Google Voice Search is growing and you can get a jump on the competition with local optimization tactics to rank higher in search results.  Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced in May 2016 that 20 percent of searches on its mobile app and Android devices were voice searches.  Additionally, surveys show significant increases in virtual assistant app and voice search usage in the past 12 months.

People have become more conversational with search, especially on mobile devices, as virtual assistants such as Siri, Cortana, Google Voice Search, Echo, and Google Home become more popular.  As voice search becomes more mainstream, we’ve seen voice search grow faster than typed search. Further growth is expected as people rely more on voice searches to multi-task while using a hands-free search tool and talking on or to their phone in public and in groups becomes more acceptable.

What is Google Voice Search and Why It’s Important in Local Search?

Google Voice Search allows you to use Google Search by speaking.  It’s a hands-free way to get the information you are searching for faster. When you are in a hurry or driving, voice search is a handy mobile tool to find local results for your immediate needs.

We’ve all at least toyed with the voice search on our devices.  The inaccuracy of voice recognition has been the “funny” in thousands of comedy skits. But as each improvement to Google Voice Search rolls out the speech recognition error rate has been reduced from 25% two years ago to 8% today.

And the future of Google Voice Search looks poised for further growth as they move beyond voice recognition to actually “understanding” what the user is looking for.  Expect improvements and changes that foster a deeper understanding by looking at location-based context, context based on frequently used apps, previous searches, and keyword research based on spoken queries.

Local Optimization for Google Voice Search

Data analysis has shown that voice search queries are more action-based than typed queries.  Meaning (in a simplified generality) we do more voice search to accomplish something, and we do more typed searches to learn something.  “Where is the closest dentist?” and “What’s the best ice cream in Dallas?” are the kinds of queries driving ready-to-buy customers to local businesses. So how do you make sure your business shows up as a top option in voice search results?

Use Natural Language in Your Sites Local Content

Take a quick look at your Google Search Console report to see what queries bring people to your site. Then think about the way customers search for your products or services?  If they asked a friend, used one of their virtual assistant apps, or Google Voice Search, what words would they use?  That is the natural language that needs to be part of the content of your website.  Headers such as “Looking for the cheapest flooring in Kansas City? KC Floors & More has it!” are likely to match the conversational queries that are used in voice search.

An even better way to weave natural language into your site content is with a Q&A page or section on major pages that asks and answers the questions customers would use in voice search queries.  This makes it easy for search engines to deliver your website as a top option in search results.

ALSO READ: Website Pages that Increase Local Search Visibility

Ensure Your Sites is Crawl-able and Indexed by Google

You can’t win if you aren’t in the game.  For your site’s contents to be included in search results it needs to be included in the Google index. The Google index is similar to an index in a library, but instead of books, the Google index lists all of the web pages that Google knows about. To see which pages on your site are in the Google index, you can do a Google Web Search for “site:mywebsite.com.” If you want more pages included in the Google index, you can create and submit a Sitemap through Webmaster Tools.

ALSO READ: Local SEO Checklist: 9 Basic Tips to Get Found in Local Search

ALSO READ: Structuring Your Website for Better Local Search Ranking

Do Local Optimization with Google My Business and Business Listings

Google likes to push the “near me” feature, and it’s very handy when doing a map search or voice search. It shows up immediately in auto-populate drop downs for many queries.  For your business, this drives purchase-minded customers directly to your door when they simply click “Navigate.”  You are not going to show up in Google Voice Search “near me” results if you have not claimed and optimized your Google My Business listing.

ALSO READ: How to Optimize Google My Business Listing

Additionally, it is crucial that you manage your online business listings to ensure that your NAP (name, address, and phone) are consistent, accurate, and prevalent across the web.  Your business listings help support the legitimacy and precise location of your business with search engines and search engine users.  So not only do they bolster your ranking in Google voice search results, but in all search results as apps, virtual assistants, and smaller search engines search for the best results to give their users.

