Online reviews are the digital version of word-of-mouth marketing, helping attract more customers and increasing sales. Approximately 95% of shoppers read online reviews before they make a purchase. Moreover, research from the G2 Crowd and Heinz Marketing reveals that 92% of the B2B buyers are likely to purchase after reading a trusted review.
Although these statistics bring good news for your business, they also warn you. In that, you need to ensure that your reviews are positive. And, if any of the reviews of your product or service is negative, you need to make sure that you address it properly. This means you need to monitor your reviews and reduce negative ones as well.
Keeping this in mind, let’s dive into the details of monitoring reviews and reducing the bad ones.
How to monitor online reviews?
In 2012, Pew Research concluded that 91% of online adults use browsers to find information on the Internet. Although this is old research, it still holds true considering nobody is backing down from using the web as their primary source of information.
This also means that when people come across a new business or are on the outlook for a product, they google its reviews. Research confirms this too as it highlights that 90% of the consumers read online reviews before interacting with a business.
The point here, however, is that the internet is a vast place and you cannot monitor it manually no matter how hard you try. There is a possibility that someone mentions your business without tagging you. In such an instance, you won’t know what others are talking about you.
Consequently, an automated tool for Online Review Monitoring is essential. It gathers reviews related to your business from around the web and alerts you so that you can monitor them and give them the attention that you deem fit.
How to reduce negative reviews for your brand?
Where positive reviews attract sales, negative reviews do just the opposite. Consumers reading negative reviews of your business can instantly become disinterested. After all, 84% of the consumers trust online reviews like they trust recommendations made by their friends and family.
Therefore, you need to ensure that negative reviews on your brand are low. Here are some steps that you can take:
Respond to negative reviews
All is not lost when you see a negative review or two on your business. Carefully responding to negative reviews can help convert your review reader into a customer. A study by Marketing Charts confirms that 7 out of 10 consumers change their opinion about a business after the brand replied to a review.
Put simply, properly solving a customer’s concern that the voices in his review are a way to not only retain the complaining customer but attracting other customers as well. An adequate response to negative reviews can also assist in reducing the negative comments as it shows others that they may be mistaken in their perception about your brand.
Request your customers to write reviews for you
An excellent tip for outweighing bad reviews is by getting more positive reviews. One way to do that is by asking your prevailing customers to give you reviews. The fact of the matter is that satisfied customers don’t show a tendency to write reviews in contrast with angry customers.
Research points out that angry customers are 2-3 times likely to write a negative review than customers who have had a great experience. Keeping this in mind, you need to encourage your customers to review your product. You can do so by simply asking them.
Other than that, make it easy for your customers to review your brand. Add icons to review sites on your website. Or send a special review request to your customer a week or so after he purchases from you.
Establish your reputation via other ways
Reviews don’t have to be the only source that makes or breaks your reputation. Instead, try different ways to establish your authority, so when your prospect searches for your business online, he sees only positive things.ch
In this regard, some of the helpful ways to develop your reputation include podcasting, live video streaming, and blogging. All three of these options give customers insight into your business and the product or service you offer.
Let’s take blogging as an example here. 47% of buyers view at least 3-4 pieces of content on your blog before they get in touch with the sales representative. This means that Guest blogging is a great way to boost your credibility and develop a solid business reputation.
Be approachable and responsive
You can also avoid negative reviews by being approachable. Let your customers know that they can connect with you at any time. Also, make it easy for them to talk to you concerning any queries or complains. To this end, clearly mention where customers can contact you.
For instance, you can tell them that they can reach out to you on social channels like Facebook and Twitter. Or tell them that they can use the contact form or call you. Moreover, be sure to respond as quickly as you can. This ensures that you are not only making promises but also sticking to them.
When customers can reach out to you quickly and get an adequate response, you will eventually develop a repo for good customer service. In that way, customers would prefer to discuss their issues with you instead of heading over review sites and leaving negative remarks.
Concluding thoughts
Summing up, online reviews can either increase your sales or punch a hole in them. A Convergys Corp. study estimates that on an average one negative review can cost you, 30 customers. Therefore, it is best to stay safe than feel sorry about yourself when you get a poor review.
Provide the product quality that you promise to avoid negative reviews in the first place. Be responsive and approachable so that customers can discuss their complaints with you instead of reviewing you negatively. Don’t forget to encourage satisfied customers to review your products or services.
