ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT GUIDE
Of all the things a small business owner has to deal with, managing online reviews and comments may seem like small potatoes. But it can make or break your reputation online, so it’s important to think about and execute intentionally.
Let’s first chat positive reviews or comments on social media -
Make time to communicate with the clients, followers, and customers who have taken the time to communicate with you. If you don’t respond to positive feedback that someone has given, you can start to be seen just as a business that wants to only earn profits. Responding shows people that you read their comments and care about what is said.
Making time to respond encourages customer interactions and shows you appreciate them. Remember - consumers trust one another’s opinions more than they trust a company’s claims. So when people take the time to leave a review or comment, thank them! This could lead to more people being inclined to offer their positive feedback when they see that you read and reflect on what they say.
What about negative comments and reviews?
We have a “one response” policy; when our clients have to deal with something negative online, we respond and acknowledge a complaint once. We also offer to take the conversation offline to fully resolve a genuine issue. If they continue to be rude or unreasonable, we do not engage.
Politely and sincerely offering apologies for a bad experience or showing open mindedness about someone’s opinion on a controversial subject creates and maintains lines of communication. It helps businesses better understand their followers and clients, and why someone reacted the way they did.
What if the person doesn’t respond well? That’s ok. After all, you can’t please everyone. But your response shows others that you genuinely care about your customers and hope to use their experience or opinion to improve and grow.
We also have zero tolerance for hate speech. If someone is determined to be hateful, rude, or just stir up trouble, we fully support deleting their comment and blocking them. Sometimes drawing a hard line in the sand makes the biggest statement of all.
When responding to either good or bad comments or reviews, here’s a short list of things to keep in mind:
Create an assortment of review templates you can use when responding. Be sure to personalize them when actually using them.
Include the person’s name in your response and make sure your spelling and grammar are on point.
Respond quickly and clearly, but never harshly.
Looking for help with your online reputation management? Send us an email at hello@rbcollaborative.com!