ALSO READ: The What, Why, and How of Business Listings and Citations

The Future is Now with Google Voice Search

As voice search grows, you can ensure that your business is showing up when customers are ready to buy, no matter where they are.  Google, Microsoft, and Apple are all investing big on making voice search the first search, and by optimizing now, you can be at the forefront of the fastest growing tool for consumers searching for local businesses.

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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Latest 2016 survey results show that 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review if they are asked to, and 50% of consumers have actually left a review when asked to.

As more and more consumers continue to seek out and rely on online reviews, it is clear to see that building and promoting a stellar online reputation is crucial to the success and growth of local businesses.  Using online reviews consumers are able to bypass the most time-consuming part of the buying process – research.  With very little time and effort they can get the information they need at a glance with star ratings on search engines and review sites.

There is no denying that it is imperative for a local business to have an active reputation marketing strategy to build a positive online reputation.  Businesses with five-star reputations are ranking higher in search, being found faster in “near me” search results, and beating out competitors who are not promoting the social proof found in star ratings and online reviews that consumers are looking for.

2016 Local Consumer Review Survey Shows Increase in Use of Online Customer Reviews

Recently BrightLocal released its latest local consumer review survey with new data for 2016 showing substantial year over year growth in the number of consumers who are reading and relying on online reviews to guide their purchasing decisions.

If you are running a local business, there are four standout results that you should pay attention to:

• 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review if they’re asked to
• 84% people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation (vs. 80% in 2015)
• 54% of people will visit the website after reading positive reviews (vs. 48% in 2015)
• Star rating is still the #1 factor used by consumers to judge a business

Key Findings for Local Business from BrightLocal’s 2016 Local Consumer Review Survey

Since 2010 BrightLocal has conducted the Local Consumer Review Survey with a focus on reviews for local business and exploring how consumers read and use online reviews. By surveying thousands of consumers, they are able to gather the data small businesses, marketers and search engine optimizers need to prioritize reputation marketing with customer reviews.

Below is a snapshot of survey questions and results from the 2016 Local Consumer Review Survey giving the most insight on how local businesses benefit from online reviews and a positive reputation:

Have you ever been asked by a business to leave an online review for them?

1. Yes, and I left a review for them
2. Yes, but I didn’t leave a review for them
3. No, I’ve never been asked

Key Findings

• 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review if they’re asked to
• 50% of consumers have been asked to leave a review about a business and actually left a review
• 20% of consumers asked to leave a review did NOT leave a review for that business

Do you read online reviews to determine whether a local business is good or bad?

1. Yes, regularly
2. Yes, occasionally
3. No

Key Findings

• More people are reading reviews on a regular basis (50% vs. 33% in 2015)
• 91% of consumers regularly or occasionally read online reviews
• Only 9% of consumers don’t read online reviews (vs. 29% in 2010)

In the last 12 months have you reviewed/recommended a local business to people you know by any of the following methods?

1. Word of Mouth
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. Yelp
5. TripAdvisor
6. Google
7. Other Review Sites
8. Directly on Business Website

Key Findings

• Word of mouth is still the most popular way to recommend a local business (68%)
• 47% of consumers recommended a local business on Facebook (vs. only 17% in 2015)
• Google has seen an increase of 9% over the 2015 numbers
• The user of Twitter to recommend a business jumped to 21% (vs. 6% in 2015)

When you read positive reviews for a business, what is the typical next step you take?

1. Visit their website
2. Visit the business
3. Contact the business
4. Search for more reviews to validate choice
5. Continue searching for other businesses

Key Findings

• 54% of people will visit the website after reading positive reviews (vs. 48% in 2015)
• 19% will visit the business directly (down from 23% in 2015)
• 17% will continue to search for reviews about the business (Note: This is a new answer in the 2016 survey)

How many times have you used the internet to find/search for a local business in the last 12 months?

1. Never
2. 1 time
3. 2 to 5 times
4. 6 to 10 times
5. Every month
6. Every week
7. Multiple times per week
8. Everyday

Key Findings

• 53% of consumers search for local businesses at least one time per month (vs. 43% in 2015)
• 69% of consumers search for a local business at least 6 times per year (vs. 60% in 2015)
• Only 5% said they never searched for local businesses online (vs. 9% in 2015)

When judging a local business on its reviews, which of these factors do you pay most attention to?

