Where Reviews Can Come From

There are three categories of internet reviews:

1. Review Sites (e.g., TripAdvisor, Yelp, and industry-specific directories)
2. Social Media Pages (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn Company, Instagram Business, etc.).
3. Map Listings - Google Business, Bing Places, and soon Apple Maps

In addition to leveraging them as marketing channels, it helps you keep a finger on the pulse of your reputation and react promptly to anything unfavorable posted as soon as it is discovered and reported. Likewise, you should claim your profile on these local listing sites if you haven't done so before. 

When you claim business accounts, you will be alerted whenever new reviews are posted on these profiles. When you get favorable responses, you can express your gratitude to the sender. You may also use marketing to your advantage by mentioning your company's name, another product or service, or a promotional offer.

5 Ways to Deal with Negative Reviews

1. Respond Using a Positive Tone
   
   Customers are likely to purchase from businesses that react positively to unfavorable evaluations. Responding to a bad review may often provide you with a chance to gain more credibility, positivism, and traction than responding to a favorable review would provide. The importance of reacting to reviews cannot be overemphasized. Even if the evaluations are less than favorable, being responsive increases the trust signals that consumers and search engines respond to. Friendly responses to bad reviews may help to reduce the negative impacts of those reviews significantly. Responding in a courteous, positive, and professional manner can help to minimize the adverse effects of negative reviews.
   
   Taking the high road might help to deflate a reviewer's unfavorable attitude about your product. Hopefully, by demonstrating your concern and desire to remedy the problem, you will be able to persuade them to change their review to a more favorable one. On the other hand, an aggressive attitude will almost certainly eliminate any possibility of their doing so.
   
   Another thing to remember is that it is crucial to respond to reviews within a reasonable amount of time. Ignoring and neglecting to recognize reviews for weeks may negatively impact your SEO, whether they are good or bad.
   
   Google itself has officially said that they want to direct traffic to companies that respond to customer inquiries. Responding to reviews promptly helps your results since it demonstrates to search engines that you appreciate your customers and are devoted to assisting them.
   
   
2. Work on Building Positive Reviews
   
   Even if you have a few unfavorable reviews, increasing the number of positive ratings you get can enhance your overall rating. However, if any unfavorable reviews cannot be modified or eliminated, obtaining more good reviews will push the negative ones further down in the search results, making them less apparent. Requesting comments and even proposing that a good review be posted on your website can be an excellent way to build a positive reputation. However, you need to keep in mind that influencing, paying for, or forcing good reviews in any manner is legally prohibited on many platforms. That includes delivering gifts, awards, or incentives conditional on the user providing a positive review.
   
   If you urge individuals to publish their replies to an online review site, consider conducting a poll or making a questionnaire available. To make it convenient for them, you might offer a link to a review form on your website. You may present a few instances or suggest what to include in the request to offer them some ideas. Doing so will help to frame the request in a favorable light.
   
   
3. Move ahead of Bad Reviews
   
   If you suspect that your reviews may be bad for any reason, prevent them from happening by soliciting directly from customers. You may respond to the unfavorable reviews in a confidential, timely, and appropriate manner. Consider distributing links to individuals who wrote good evaluations, inviting them to publish their reviews publicly as well.
   
   You may also urge your consumers to report any nasty comments to you directly rather than putting them on the internet. Using this method, you may inform them that you will respond to their issues more quickly and effectively and implement the required improvements with their participation. Fortunately, the majority of people comply with these kinds of requests. As a method of enhancing your company's performance, you may even provide an incentive for doing so.
   
   
4. Build Brand Loyalty Through Incentives
   
   Incentives may be helpful not only for increasing the number of reviews but also for increasing the number of repeat customers. For example, having giveaways that include gift cards and discounts on future purchases might be beneficial. If you decide to reward reviews, keep in mind that the motivation is merely to write a review, not to control it. You want to promote input—not tell people what they should say in response.
   
   
5. Remove and Report Damaging Reviews
   
   Even if you can do so, you do not want to restrict unfavorable reviews or remove them outright. If they are credible, they may give balance and authenticity as well as valuable input for your company's development. In the event of fake or fraudulent reviews, however, you have the option and responsibility to report them. If these are published with the deliberate intent of damaging your reputation, there are actions you may take to get them removed off the internet.
   
   Many map listings, review sites, and local directories include options for users to contact customer service to report bogus ratings and reviews. Depending on the circumstances, you may also submit supporting paperwork and evidence that the review is fabricated. As much information as feasible should be provided if at all possible. The more accurate information you supply, the more likely it is that the platform will delete the review—and maybe ban the reviewer as well.
   
   Claiming your listing makes it easy to report and delete any fake reviews and provides you with access to the platform's support channels. It is possible to seek legal aid in the event of highly defamatory reviews or reviews that contravene laws (such as copyright infringement or cyberbullying) to take legal countermeasures and even establish the identities of anonymous attackers.

Final Thoughts

Although no one enjoys reading bad reviews, they are an unavoidable reality of life in the digital era. Make sure you don't become too stressed out by a few negative or even absurd reviews. Instead, reply as calmly as possible, listen to constructive feedback, and do all you can to increase the number of favorable reviews on your website.

If you are looking for affordable SEO services for small businesses that can help you manage your online reputation, listings, mentions, and more, you can rely on The Stack Group. We are a digital design and marketing agency that understands the SEO needs of a small business. Contact us today so we can help you maximize your digital footprint!