[Hot] Local SEO: How to Manage Negative Online Reviews
For local businesses, reputation may be the most important determinant of success, and in the digital age "reputation" is essentially governed by online reviews.
This year's "Local Consumer Review Survey" from BrightLocal proves the point.
Here, in BrightLocal's words, are the key findings from the survey:
Good Customer Service = Good Online Reviews
We spoke about customer service in our previous post but the point bears repeating: good online reviews begin offline, in your store experience. Your first line defense against a negative review is a positive experience in-store.
Moz's advice is as simple as possible:
"Be sure every employee you hire is one you feel confident about representing your brand to the public, and that he or she receives ongoing support in carrying out your official customer service policy. Catch complaints before they become bad reviews."
The key here is absolute attentiveness.
To attract only positive reviews, you need to make sure every employee, each and every, every single employee--well, you get the point. Every employee should be a stellar representative for your brand. So hire the right people. And importantly, empower your employees to make decisions that can satisfy customers immediately.
Just remember: A single negative experience can lead to a negative review.
This year's "Local Consumer Review Survey" from BrightLocal proves the point.
Here, in BrightLocal's words, are the key findings from the survey:
- 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses (including 95% of people aged 18-34)
- Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before feeling able to trust a local business
- 40% of consumers only take into account reviews written within the past 2 weeks – up from 18% last year
- 57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars
- 80% of 18-34 year olds have written online reviews – compared to just 41% of consumers over 55
- 91% of 18-34 year old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
- 89% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews
Online reviews are so important, in fact, the online marketing industry has created a new category to address the management of online reviews--ORM (online reputation management).
"Yes," says Alex Stepman, who offers a Google-based ORM for local businesses at Stepman's SEO.
"ORM is the emerging strategy for local businesses," Stepman says. "It's importance just might rival SEO."
Do you currently have an online review strategy in place? If not, you're missing a crucial branding opportunity--and you may be actively harming your business.
In a previous post on online reviews, we offered three simple strategies for taking advantage of online reviews: claiming your business, soliciting reviews, and most importantly offering good customer service. These strategies can help you get in the ORM game.
In today's post we'll dive a little deeper into the day-to-day management of online reviews--specifically, negative reviews.
How do defend against negative reviews? What happens if you get a negative review?
Keep calm and read on...
Keep calm and read on...
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| People are talking about your business online. Can you manage the conversation? [Photo Source] |
How to Manage Online Reviews
Good Customer Service = Good Online Reviews
We spoke about customer service in our previous post but the point bears repeating: good online reviews begin offline, in your store experience. Your first line defense against a negative review is a positive experience in-store.
Moz's advice is as simple as possible:
"Be sure every employee you hire is one you feel confident about representing your brand to the public, and that he or she receives ongoing support in carrying out your official customer service policy. Catch complaints before they become bad reviews."
The key here is absolute attentiveness.
To attract only positive reviews, you need to make sure every employee, each and every, every single employee--well, you get the point. Every employee should be a stellar representative for your brand. So hire the right people. And importantly, empower your employees to make decisions that can satisfy customers immediately.
Just remember: A single negative experience can lead to a negative review.
Respond to Customer Complaints Immediately
If you have an attentive staff, you should be able to catch customer complaints before they transform into negative reviews.
The most well-reviewed brands perform this work consistently, offering what Moz calls a "complaint-friendly" shop.
A complaint-friendly shop offers pro-active resolutions to all potential complaints, including signs urging customers to speak up about complaints, a mobile-friendly website complaint form, and a complaint hotline.
Obviously, must local stores do not have the manpower to run a complaint line (though the owner could offer his/her personal number), but all stores do have the capacity to treat each customer with respect--and to listen earnestly to any complaints before they become problems.
Respond to Negative Reviews
Claiming your business profiles on the major review sites is a crucial step to exerting control of your online reputation. But simply claiming your profiles is not enough--you must join the conversation.
As Moz says, "Reviews represent an ongoing conversation your customers are having about your business on the web."
You can contribute to that conversation by responding to reviews--especially all negative reviews--in a proactive manner.
When responding to reviews, though, don't shame the customer or dispute his/her account of the situation. Simply try to solve the problem--which is, for you, a negative review--by responding with a resolution. How will you make it right?
Want to Learn More About online reviews? Read our online review posts.
Google-Based Online Reputation Management with Stepman's SEO
If you have an attentive staff, you should be able to catch customer complaints before they transform into negative reviews.
The most well-reviewed brands perform this work consistently, offering what Moz calls a "complaint-friendly" shop.
A complaint-friendly shop offers pro-active resolutions to all potential complaints, including signs urging customers to speak up about complaints, a mobile-friendly website complaint form, and a complaint hotline.
Obviously, must local stores do not have the manpower to run a complaint line (though the owner could offer his/her personal number), but all stores do have the capacity to treat each customer with respect--and to listen earnestly to any complaints before they become problems.
Claiming your business profiles on the major review sites is a crucial step to exerting control of your online reputation. But simply claiming your profiles is not enough--you must join the conversation.
As Moz says, "Reviews represent an ongoing conversation your customers are having about your business on the web."
You can contribute to that conversation by responding to reviews--especially all negative reviews--in a proactive manner.
When responding to reviews, though, don't shame the customer or dispute his/her account of the situation. Simply try to solve the problem--which is, for you, a negative review--by responding with a resolution. How will you make it right?
Want to Learn More About online reviews? Read our online review posts.
Google-Based Online Reputation Management with Stepman's SEO
Are you taking advantage of online marketing tools, like Google My Business? By taking advantage of the newest online marketing strategy, ORM, you can attract more customers to your local shop.
Alex Stepman, of Stepman's SEO, offers a Google-Based Online Reputation Management, which helps brands "leverage the influence of the key player in ORM."
To learn more about how you can boost both your ORM and SEO with Google My Business, call Stepman's SEO today: 215-900-9398.
Alex Stepman, of Stepman's SEO, offers a Google-Based Online Reputation Management, which helps brands "leverage the influence of the key player in ORM."
To learn more about how you can boost both your ORM and SEO with Google My Business, call Stepman's SEO today: 215-900-9398.