Online reviews are essential for business, and through customer feedback, any establishment can be digitally evaluated and classified as good, average, or poor.
And of course, not only do you need to receive reviews and listen to customer opinions, you also need to respond to the people who took the time to give their opinion about your brand, whether they're positive or negative.
45% of consumers are more likely to choose businesses that respond to their customers (reviewtrackers), and having a defined strategy for your responses is essential. With this in mind, we've created a guide to help you better evaluate the feedback your customers provide. Follow along and benefit from this strategy!
Why is it important for your company to respond to online reviews?
Reviews are social proof of your business's credibility, and good response management can ensure increased credibility, greater connection with your audience, and even generate buzz, increasing your brand's visibility online and in the market as a whole.
According to a survey by review trackers, 80% of consumers believe that companies that respond to online customer reviews care more about their customers. Furthermore, consumers expect to receive a response to their reviews from companies: according to the same survey, 52% expect a response within the next 7 days; 21% expect a response within the next 24 hours.
It's important to consider reviews as a showcase for your business, and they can either attract or alienate new customers. Having a strategy and process for providing these responses means considering the impact your brand will have on current and future consumers.
And the point is more than just responding to the customer, but rather using this moment as an opportunity to reinforce the positive aspects of your business, demonstrate your commitment to quality and customer service, and build a positive image of your company to the general public.
4 common mistakes to avoid when responding to online reviews
1. Being impulsive when faced with negative reviews
When dealing with negative reviews, being impulsive and taking a negative review personally is a mistake some companies make. This reaction harms your business in several ways: 1) this content is public, so everyone will see your poor attitude; 2) it runs the risk of going viral if other consumers also identify with the complaint and join the discussion; 3) This simple mistake can result in lost sales and tarnish your brand image for a while, appearing at the top of the search results for your company.
2. Ignore negative reviews
Responding only to positive comments and ignoring negative ones is a terrible idea. First, because you give the impression that you're ignoring your customers' problems—who wants to be served by a company that doesn't care about their well-being? And second, because you're ignoring the opportunity to reverse the bad impression with an apology.
3. Copying and pasting the same answer (mechanized and impersonal answers)
Hitting "ctrl c + ctrl v" and ensuring every review is responded to is a disservice to your brand. When a customer leaves a review, they want to feel heard. A robotic response is a terrible way to show this. Just imagine, your customer just had a fantastic experience at your hotel and leaves you a fantastic review. Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to engage with them, you hit "ctrl c + ctrl v" and miss the chance to further delight that customer, increasing your chances of building loyalty and, who knows, even turning them into brand ambassadors.
4. Taking a long time to respond
The more quickly you respond, the greater the positive impact on the customer's perception of your company, especially if the review is negative. Responding while the customer is still excited about their great experience also increases your chances of generating positive buzz for your business, as they may be inclined to share your response on their social profiles, allowing your brand to be seen by more people. And this type of media is better than any paid content, as 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (brightlocal).
Essential rules for responding to negative reviews
Defining tone of voice and language
To respond to reviews, the company needs to know what tone of voice and language to adopt, acting as a real persona to talk to its customers.
This definition is very important to humanize the business and avoid making responses automatic and robotic in the process.
To achieve this, the first rule is to understand your target audience to define and adapt your tone of voice and language accordingly. It doesn't make sense to use extremely formal tones for companies that target a young, more laid-back audience, does it? You need to understand your audience deeply to avoid making mistakes in this definition!
Regardless of the brand's tone of voice and language, some rules are essential:
- Be consistent: Maintain a similar voice and writing style across all your responses. Consider that there's a single spokesperson for review responses, and therefore, they follow the same pattern throughout, right?
- Have empathy: regardless of the type of language used, having empathy and understanding is essential in customer relationships.
- Be professional: Even when using a more informal tone, remember professionalism and your brand's message. Avoid vulgar language, sarcasm, or any form of communication that could be interpreted as disrespectful.
- Stay calm and composed: even when faced with negative comments, avoid impulsive or emotional responses.
- Avoid jargon and technical terms: be direct, clear, and objective, and use language that is accessible to everyone.
Structuring your response masterfully
Responding to online reviews requires attention, professionalism, and, of course, strategy. To achieve this, some best practices are essential for dealing with both positive and negative reviews, transforming them into opportunities and growth for your business.
- Always be grateful for feedback: show gratitude for the customer's opinion and the time they dedicated to this moment.
- Show empathy: put yourself in the customer's shoes and show how you understand their frustration.
- Boost your SEO: Repeat positive points, use your company name, and reinforce your solutions to contribute to Local SEO , increasing your business's visibility strategically.
