How to Respond to Positive and Negative Reviews on Google
3 Feb 2020 Digital Marketing
Knowing how to respond to positive and negative reviews on Google is a critical part of not only creating a positive online presence but also in encouraging other customers to provide feedback and engage with your business.
As digital marketing experts, the team from FirstPage Marketing understand how important it is for any business to have a strong reputation and positive online presence. That is why we have put together this helpful guide for responding to both positive and negative Google reviews to ensure that our clients are able to easily navigate the complex world of online reviews and reputations.
Why Should You Respond to Positive Google Reviews?
Responding to positive Google reviews can make it easy to engage with happy customers in a way that will benefit both your customer relationships and your brand identity. Since online reviews are public, actively creating and engaging in positive conversations with customers about your brand can encourage other potential customers to interact with your business, leading to greater brand visibility.
How to Respond to Positive Google Reviews
In order to get the most value out of responding to positive reviews on Google, you should:
1. Thank and Acknowledge the Customer by Name
When responding to a positive online review, it is always a good idea to start by greeting the customer by name and thanking them for leaving the review. Using the customers’ name and being specific about what you are thanking them for, such as reiterating something they said in their review, will provide a more genuine response and will ensure that the reviewer knows that a real person is responding to them.
2. Show Appreciation
Make sure to emphasize how much you appreciate the customer leaving you a positive review. By expressing your gratitude, you will be able to demonstrate to anyone who reads the review that you do not just pay attention to customers that make a fuss but also to the customers who are easy to work with.
3. Provide Additional Value
While saying “thank you” can go a long way with customers who take the time to leave positive reviews online, it is always a good idea to encourage the customer to return to your business. Consider providing customers with additional value by mentioning an upcoming promotion or sale or by recommending a product you think the customer will enjoy.
Find out how to get more positive Google reviews for your business
Why Should You Respond to Negative Google Reviews?
While many companies and business owners are often afraid to respond to negative reviews because it can lead to an online confrontation, negative reviews can be crippling to local businesses, especially if they are not responded to. Rather than allowing bad reviews to cause anxiety, think of them as an opportunity to improve your brand and customer service by trying to make things right with the customer. Taking the time to reply to negative reviews will also show other customers that you are not going to neglect their feedback and that steps will be taken to ensure that the same problem will not happen to the next customer.
How to Respond to Negative Google Reviews
Since ignoring unpleasant reviews can often make things worse, you should respond to negative reviews by:
1. Assessing and Evaluating the Feedback Internally
Before responding to a negative Google review, make sure to take some time to assess the situation instead of immediately responding. Taking some time before responding to a negative review will help prevent you from getting emotional and will make it easier for you to respond in a calm and logical manner that will not fuel the customer’s anger.
2. Publicly Respond to the Negative Review
Rather than trying to avoid a digital confrontation by reaching out to the customer privately, it is extremely important to respond to the negative Google review on the same platform. Publicly responding to a bad review will show your customers and potential customers that you care about their opinions.
3. Empathizing and Offering Solutions
While it is important to take the time to carefully craft a response to the negative review before responding, it is just as important to ensure that the response includes some sort of solution or actionable item to help mitigate the issue. This means trying to make things right with the customer rather than just apologizing for their bad experience.
4. Moving the Conversation Offline
Providing the customer with your contact information and taking the time to follow up with them offline can be a great way to display empathy and your willingness to solve their complaint. Moving the conversation offline can also make it easier to have a conversation about the problem and a possible solution, while mitigating the risks of an online confrontation.
Taking the time to respond to both positive and negative reviews on Google can help improve your brand identity and customer relationships. To learn more about properly responding to positive and negative Google reviews, get in touch with the digital marketing experts today.
