up to a rational and calm interaction.
Use restraint.
Some brands can get away with "sass" in their responses, but this is a risky move, and that sass has to be part of their preexisting brand image. It's also carefully crafted, not just an "off-the-cuff" remark.
4. Keep It Brief
It's best to be brief (while still thorough) for positive and negative reviews.
For positive reviews, a quick "thanks!" and perhaps a CTA (such as asking the customer to tell their friends or check your shop later for new products) is more than enough to make an impact. Most people don't expect responses to positive reviews at all so that you will stand out.
Negative reviews will require more detail, but not too much. Make sure you address the problem, apologize, and give your customer steps to take.
It's often best to save the more extended conversations for private messages or emails, so you don't draw too much attention to the review, but still pay enough attention to the customer.
If you defend your business against a troll comment, you may have to go into more detail, but offer enough information to clear the air. Remember that most people won't sit and read long comments, so you don't gain anything from writing several paragraphs in response.
5. If It's Negative: Make It Right
If someone leaves a negative review (and the review is legitimate, of course), you're being given an excellent opportunity to make things right. How will you do that?
Again, it's often best to take this conversation into private messages or emails to ensure you can fine-tune your next steps to the disgruntled customer's needs.
Sometimes being heard is enough, and the customer won't want anything else. Telling them that you will make changes to ensure the problem never happens again can be comforting.
In other cases, you may want to offer a coupon, replacement item, or service (depending on your business's offerings). Note that discounts, replacements, or "freebies" might seem bad for business, but this isn't the case if it means salvaging your reputation and making a customer happy.
6. Be Authentic and Empathetic
Customers value honesty and authenticity. While you should be professional in your responses, you should also be human. Many customers respond negatively to reactions that seem too "corporate" because they seem inauthentic.
Connect with your customers and you'll gain their trust.
Responding to Online Reviews Is Essential
Learning how to respond to online reviews is tough and will involve trial and error. As you progress, you'll discover the best ways to communicate with both happy and unhappy customers while maintaining your professionalism and reputation.
Speaking of your reputation, do you need a reputation management strategy? We want to help. Learn more about our services so we can start working together today.