In today’s digital era, online reviews are now vital to the success of any business looking to increase their business via the digital space.

With nearly 90% of consumers saying they will only consider purchasing a product or service from a business if they have online reviews with an average rating of 3 stars or more, businesses can no longer afford to ignore the importance of building an arsenal of online reviews for brand presence and reputation.

Responding well to these online reviews is also vital in helping you build a positive online presence.

How then do you go about responding to online reviews that will help impress potential customers who are reading these reviews and convert them to real business opportunities? Should you bother responding to positive reviews? How do you approach responding to a negative one?

We cover these questions and more here so that you can leverage on your reviews and engage with customers to grow your business.

Why respond to a positive review?

When a customer leaves a five star review, it’s an indicator of a job well done and another satisfied customer in the bag. That’s great but you can even make it even better!

Responding to a positive review is one of the easiest way to engage with a satisfied customer. It not only enhances your one-to-one relationship with the customer, it also helps you build your brand identity online.

Always remember that online reviews are public so positive conversations that occur around your brand can do wonders for your business!

Here are a few more reasons why you should always respond to a positive review:

• It’s the polite thing to do – If someone gave you a compliment in real life, the right thing to do is to say thank you. It’s only polite to do so. And with online reviews where it’s publicly available, it makes sense to be extra nice.
• Everyone is looking! – With 92% of consumers reading online reviews before making a purchase decision, responding to a review is a great chance to indirectly speak to these people and do some subtle marketing for your business.

So how should you go about responding to a positive review and get some good marketing out of it?

Here are some tips to get you going with your responses:

Address the reviewer by name

When you address a person my his or her name, it creates a personal connection. It also shows you care about who your customers are enough to engage them as individuals. “Greetings Mr Taylor.”

Express gratitude

There are multiple ways to express your gratitude to customers who have taken the trouble to post a good review. Varying your approach ensures they know you took the time to read and respond sincerely. “Thank you for the nice review and kind words.”

Use your business name and keywords

Using your business name and throwing in some keywords such as the business you are in as well as your location can help with search optimisation and get your review appearing where your potential customers are looking. “We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with [Your Business Name] here in London.”

Whenever possible, refer to details they share

People want to be heard, especially when they have taken the effort to share a detailed review online. Instead of limiting your reply to just a thank you, go deeper into the details. “Simon and his packing crew were delighted to read that you found them to be diligent and efficient with their packing and unpacking services.”

Provide immediate value or inside knowledge

When your customer leaves a positive review, it would be good if you can give them something in return. Offering something of value in return creates an equal exchange. “We are rather well acquainted with the area you have just moved to so if you need any help with settling in, do feel free to reach out to us.”

Express gratitude (Again!)

Close your response with another thank you to drive the message through that you are grateful for your customers, their loyalty and willingness to take time out to pen a positive review. “Thank you once again for leaving us this awesome review.”

Here’s how the review response looks like when pieced together:

“Greetings Mr Taylor. Thank you for the nice review and kind words. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with [Your Business Name] here in London. Simon and his packing crew were delighted to read that you found them to be diligent and efficient with their packing and unpacking services. We are rather well acquainted with the area you have just moved to so if you need any help with settling in, do feel free to reach out to us. Thank you once again for leaving us this awesome review.”

Why respond to a negative review?

We all hate negative reviews. Unfortunately, these dreaded reviews occasionally do come in and you cannot just ignore a negative review and hope it goes away.

There are a couple of reasons why you should always respond to a negative review.

Firstly, if a customer brought a complaint to you in person, you would try to resolve the issue. The same goes for online reviews. Despite the impersonal nature of the digital space, we shouldn’t ignore an unhappy customer. Replying is your opportunity to make things right and turn things around.

Also, when you post a reply, it shows your potential customers, who are reading your arsenal of reviews, that your business is not a shady fly by night one and that your organisation cares about customers enough to respond and show that steps have been taken to ensure rectification.

The best thing to do when you receive a negative review is to react quickly and strategically.

Believe it or not, negative reviews sometimes can play to your advantage if done right. Here are some tips to help you respond to a negative review:

Never copy and paste the same response

Doing this is just offensive and it shows both your customer and potential ones that your organisation does not take customer feedback seriously.

Apologise for specifics

Acknowledge the customer’s concerns. Even if they are unfounded, show sympathy that they had a bad experience.

Avoid generic apologies “Our apologies for the inconvenience caused.” or “We are sorry for this.”. If the reviewer has specified an issue he or she is having in the review, address it directly. Mirror the reviewer’s description of the issue to show that you listen and care. “We’re so sorry that your delivery was delayed and that resulted in your wife missing her tennis session.”

Focus on your tone and voice

Sometimes a negative review isn’t necessarily because of a mistake but because of unmet expectations  or situations which are out of your control (ie. Inability to deliver shipment as promised due to customs or shipping delays).

In such cases, politely bring clarity to the situation. There’s no need to be edgy or defensive with customers even if it isn’t your fault. And always remember that potential customers are reading your reviews and replies and the last thing you want is to scare them away.

Insert a little marketing whenever possible

Take the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive for potential customers reading the review. “We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail in our packing jobs, and we regret that we missed the mark this time round.”

Reduce engagement – Move the conversation offline

Trying to engage the reviewer and attempting to explain what went wrong or why it isn’t your fault can sometimes make you look over defensive. Acknowledge the issue raised by the reviewer and tell them you will contact them to address the issue personally – move the conversation offline.

Keep your response short and sweet. General rule of thumb – no more than 3 sentences for your whole reply.

By taking the time to resolve issues online, you show your potential customers just how much you value every customer. If you show that you always learn from these mistakes, nothing will hold your business back!