Online reviews can make or break your business.
Think about your own shopping behaviors. Do you immediately buy a product or service the very first time you discover it? Most likely not.
If you’re like most people, you search for reviews from presumably real customers who’ve made a purchase before you. You read the pros and cons about the product. You examine how many reviews are available. You try to get a solid understanding of the value before ever pulling the trigger.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) understands this and has taken action to ensure that online reviews maintain their authority and authenticity. In August, the FTC issued a new rule to crack down on fake reviews, along with penalties for engaging in review peddling. The rule even extends to fake likes, follows, and views on social media.
With this in mind, it’s more important than ever to ensure your review strategy is both authentic and compliant. Here’s how to do it right.
Encourage Genuine Reviews
We are frequently asked by business owners, “How do I get more reviews?”.
The simplest answer to that question is, “Ask for them”.
The key is to request reviews from real customers who have genuinely interacted with your business. Send follow-up emails after a purchase, include review requests in newsletters, or provide a simple link on your website where customers can leave feedback.
Avoid incentivizing reviews with rewards that might lead to biased feedback. According to the new FTC rule, this amounts to paying for a review. Gone are the days of giving away free Starbucks cards in order to get a review. To the FTC, this is no different than paying an overseas team to write fake reviews for you.
Any incentive or compensation creates a bias in the review process that pollutes the marketplace and breeds mistrust.
This extends to family members, employees, or internal officers who stand to benefit from boosting your reviews. The FTC treats them the same as paid reviewers. According to them, these close associates are inherently biased and therefore not authentic.
Respond to All Reviews
Managing your online reputation means responding to every review, both positive and negative.
This is a part of the process that most businesses fail to manage. Who has time for that?
Responding to reviews shows current customers and potential customers that you care about their experience with your company. It’s also an indicator that you take your job seriously. Pride and consideration of quality service convey to your customers that you are worthy of their patronage.
We advise our customers to use a template to respond to all reviews. And even though your responses to reviews follow a pattern, you must always personalize them.
The template goes like this:
[Thank You] + [Address the Feedback] + [Make a Request]
For positive reviews, show appreciation and reinforce the relationship. For example:
Thank you for the kind review, [customer name]! We really appreciate you choosing us to help with your [insert service]. We are delighted that we were able to [insert what you did]. Please contact us in the future if we can ever be of service again.
For negative reviews, respond professionally and address the concerns raised. This shows potential customers that you care about their experience. For example:
Thank you for your review, [customer name]. I regret that we were not able to meet your expectations. We do our best to deliver the highest quality service to all of our customers. However, it appears we missed the mark here. Please contact us directly so that we can explore how to improve your experience with us and so that we can learn how to make improvements in the future. Thank you.
It’s important to avoid disputing bad reviews, arguing, or revealing confidential information that could potentially get you in trouble. It’s not worth the headache engaging a truly upset customer. It not only reinforces (in their mind) that they had a bad experience, but it also makes you look bad to anyone else who is reading the review.
Stay Transparent Managing Reviews
Transparency is key to building trust. Never hide or delete negative reviews.
Believe it or not, negative reviews CAN work in your favor, especially if you’re responding to them as illustrated above.
Most people who read reviews want to see the good, the neutral, and the bad reviews. However, in most cases the reader treats bad reviews with a certain amount of skepticism. People generally don’t like complainers. They initially assume that the person who left the bad review is airing a grievance that may not be founded in reality or that may be based on a fluke.
But what if the bad review REALLY IS based on a mistake or shoddy workmanship that led to a bad experience? The response format above helps to cover you and potentially address the issue. In the event the angry customer actually does contact you directly, you have an opportunity to change their minds – and in turn change their review.
Of course, if a review violates guidelines or contains inappropriate content, follow the platform’s procedures for reporting it rather than removing it yourself. It’s best to let the review site address unfair, dishonest, or inflammatory reviews.
Monitor Review Platforms Regularly
Keep an eye on where your reviews are posted – Google, Yelp, social media, or industry-specific platforms. These days there are countless places where a review may appear. Monitoring everything can be a bit disorienting.
Fortunately there are platforms that can help you stay abreast of reviews in the most likely places. Services like ReviewTrackers, Yext, and Birdeye, among others, allow you to maintain management of your online reputation.
You may decide that the cost isn’t worth the convenience these platforms offer. For companies with lower volume sales, or companies that provide a high cost service, we recommend at least making a conscious effort to stay in tune with online reviews. Most of the review platforms will send you notifications about new reviews, from which you can click through and address the situation.
Regular monitoring allows you to stay informed about what customers are saying and respond promptly. It’s worth the extra effort to respond quickly when reviews happen.
Educate Your Team
Ensure your staff knows the importance of following your company’s review policy and the FTC rules. This includes not asking friends or family to leave reviews and avoiding any manipulation of review content.
Furthermore, you should train your team to respond to reviews, both positive and negative, in the most professional and effective manner as explained above. The last thing you want is a controversy to explode in the public eye as a consequence of poor reputation management behaviors.
Stay In Good Standing
Authenticity is the name of the game in today’s review landscape. By encouraging genuine feedback, managing reviews with care, and staying transparent, your business can build a strong online reputation that complies with FTC regulations. Remember, a good review strategy isn’t just about getting five stars – it’s about building trust and credibility with your audience.
Need more guidance or want to discuss a way to promote your business in the ever changing digital world? Contact us today and let’s do something great together.