3 Tactics to Improve your Online Reviews [VIDEO]
Did you know that 97% of online consumers today go online to look at reviews before buying a product or service? And that 85% of people will trust an online review just as much as family or friends.
This would be great if all online reviews were positive. But as you know, this is not the case.
People are three times more likely to leave a negative online review than a positive review. What does this mean for your business? It means you must curate and collect positive online reviews as often as you can.
Here are three tactics that can increase the amount of positive online reviews you have for your business.
1) Ask for Reviews
It might seem obvious that happy customers will leave reviews online for your business. But the truth is, they don’t. It takes time, and they often forget to do it soon after the experience is over.
When a new or long-term customer has a great experience with your business, that is a great time to ask them to post a review.
It only takes a couple of minutes, and they are usually happy to do it. One important point to remember: don’t ask them to write a ‘good’ review. Ask them to write an honest review. That way they will write what they felt was good about the business in an honest, conversational way. This will make other people better relate to the review.
2) Read Your Own Reviews
Most business owners don’t bother to read the online reviews about their company. Why not? Because it takes time, and they don’t really want to know what people are saying about them!
But the reality is, if you don’t know what people are saying about your business, how can you improve upon what you do? Online reviews are one of the best ways to understand feedback and how to improve your products and services.
Take the time to read the reviews that people leave, respond to them and thank them for their review. And then you can use the ideas to improve your business.
3) Respond Graciously to Negative Reviews
If somebody leaves a negative review, it can be tempting to get into an argument or disagree with them. But it’s never a great idea.
No matter what, be polite and be professional. Respond positively to negative reviews and thank them for their feedback.
This way, people who see the negative reviews will notice that you are professional and that you are making an effort to improve. This will often make them want to work with you even more.
Hopefully, these three tactics give you a starting point for increasing the amount of positive online reviews you have for your business. It takes time and focus to create an excellent online reputation. So remember to be patient and persistent when trying to grow your online reviews.