1. Overall star rating
2. Sentiment of reviews
3. Recency of reviews
4. Quantity of reviews
5. Length and detail of reviews
6. If a business has responded to reviews

Key Findings

• 58% of consumers pay most attention to overall star rating
• Sentiment of reviews is the second most important factor at 47%
• The recency of reviews is also important, coming in third at 41%

You can read the Local Consumer Review Survey Results here in its entirety for expert analysis and additional results from BrightLocal. For easy, almost hands-free reputation management you use ReputationLoop to automatically gather and promote customer reviews and build your five-star reputation.

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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It never ceases to amaze me how much impact SEO and Reputation Management can have on the success of a small business. This past year was full of changes in how we market our business online, and so much has happened to make growing a small business even easier.

Check out Reputation Loop’s Top Small Business Posts for 2016 in this quick recap of the best of the best in reputation management, SEO, and Google search.

In 2016 we’ve put a big push on publishing actionable posts that help business owners and marketers build a positive reputation and create greater success while competing with bigger business with more resources.  While every post didn’t have something for every reader, thousands receive blog updates to their inbox every week with up-to-date informational, educational, and instructional articles on how they can do more with their online reputation.

Here is a quick recap of our Top Small Business Posts for 2016:

Best in GOOGLE

How to Optimize Google My Business

Knowing that Google is Master of the Universe when it comes to search engine use and new customers finding your business, it is crucial you understand how important your Google My Business listing is to visibly rank in Google search results. Complete listings also influence search engine user behavior as one study shows … read more

Latest Google My Business Update for 2016

Learn what’s obsolete, what’s new, and how you can do more with the latest Google My Business updates. Google My Business is one of the free tools Google provides to businesses to manage their online presence in search and map results. Smart business owners have already verified and … read more

Google Confirms Ad Coming to Local 3 Pack

Google announces at SMX Advanced Local Workshop (an industry conference for search marketers) that their Local 3 Pack will soon include an advertisement. What does it mean for your business that ads will now appear in local 3 pack results? The most important thing to know about the ad in the local 3 pack is … read more

Google Local SEO Ranking Factors for Small Business

When you do a local search for your business, where is it ranked?  If it is not at the top of search results or not showing at all, there are steps you can take today to start to change that.  Look at the listed local SEO ranking factors for areas where you can make immediate improvements … read more

 

Best in SEO

6 Free SEO Audit Tools for Your Website

An SEO site audit is the first step in building a successful SEO campaign.  You need to know where your website stands if you want to optimize its performance in search rankings.  Site audits show you what is wrong with your website and help you uncover what areas need immediate attention … read more

Angie’s List is Now Free – Impact on Business Reviews & SEO

Angie’s List is now free, removing the annual membership requirement to view full ratings and reviews.  Now consumers can access this service for free, opening the door to an audience even larger than its millions of current paid members. In the past only paying customers could read Angie’s List reviews or leave their own, but now … read more

Local SEO Checklist: 9 Basic Tips to Get Found in Local Search

Why a back to basics local SEO checklist? Because you need to dominate local search results to win new customers.  The one constant with Google is that they are constantly “updating” their algorithms to give their search customers the absolute best results.  By giving people individualized and highly relevant … read more

 

Best in REPUTATION

Getting Reviews Through Yelp Filters

Avoid Getting Reviews Blocked by the Yelp Filters and Understanding Yelp’s Recommendation Software. As the most used business review site in the U.S., Yelp has established itself as the “go to” site when a consumer wants to research a new small business.  As a business owner, you know the importance of Yelp reviews and … read more

Dentist Reputation Marketing INFOGRAPHIC

Dentists reputation marketing isn’t just about search engine optimization.  Customer reviews make up a large portion of your online reputation and are vital to the success of your business.  They are undeniably the most important part as new customers rely on the opinions they find online about your business to pick their next dental professional … read more

