June 27, 2017 By SEO Houston Pros Leave a Comment

3 Simple Steps To Managing Your Online Reviews

Are you aware of what people online are saying about your brand? You probably are aware if you are like many of the small to medium-sized business managers or owners in Houston. It is possible that you have come across a few negative reviews of your business. Negative reviews are often the worst nightmare for a Houston business owner. You work hard to build a brand that people know they can trust and negative reviews online can ruin a reputation that has taken years to build in just one day.

The question is, how do you make a comeback once the negative reviews have been posted online?

Types of Reviews

It is important to understand the different types of reviews online. Many people have heard about Facebook reviews, Google reviews, and Yelp! However, there are many other platforms where clients can post reviews. Which platforms are popular in your industry? Think about the different websites that make recommendations for service providers in your industry. Chances are that such websites provide a way to rate and review providers.If you wish to manage the online reviews of your brand online, you need to find out where your clients are posting both negative and positive feedback.

How Do Reviews Affect Your Business?

Many Houston business owners wonder how reviews affect their business. Whether the reviews are posted by ‘trolls’ that treat posting negative reviews as a hobby or by clients that genuinely feel that they had an undesirable experience with your brand, reviews are important.

Just think about the number of times you have undertaken a Google search for “____ reviews.” Restaurant reviews. Product reviews. Movie reviews. You should be getting the picture. You often don’t have a previous relationship with the product or business in question. You thus rely heavily on the opinions of others to make the most informed choice possible for the most desirable outcome. How many stars must a service or product have before you decide to do business with the company? The answer is at least 4 or 5 for most people.

3 Easy Ways to Take Charge of Online Reviews

If you are reading this, chances are that you have had a negative experience with online reviews. You probably realize already that you need to take charge of your reputation online and find a way to manage the reviews. You might have even skipped the introduction to this blog post and come directly to this section.

Here are a few easy steps to help you get started from the experts in online marketing Houston.

1. Responding to the Reviews

It is perfectly okay to feel defensive and angry after receiving one or several negative reviews. You need to shake off that feeling and go into customer service mode. What would you have to say to such people if they were right in front of you in your store? How would you handle the situation? This is usually a double whammy in an online environment. The person that left the review will not only see that you care about resolving the issue but so will anyone else who has ever thought about doing business with you.

Upon considering the message and tone that should be conveyed, respond to the reviewer quickly to try to resolve the situation. If necessary, offer to take the conversation offline by providing a phone number or email where you can be reached. You must not allow “empty air” to send an unintentional message. A better approach would be to go for a polite response instead.

2. Establishing Relationships

Social media marketing can be an effective tool for building brand loyalty and inbound traffic. Use interesting, fun, and useful content to attract and engage people on social media platforms. Establish yourself as an authority in your industry and have fun while you do it. Show the personality of your brand and build trust by giving your company a face through social interaction with consumers. Give the audience a powerful experience with your brand that they feel the need to provide positive feedback.

3. Asking Existing Customers for Positive Reviews Online

It is still important to ask for the review even if the customer experience you provide is top notch. In this information age, many consumers will probably not leave a review unless you request for it. Take note of the clients or customers of the most positive experiences with your business then ask them to leave reviews online. Avoid making them search for you. Whether you would like to be reviewed on Facebook, Google, Yelp, or on any other platform, make it easy by providing a link that leads straight to the page where they can leave the review. The higher the number of positive reviews, the more the “watered-down” the negative reviews will become and the lower the impact they will have on the overall score.

Learn More

Online brand management is made up of many parts required for proper functioning that make it a complex system. Learning to manage reviews online is a step in the right direction. However, there are still many other parts required for the most favorable outcome. Contact us or call today and learn more about how to get and stay ahead in a highly competitive marketplace from the experts in online marketing Houston.