- Apologize: Take responsibility for mistakes and inconveniences and apologize for the negative experience.
- I never take comments as negotiations: Google doesn't allow for replies or rebuttals, so don't respond with the phrase "I'd like to understand more about what happened." The response must be decisive, regardless of the situation.
Types of reviews a company receives
Positive reviews
This is the kind of advertising every company craves. It's free advertising with high perceived value, as research shows that online reviews have as much impact on purchasing decisions as recommendations from friends. And the secret to getting many more positive reviews is to focus on the customer experience .
Why respond: Because they're a great opportunity to increase engagement around your brand, as they encourage other customers to also participate in the conversation, generating more buzz and visibility for your business. This is great for both your business's online reputation and new sales, as potential customers will see this positive content about you.
Negative reviews
Of course, negative reviews aren't nice and generate some fear in companies. However, it's important to understand this point as a warning that something is wrong and needs to be fixed.
Often, a negative comment highlights areas for improvement that the business had not previously considered, and this is of great value.
Why respond?
Although it's a more challenging task, this is an excellent opportunity to undo the bad impression. Remember that ignoring it will only worsen your company's image and leave a negative mark on your reputation.
Show concern for your customers and keep your channels open to listening. And of course, this isn't just about responding to negative comments, but also taking real action to make internal changes to improve future customer experiences.
Reviews without comments
These are reviews where the customer simply gives a rating, usually from 1 to 5. These types of reviews are obviously worth less than those with comments. However, they are still very welcome, as they contribute to your business's overall rating.
Why respond?
It's an opportunity to show your customer that the company wants to hear more about what they have to say. Keep the channel open and show your gratitude for the review.
Defamatory reviews
This is the type of assessment that no company wants to see attached to it, and for obvious reasons, it can be very damaging to a business's reputation.
Why respond?
This type of assessment requires extreme caution. Ideally, consult a specialist to understand what actually happened, what appropriate measures should be taken, and then respond. Remember that this type of assessment has a high potential for harm, and certain responses can make matters worse.
Checklist for responding to positive online reviews
- Call the customer by name;
- Thank you for the comment;
- Repeat the important points mentioned in the evaluation;
- Be brief, direct and objective in your response;
- Mention the name of your company, solution or keywords;
- Encourage customer action;
- Share the review.
Response evaluation
Note that it's an excellent review. The customer highlights several positive aspects of the establishment and offers a tip for new customers. He concludes by saying that he "loved it" (a very strong expression) and not only recommends it, but also says he intends to return.
The response isn't bad, but it could be improved. The customer expressed great emotion and appreciation for their experience, and it's important to convey the same sentiment in your response.
Positive points of the response
- Mentions the client's name;
- Thanks for the review.
- There is objectivity in the answer.
- He is kind and cordial.
- Encourages the customer to take action.
Negative points of the answer
- It doesn't mention the important points mentioned in the review: mentioning such points makes the response more personal and authentic. Do you realize that the owner could easily have used "ctrl c + ctrl v" in the response?
- Without mentioning the brand or keywords, this type of action improves SEO, helping your establishment appear first in search results.
- Using canned responses. Using the "copy and paste" command is tempting, as responding to reviews takes time, but this isn't the best solution. Of course, you can rely on a response that will speed up the work and maintain quality, but remember to always personalize and understand each case.
How the owner could have responded
When responding, try to follow the customer's emotion. If they expressed a lot of excitement, keep up the pace. After all, this was a great comment and deserved to be shared. Here's a suggestion:
"Hello, Larissa, thank you so much for your review. We're very proud of our waitstaff—they're the best! We look forward to your next visit to our establishment. We also have a "new service offering" here, and I bet you'll love it. See you soon!"
Checklist for responding to negative online reviews
- Call the customer by name;
- Thank you for the comment;
- Apologize;
- Be brief, direct and objective in your response;
- Acknowledge the problem and ensure resolution;
- Do not mention the company name;
- Don't get defensive;
- Ask the customer to update the review (when possible)
Response evaluation
Note that Julia, the customer, expresses her indignation by emphasizing the word "absurd." She also highlights the two negative aspects of her experience: the cover charge and the waitstaff.
Positive points of the owner's response
- Use the customer's name in the greeting;
- Recognizes the problem and ensures action is taken.
- Does not mention the name of the company;
Negative points of the owner's response
- You didn't thank the comment: remember that you should always be kind and polite? Even if it's negative feedback, you should still say thank you.
- Didn't apologize: your customer feels unhappy and frustrated, the least he expects is to hear an apology.
- It wasn't brief in its response: note that the establishment is trying to explain about the artistic cover charge and this makes the response unnecessarily long.