Big List of Online Customer Review Sites

Online customer reviews are very important to the growth of your small business. The numbers might vary from survey to survey, but the results are clear. Each year the influence of online customer reviews on the buying habits of increasingly mobile and internet-savvy consumers continues to grow with most estimating that over 90% of consumers are looking at online reviews … read more

Reputation Management for Local Businesses – 10 Pro Tips

Reputation Management may sound like a big business process that your small business doesn’t have to worry about, but that just isn’t’ true. In your industry, there may be larger businesses greater selection, lower prices, and big ad budgets, but your small business can dominate your local market with proper reputation management … read more

 

Best in FREE TOOLS

5 Free Digital Marketing Tools You Don’t Know About

Free and Low-Cost Marketing Automation Tools for SMB

Best Free CRM for Small Businesses

Here’s to your continued success in 2017!

You can learn more about online reputation management and steps you can take to better position your business by subscribing to the ReputationLoop.com blog.

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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When you understand how to use customer reviews to boost SEO, you can get your website ranking higher in search in 2017.

Measuring Google’s search engine ranking factors are one of life’s great mysteries.  Experts specializing in analyzing search engine optimization have given us a pretty good idea of what’s important and which factors help your links rank higher.  Factors like review signals, content, mobile-friendliness, and social signals have increased in importance in recent years.

ALSO READ: Google Local SEO Ranking Factors for Small Businesses

Customer reviews contribute to both the review signals and content factors in your SEO strategy.  Google favors fresh content that is unique, relevant, and valuable. Customer reviews feed that exact type of content to search engines. When that content is easy to consume on any device and post-worthy on social networks search engines love it even more.

The SEO Benefits of Customer Reviews

There are several ways you can start using customer reviews to boost your SEO in 2017.  When you have a plan in place that consistently gathers and promotes positive customer reviews on your website and third party review sites you are positioning your business to outrank competitors in search engine results.

Positive Content for Social Shares

It can be a lot of work finding content to feed your social media networks. No one wants to see your same old ad four times a day, and they sure aren’t going to share it without some kind of incentive.  Posting your best customer reviews to your social media profiles accomplishes a few things.

1. Five Star Customer reviews stand out in social media and beg to be read.
2. Customer reviews give you content that promotes your business without the hard sell.
3. Positive customer reviews remind your followers how great your business is.
4. A customer review post is a great way for followers to share your business with people they think could benefit from what you sell.

Higher Review Ratings and Volume Promote Website Authority

Website authority is another SEO ranking factor influenced by customer reviews.  Google recognized that sites who are able to consistently gather positive reviews are valuable search results links for search engine users.  You’ll find that the further down you go in search engine results, the fewer star ratings are visible next to links.

Relevance in Long-Tail Keyword Searches

Customer reviews often use the same words and phrases that consumers use when searching for places to make their purchases.  For example, if a dentist office gathers dozens of reviews saying, “same-day appointment,” or “free whitening,” search engines have the customer review content to pull from for search results when users are searching for a dentist with those long-tail keywords.

Higher Rankings for Products and Services with Reviews

Consumers using search want to see reviews for products they are searching for.  Many will start the research phase of the buying cycle by searching for reviews.  Building a positive online presence that includes five-star reviews is another way to beat out competitors in search on both search engines and third-party review sites.

Star Ratings Visible on Search Engine Results Pages

Over 90% of consumers say product and service reviews affect their buying decisions.  Proactively building a five-star rating and having that rating show up next to your links in search engine results help customers make the decision of which links to click on.  That increased traffic leads to more sales.

This is harder to accomplish since Google updated the local review schema guidelines in August.  Now only the reviews produced on your website can have local review markup.  The good thing about this change is that there has been a drastic drop in the number of links with star ratings in search results, making businesses that have them stand out more.

CHECKLIST: Using Customer Reviews to Boost SEO in 2017

Running a business is all about managing processes and executing plans.  Effective strategies are necessary for success, especially when you begin using customer reviews to boost your SEO. Be sure to make reputation management, including a customer review strategy, part of your marketing plan in 2017.  Automate your customer review management with low-cost services such as Reputation Loop to ensure positive reviews are consistently gathered and promoted across the web.

