Online Customer Reviews Guide

Online Customer Reviews Guide

May 21, 2021

Online customer reviews are a vital aspect of modern business, influencing consumer decisions and shaping brand reputation. Positive reviews can boost your credibility and attract new customers, while negative reviews, if not managed properly, can harm your business. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to effectively manage and leverage online customer reviews, from setting up review platforms to responding to feedback and using reviews to improve your business.

1. Understanding the Importance of Online Customer Reviews

a. Why Online Reviews Matter

Online reviews are crucial for several reasons:

  • Influence on Purchasing Decisions: A significant number of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision. Positive reviews can sway potential customers in your favor.
  • Brand Trust and Credibility: Reviews build trust and credibility. Authentic feedback from other customers can assure potential buyers of your product or service quality.
  • SEO Benefits: Reviews can improve your search engine rankings. Fresh content and keywords in reviews help boost your site’s SEO.
  • Customer Insights: Reviews provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement (https://www.hubspot.com/customer-reviews).
b. Types of Review Platforms

There are various platforms where customers can leave reviews:

  • Google My Business: Reviews on your Google listing can impact local search results and visibility.
  • Yelp: Popular for local businesses, especially restaurants and services.
  • Facebook: Customers can leave reviews on your business’s Facebook page.
  • Industry-Specific Sites: Sites like TripAdvisor for travel or Angie's List for services cater to specific industries.
  • E-commerce Platforms: Sites like Amazon allow customers to review products directly on the platform (https://neilpatel.com/blog/best-review-sites/).

2. Setting Up Review Platforms

a. Google My Business
  1. Create a Google My Business Account: Sign up for a free account on Google My Business.
  2. Verify Your Business: Follow the verification process to claim your business listing.
  3. Optimize Your Profile: Add accurate business information, including hours, contact details, and photos (https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778).
b. Yelp
  1. Claim Your Business on Yelp: Search for your business on Yelp and claim it.
  2. Complete Your Profile: Provide detailed information about your business, including hours, services, and photos.
  3. Encourage Reviews: Politely ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on Yelp (https://biz.yelp.com/support/claiming).
c. Facebook
  1. Create or Claim Your Business Page: Set up a business page on Facebook if you don’t have one.
  2. Enable Reviews: Ensure the reviews tab is enabled on your page.
  3. Engage with Customers: Respond to reviews and engage with customers to build a community (https://www.facebook.com/business/help/).
d. Industry-Specific Sites
  1. Identify Relevant Platforms: Research and identify review platforms specific to your industry.
  2. Create Profiles: Set up or claim your business profiles on these platforms.
  3. Maintain Active Presence: Regularly update information and engage with reviewers (https://www.hubspot.com/industry-specific-review-sites).

3. Encouraging Customer Reviews

a. Request Reviews
  1. Ask at the Right Time: Request reviews from customers after a positive interaction or purchase.
  2. Make It Easy: Provide direct links to your review profiles in emails, on receipts, or on your website.
  3. Incentivize Reviews: Offer incentives like discounts or freebies for leaving a review, but ensure this complies with the review platform’s policies (https://neilpatel.com/blog/ask-for-reviews/).
b. Use Email Campaigns
  1. Follow-Up Emails: Send follow-up emails after a purchase asking customers to leave a review.
  2. Personalization: Personalize your emails to make the request feel more genuine.
  3. Thank You Notes: Include a thank you note and express appreciation for their time and feedback (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/05/22/email-marketing-reviews).
c. Utilize Social Media
  1. Social Media Posts: Create posts encouraging followers to leave reviews and share their experiences.
  2. Engagement: Engage with followers by responding to their comments and thanking them for their feedback.
  3. Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your review requests (https://www.hubspot.com/social-media-engagement).

4. Managing and Responding to Reviews

a. Monitor Reviews
  1. Regular Monitoring: Regularly check all review platforms for new reviews.
  2. Set Up Alerts: Use tools or set up alerts to notify you of new reviews.
  3. Centralize Review Management: Use a review management tool to centralize and streamline the process (https://neilpatel.com/blog/review-monitoring-tools/).
b. Responding to Positive Reviews
  1. Thank the Reviewer: Show appreciation for their feedback.
  2. Personalize Your Response: Mention specific details from their review to show you value their input.
  3. Encourage Further Engagement: Invite them to return or check out new products/services (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2019/11/14/respond-to-positive-reviews).
c. Handling Negative Reviews
  1. Stay Calm and Professional: Respond calmly and professionally, even if the review is harsh.
  2. Acknowledge the Issue: Show that you understand the problem and take their feedback seriously.
  3. Offer a Solution: Provide a solution or ask to take the conversation offline to resolve the issue.
  4. Learn and Improve: Use negative feedback to identify areas for improvement in your business (https://www.hubspot.com/respond-to-negative-reviews).

5. Leveraging Reviews for Business Growth

a. Showcasing Reviews
  1. Website Testimonials: Display positive reviews and testimonials on your website.
  2. Marketing Materials: Use reviews in your marketing materials, such as brochures and social media posts.
  3. Case Studies: Develop detailed case studies from positive reviews to highlight success stories (https://neilpatel.com/blog/showcase-reviews/).
b. Improving SEO
  1. Local SEO: Encourage reviews on Google My Business to improve local search rankings.
  2. Keywords: Reviews often include keywords relevant to your business, which can help with SEO.
  3. Fresh Content: Regular reviews provide fresh content for search engines to index (https://www.hubspot.com/local-seo).
c. Enhancing Customer Experience
  1. Identify Trends: Use reviews to identify common trends and issues.
  2. Implement Changes: Make improvements based on feedback to enhance customer satisfaction.
  3. Train Staff: Use review feedback to train staff and improve customer service (https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2019/10/17/customer-feedback).

6. Best Practices for Managing Online Reviews

a. Consistency
  1. Regular Monitoring: Consistently monitor review platforms for new feedback.
  2. Timely Responses: Respond to reviews promptly to show customers you value their feedback.
  3. Ongoing Engagement: Continuously engage with customers to build long-term relationships (https://neilpatel.com/blog/consistent-review-management/).
b. Transparency
  1. Be Honest: Be transparent in your responses and acknowledge any shortcomings.
  2. Authentic Reviews: Avoid fake reviews or incentivizing reviews in a way that violates platform policies.
  3. Encourage Genuine Feedback: Encourage customers to leave honest feedback based on their real experiences (https://www.hubspot.com/transparency-in-reviews).
c. Leveraging Technology
  1. Review Management Tools: Use tools like Google Alerts, Hootsuite, or ReviewTrackers to manage reviews efficiently.
  2. Automation: Automate review requests and follow-ups to streamline the process.
  3. Analytics: Use analytics to track review performance and gain insights into customer sentiment (https://neilpatel.com/blog/review-management-tools/).

Conclusion

Managing online customer reviews effectively can significantly enhance your business's reputation, attract new customers, and provide valuable insights for improvement. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can set up and optimize your review platforms, encourage and respond to reviews, and leverage feedback to grow your business. Regularly monitor and engage with reviews to maintain a positive online presence and build strong customer relationships.


For further assistance on managing online customer reviews for your business, consider partnering with Eastmoor Digital. Schedule a discovery call today at Eastmoor Digital Discovery Call or call us at 302-514-7003. Let our experts help you maximize the potential of online reviews to enhance your business reputation and achieve your business objectives.