- Got defensive: Faced with the two negative points highlighted by the customer, the establishment is on the defensive. Note that the company explains the cover charge, but Júlia is more dissatisfied with the quality of the cover and isn't sure whether she was informed of the service charge.
The other moment is when the company mentions "if applicable," this also puts your response on the defensive. Taking this stance is not advisable, because it's the same as placing the blame on the customer.
Other potential customers will see your response and the impression they will get is that a company is disclaiming responsibility and placing the blame on the customers.
How the owner could have responded
"Hello, Julia, thank you for your comment and we're very sorry about what happened. We'll take action regarding the cover charge and investigate the waitstaff service, as it's not up to our standards. We hope to have another opportunity to impress you. See you soon."
How to respond to reviews without comments
A company doesn't always receive positive reviews with detailed customer feedback. Sometimes, customers simply give a rating. But, as mentioned, you should respond to them in the same way.
Highlight a positive aspect of the business
"Hello, name, thank you for your review. We just renovated the pool, and it's now the largest in the area. It looks like the renovation is going well. We hope to see you again soon. Best regards."
Highlight the company culture
"Hello, name, we appreciate your review. We value complete customer satisfaction, which is why we invest heavily in employee training. We hope to see you again soon."
Offer a product/service
"Hello, thank you for your review. It's great to know you liked it. Did you try the star-studded coffee? It's one of my favorites. Next time you come, I recommend it. We look forward to seeing you."
How to respond to defamatory reviews
As mentioned, a defamatory review is when the comment is based on false statements of fact. Before responding to such content, analyze the importance and nature of the comment, its potential to cause harm, and whether a response could make matters worse. Ideally, you should seek the help of a specialist.
If the content is indeed defamatory, contact the platform where the content was hosted and request its immediate removal. According to the Brazilian Internet Civil Rights Framework Law , a court order is not required to remove content from the internet.
And if you file a lawsuit, and a cybercrime is in fact proven, the defendant (author of the content) may be held liable for defamation, insult, invasion of privacy or misuse of image, among others.
Relevant statistics on the importance of online reviews
- 93% of consumers say that online reviews from other consumers influence their purchasing decisions. (Reviewtrackers Annual Research).
- Online reviews from other consumers top the list when it comes to trust as a source of information. (Kantar IBOPE Media Survey)
- 57% don't trust establishments with less than 4 stars. (Bright Local)
- 98% of consumers read businesses' responses to reviews. (Bright Local)
- 78% of consumers use the internet to search for information about companies more than once a week (Bright Local)
- 74% of consumers have left reviews for local businesses in the last 12 months. (Bright Local)
- 67% of consumers consider leaving a review for a positive experience, while 40% consider leaving a review for a negative experience. (Bright Local)
- Improving ratings from 3 to 5 stars can increase Google clicks by up to 25% (Bright Local)
- Businesses with 5 stars earned 69% of total clicks among Google's top listings (Bright Local)
- 45% of consumers are more likely to choose businesses that respond to online customer reviews. (Review Trackers)
- Consumer reviews impact 15.44% of Google search results. (MOZ)
- 80% of consumers consider it essential that the brand or product they are interested in receives positive reviews from other buyers before making their decisions. (Consumoteca Group)
- 72% of consumers say that positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business. (Big Commerce)
- 88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family (Big Commerce)
- 72% of consumers make a decision only after reading a positive review (Search Engine Watch)
How to respond to defamatory reviews
A defamatory review is when the comment is based on false statements of fact. Before responding to such content, analyze the importance and nature of the comment, its potential to cause harm, and whether a response could make matters worse. Ideally, you should seek the assistance of a specialist.
If the content is indeed defamatory, contact the platform where the content was hosted and request its immediate removal. According to the Brazilian Internet Civil Rights Framework Law , a court order is not required to remove content from the internet.
And if you file a lawsuit, and a cybercrime is in fact proven, the defendant (author of the content) may be held liable for defamation, insult, invasion of privacy or misuse of image, among others.
🎁 Bonus tip:
When responding, prioritize the most important reviews. Start by responding to negative reviews with comments, then respond to positive reviews with comments. Then, respond to negative and positive reviews without comments, in that order.
This way you ensure that the assessments with the greatest potential for harm or gain are addressed first.
Conclusion
Online reviews are crucial to a business's strong brand strategy and reputation, and investing in online reviews is essential for your company's bottom line and attracting new customers.
Whether positive or negative, receiving reviews is very good for your business, and you need to be strategic about your responses to capture the potential they have to offer.
Now that you know more about reviews, we want to help you even more. That's why we've prepared a guide with over 80 examples on how to respond to all types of customer reviews. Access the material and master the art of responding to reviews, strengthening your brand and your stores!
