How to Handle with Negative or Fake Reviews

Search Engine Optimization | posted on April 27, 2018

If you get a negative review don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not just you. You’ll never be able to please every one and not every person is going to like your service or product. That’s right. Whether your business is large or small, everyone is going to experience negative reviews in their business’ lifetime.

It is also important to realize that not all reviews will provide feedback that can benefit your business. Looking too deep into issues could end up harming your business or product.

Instead, start looking for repeated complaints or themes. Look for words like “disappointed” in negative online reviews. This will imply that customers may have had a higher expectation (that could not be met) of your product or service. After receiving a negative review, determine which aspect of your product or service needs improvement, brainstorm with your employees/business owners to come up with a solution to improve or fix the issue.

Did You Know: Yelp reviews will highlight words that are mentioned by multiple customers! Remember, the most important thing is not to take negative feedback personally! It’s just another way for your business to evolve.

Fake Reviews

According to Brightlocal, 97% of consumers has looked online for a local business in the last year, and 85% of those consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. In 2017, 79% of consumers read fake reviews about a business but only 89% of them realized they were fake.

So which platforms do consumers trust the most for reviews?

Facebook and Yelp, followed by Google and Better Business Bureau. You may find customers will leave more reviews on Google than on Facebook, or vise versa. Better Business Bureau acts as a mediator and will help customers solve complaints with a business.

Respond Quickly

It’s important to act quickly once a negative review is published. If a problem does exist, you’ll want to fix it promptly. If possible try to open lines of communication with the unsatisfied customer, while it’s still fresh in their head and possibly willing to change their review. It is important to mention calling or stopping by your office to help solve the problem in person, instead of through email. Additionally, this will show other potential customers that your customer service is a priority. (Note: if the resolution of the issue went well, ask if they mind updating their review about the experience.)

Managing your Reviews

Handling your online reviews, whether they’re positive or negative is extremely important. Respond to complaints in a professional manner. Providing positive reviews with a response, “Thank you! It was a pleasure working with you!” or “We hope to see you again soon!” shows potential consumers you’re interested in your customer’s feedback and care about their experience with your business.

Read through all the reviews people post online and don’t let frustration and anger take over. If needed, apologize and explain that you are sorry for their experience and explain how this is unusual within your business. Maybe consider offering a discount or special deal the next time they visit your storefront or purchase your services.

Have you experienced negative reviews? Tell us how you handled them in the comments below. If you’re in need of a search engine optimization company that can handle your local listings and review management, look no further than Advanced Digital.

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