Using Customer Reviews to Boost SEO Checklist

[  ] Have a process in place that proactively gathers and promotes your best customer reviews on your website, third-party review sites, and social media.

[  ] Use rich snippets your product and services pages to get your star ratings to show up in search engine results.

[  ] Create and promote your business’ profile on the third-party review sites important to your industry as search engines pull ratings to feed their results pages.

[  ] Create and promote your business’ pages on social media networks where consumers are increasingly turning for reviews and suggestions on businesses before buying.

[  ] Respond to the best and worst reviews in a way that prospective customers reading reviews know you value the customer and place a priority on making doing business with your company a five-star experience.  Negative reviews are trusted more read thoroughly giving you an opportunity to win over customers.

ALSO READ: Handling Negative Reviews by Creating a Process

Making Customer Reviews Part of Your SEO Strategy

Search engines like Google only succeed by giving users what they want, and what they want is customer reviews. Overexposure has made in-your-face marketing less effective as customer seek out the reviews from actual customers to make buying decisions.  Adding customer reviews to your SEO strategy puts you ahead of competitors because you are feeding the consumers need for user-generated content.

You can learn more about online reputation management and steps you can take to better position your business by subscribing to the ReputationLoop.com blog.

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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The Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 – New consumer protection legislation passed in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

While it seems everyone is running around Capitol Hill screaming “The Sky is Falling!” our elected officials have been working hard to get some things done before the new President takes over.  It was hardly the big political headline of December, but the House and the Senate recently passed the Consumer Review Fairness Act to protect the right of the consumer to make honest reviews of businesses, even if that feedback is negative.

Source: NationalLatinoNetwork.org

New Jersey Congressman Leonard Lance, Vice Chair of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, spearheaded this legislation.  His press release for the signing of the Consumer Review Fairness Act discussed the high value of reviews and the importance of protecting consumers while still allowing companies to remove false and defamatory reviews:

“This law is about protecting consumers posting honest feedback online.  Online reviews and ratings are critical in the 21st Century and consumers should be able to post, comment and tweet their honest and accurate feedback without fear of retribution.  Too many companies are burying non-disparagement clauses in fine print and going after consumers when they post negative feedback online.  This will now end.”

The press release also reinforces that crowdsourced reviews of local businesses and services are a powerful informational tool and that it is important to maintain the integrity of reviews to protect consumers.

Why do we need a Consumer Review Fairness Act?

Businesses are overwhelmingly aware of the importance of five-star customer reviews and their influence over consumer purchasing decisions. Some of the more ruthless companies have gone so far as to include gag orders or non-disparagement clauses in the terms and conditions on their websites.

A typical clause explains that you are not allowed to make negative comments about a business on social media or review sites or risk fines or lawsuits. You read T&C statements on the contracts and websites of companies you visit, work with, and buy from before leaving a review or making a comment online, right? Of course not!

Customers have been leaving reviews, unaware that they could be penalized for writing a bad review or writing negative posts on social media.  In the “fine print” you may find that your contractor had you sign that you would never make a written or verbal disparaging remark about their business or face a fine.  A bad review on the sloppy work of your carpet cleaner could land you a lawsuit.  The Consumer Review Fairness Act was written to protect consumers from penalties for sharing their honest opinions.

What is the Consumer Review Fairness Act?

Introduced in April, the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 was passed in the House in September and passed in the Senate by unanimous consent on November 28.  Signed by US House Speaker Paul Ryan and Congressman Leonard Lance, it is now in the office of the President of the United States.

Here is a snippet from the Congressional summary of the Consumer Review Fairness Act:

Source: Congress.gov

How does the Consumer Review Fairness Act affect your business?

It’s not called the “Protect Business From Bad Reviews Act” so you might be worried that protecting the consumer might in some way hurt your business.  However, there is no need to worry about restrictions on businesses.  Unless you are one of those shifty businesses who like to sue customers for bad reviews, the Consumer Review Fairness Act won’t directly affect how you do business. What it does do is even the playing field, so all business will have to earn their five-star rating the right way – with great products and customer service.

