Reviews for any business are so important now. Google reviews, especially, are solid gold as writers have to have a Google account and be verified.
Good or bad reviews can mean the difference between a business thriving and expanding, or closing their doors for good. In the digital age, a business’s reputation is controlled by consumers using online review platforms like Yelp, Google and Facebook to announce the quality of their business publicly. The good news is that this lets businesses easily monitor and manage their online reputation, a power they can put to good use by responding in a timely manner to the reviews they receive.
While negative reviews often get this most attention, positive reviews are as or more important! It’s important to respond to positive reviews to thank customers for taking the time to review your business and to encourage others to do the same.
With over 80% of consumers reading reviews online to help make a buying decision, businesses can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. An effective response will help ensure that a happy first-time customer becomes a regular. This is an important point; 70% of complaining customers will come back if you resolve the complaint in their favour. The first step is engaging with them professionally.
How to respond to positive reviews
It’s simple. Thank the customer, name drop, promote and tell the customer what to do!
Say thank you and be specific.
No one would let a compliment pass them by in real life. Apply that same principle to a review response! And make sure to reiterate your customer’s compliment. This lets the customer know that a real person took time out of their day to acknowledge them, and that feels good.
Use the business name and keywords in your reply.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to drive your business up in search. Positive reviews work wonders in search. Referring to your business name, location and category (restaurant, coffee shop, hotel, etc.) help index that review online.
Is your business famous for a certain specialist service? Are you having a promotion next month? A review response is a great place to get the good word out.
Give your customer a task. Not as scary as it sounds. Invite them to try something different the next time they visit or bring a friend!
As you can see, there’s a ton of potential hidden in a positive review response. Instead of one advertisement to rule them all, each review is an opportunity to sell your business!