The Consumer Review Fairness Act voids non-disparagement clauses in contracts and terms and conditions statements.  That means business will no longer be able to penalize customers for negative reviews.  If they do, they will have to deal with the Federal Trade Commission.

Review sites such as Yelp are already onboard.  Fewer lawsuits is good business for them, especially when they are usually stuck in the middle of a fight between a business and a customer.  They’ve gone so far as to issue Consumer Alerts boldly above the fold of business listings which are known to sue customers for reviews.

Source: Yelp.com

Build and Manage a Genuine Five-Star Reputation

Gathering feedback and posting positive reviews online has many benefits for all businesses.  Online reputation management actively establishes your credibility as a reliable business and gives your company a competitive edge over others in your industry and in your local area.  It helps you position your business as the first and best choice when customers are researching online before making a decision where to spend their money.

Use reputation management services like Reputation Loop to save precious time, gather more five-star reviews, and have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your reputation marketing is automated and handled at every level. Your customers are being asked for their feedback, you are notified of dissatisfied customers before they get to review sites, and the best reviews are being promoted on the review sites and social networks that matter most to your business in an almost hands-free automated process.

You can learn more about online reputation management and steps you can take to better position your business by subscribing to the ReputationLoop.com blog.

 

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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Review Velocity for Mobile – Free Test

We are proud of the full service capabilities of RepPilot, and its ability to significantly boost our clients online reputation and ability to attract new customers.

This is where reputation management shines after-all, in its ability to attract new clients.

Increasingly, the world is getting to be a mobile world, and as such their is a premium on getting mobile reviews.

You may or may not have noticed but Google is pushing the “Near to Me” phenomenon to take advantage of the huge upsurge in people using their phones “on the fly.”

There is a big profit opportunity for many local businesses, from restaurants, to dentists, to shoe stores,  to be – the “Near Me” location.

But Google will show more than one, “Near Me” result.

Which one will they choose?

More than likely, the one with the best social proof in the form of online reviews.

And the quickest way to the lions share of that bounty, is to win the Reputation Wars.

That is where RepPilot and our various services are focused.  Helping businesses like your, find an easy and practical way to get more real, positive and effective reviews.

Our newest effort is mobile phone based and called Review Velocity.

It takes advantage of the fact that people respond well to text messages on their phones.

We have developed a new system that is easy to use, and effective.

But it is still in the beta test stages.

As a result, we are offering the first 100 beta testers a totally free trial period to test the system

As a beta tester, you will get 25 “review requests” at no cost. These you will send to your next 25 customers,  once they have completed a sale or service.

We are confident it will result in a number of positive reviews for your business.

Then, if and only if you decide the service is appropriate for you, we will set you up on our lowest price platform, with a cancel at any time guarantee.

Signing up for the free trial is easy. Just go to

Free Trial

You will be able to review how the system works and begin the process of winning all the “Near Me” traffic and more.

Now, while “Near Me” traffic is all the rage, virtually 77% of everyone these days is checking out reputations online when looking for a new vendor.

The value of social proof in the form of real people’s reviews is critical to your long term business success.

You want to beat your rivals to the punch. While they are still oblivious to the role social proof is playing in today’s marketplace.

There are many aspects to your on line reputation. We at RepPilot and our sister companies are dedicated to helping businesses like yours win the reputation wars.

You have nothing to loose and everything to gain, Check out Review Velocity now.  You will be glad you did.

 

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When you know how to respond to negative customer reviews, you connect with review readers in a way that shows your commitment to improving the customer experience.

Getting a bad review is inevitable. Even the best products, sold with the biggest smiles and best customer service, will have a negative review posted online.  Negative reviews can have an impact on your reputation and revenue, so it’s important to know how to respond to negative customer reviews.

Don’t underestimate the power of your online reputation or how online rating influence consumer behavior. Several studies have shown that over 90% of internet using consumers read product reviews. With a heavy influence on purchasing behavior, negative reviews make it harder to attract new customers.

How to Respond to Negative Reviews in a Way that Wins Over Prospective Customers

Decide Who is Responsible for Monitoring and Responding to Negative Reviews

If not yourself, who can you trust to monitor and respond to online reviews?  Someone who can provide a prompt and empathetic response online and (if given the opportunity) directly to dissatisfied customers. This person needs to be able to present a sincere apology for the customer’s less-than-stellar experience without being aggressive or combative.

The person responsible for responding to reviews must also know enough about your business to be able to address the complaint and explain what has been done to correct the problem or how customer’s experience could have been better.

To monitor online reviews businesses can use Review and Reputation Management software such as Reputation Loop to intercept unsatisfied customers before they post online and receive notifications when new reviews for their business show up online.

Know the Rules of How to Respond to Negative Customer Reviews for the Review Sites that Matter Most

Depending on your industry, there are going to be review sites that your customers use the most to find businesses like yours.  You’ve already claimed your business page and filled out your profile in its entirety on those sites (and if you haven’t – do it now!).  Be sure to read their guidelines on how you can be notified of reviews and how you can respond to customers as part of those reviews.

For example, Yelp allows private messaging and public responses on review posts.

Google allows you to respond to reviews from your Google My Business account with just a few clicks.  Your response will be posted publicly as a comment from your business.

Create a Fill-In-The-Blank Response to Customize for Responding to Negative Reviews

You want to create a response with future customers in mind.  Taking ownership of the issue and letting prospects know that your customers are important to you can turn a bad review into a good thing for your business.

Writing a fill-the-blank response now, before you get a negative review, lets you create a professional level response before your emotions are involved.  Plus, it ensures that the most important things you need to say (the apology, how much you care about the customer experience, and how you can make it right) aren’t forgotten.

An apology and appreciation for their time in visiting your business will go a long way in restoring any trust that has been lost.  Remember that a bad review is an opportunity to post a response that will positively influence future customers towards trusting your business.

Respond to Bad Reviews Fast to Lessen the Negative Impact

Removing negative reviews can be extremely difficult, if not impossible.  But you aren’t helpless!  There are two things you can do to lessen the impact of a negative review:

1. Respond quickly in a way that lets readers know what to expect from your business.
2. Gather more positive reviews to drown out the one negative review.

New negative reviews will sit at the top of your review page until more reviews are posted.  Knowing the power of customer reviews, you should respond to negative reviews as quickly as possible.  When the next person looks at your business on the review site, make sure they are more influenced by your response than the negative review.

Separate Personal Feelings and Business Activities

Someone bad-mouthing your business online can be a sensitive subject, right?  Some negative reviews can help shine a light on things that need improvement in your organization.

There will also be times when a negative review is just a bored person having a horrible day who chose to spread their negativity online.  Even worse, bad reviews can lower your rating over things beyond your control like the tiny parking spaces in the shopping center parking lot.

It feels personal because you are emotionally and financially invested in your business.  But it’s important that you keep your personal emotions and feelings separate from the business of handling business.

Whether right or wrong, you can’t treat a negative review as a personal attack.  You will not be able to respond appropriately.  You have to set your mind to see the good in bad reviews and tackle this problem like any other business hurdle.

Know How to Respond to Negative Customer Reviews

There are times a negative review will prompt loyal customers to leave a review stating how awesome their experience was in contrast.  But if you see a pattern of dissatisfaction then know there are issues that need to be addressed.

Responses to negative customer reviews should:

• Be prompt, short, and to the point
• Customized to specifically address the issue
• Offer an apology for the negative experience
• Provide a resolution or improvement when possible

With a Reputation Management and Marketing process, you will know how to respond to negative customer reviews, improve customer service and operations, acquire more customers and increase revenue.  Actively monitoring, managing, and responding to good and bad reviews is a vital part of building and maintaining a positive online reputation.  A positive online reputation ensures new customers pick your business over the competition.

 

About The Author

Zach Anderson is the co-founder of Reputation Loop (helping small businesses grow by generating customer feedback and online reviews) who loves online marketing and golf.

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