A Guide to Review Responses

Insights from Main Street Hub’s Community Managers

Consumers are spending more time online than ever before. From social media to review sites, businesses are expected to be just as visible and accessible to consumers online as they are in the neighborhood where they do business.

In fact, 70% of consumers report having used the internet to find a local business, and 49% of consumers say they are more likely to visit a business that has positive reviews.

What does this mean for your local business? It means that claiming your business page on review sites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor is crucial for maintaining your online reputation.

Once you’ve claimed your pages, you have the opportunity to respond to customer reviews, begin conversations, and build trust with your online community.

If you’re excited to engage with your customers by answering reviews, but unsure where to start, our Main Street Hub Community Managers are here to help.

How would you define an effective review response in one word?

When asked to describe a great review response in one word, our Community Managers chose the following words:

• Sincere
• Specific
• Genuine
• Empathetic
• Human
• Personalized

They say to be honest, heartfelt, and specific — using the reviewer’s name in your response and specifically referencing something they say to show that you care about the individual and their review.

What kind of voice do you try to achieve when responding to reviews?

Our Community Managers say that the best review responses really reflect the voice and personality of the business owner. That way, consumers can see that the responses are genuine and authentic to that particular business.

Often, that tone sits in between casual and professional, to let the reviewer know that this is a conversation, but to ensure them that they’re concerns and comments are being taken seriously.

One thing they say is important is that the business owner shouldn’t be afraid to be himself or herself. They suggest coming up with a sign off that sums up who you are and how you communicate with your customers, and that’s how they’ll feel heard.

What’s the first thing you do when responding to a positive review?

Our Community Managers say that the first thing they often do when responding to a positive review is say, “thank you.” Acknowledging the fact that the reviewer went out of their way to spread the word about your business will go a long way with that customer and anyone who visits your page to read your reviews.

A majority of our Community Managers encourage the use of an exclamation point. This just goes to show that our team is enthusiastic when responding to positive reviews. When crafting a response to three, four, or five star reviews, you’ll want to express your genuine appreciation that the reviewer took the time to show their support online. If your reviewer mentions the product or service they liked best, mention it in your response to show how carefully you were listening. If they mention a particular employee that provided great service, assure them that you’re going to pass along their kind words to that person.

By being appreciative and receptive in your response, you can open up a dialogue that will keep your satisfied customers coming back time and time again.

What’s the first thing you do when responding to a negative review?

When responding to negative reviews, nearly all of the Community Managers we spoke to said that their first step in responding to a negative review is to identify the single biggest pain point mentioned by the reviewer. Many times, one and two star experiences with a business stem from a single misunderstanding or error and unravel from there. If you can identify where the issues began and explain how you intend to improve on that for next time, it’s okay to let some of the minor complaints go unmentioned.

Remember, many people leave online reviews because they want to feel heard. By acknowledging and apologizing for the biggest thing that went wrong, you will make the unhappy customer feel confident that you will do your best to fix it and potentially bring them back to give your business another try.

When responding to a negative review, how do you decide whether to defend the business or apologize to the customer?

Our Community Managers say that when it comes to either defending the business or apologizing to the customer it’s a difficult road to navigate.

One Community Manager said, “if it clearly isn’t the norm, then I back up the business, but if it really does seem to be the business’ error, then I apologize and ask for another chance to show them a better experience.”

Every customer should have a perfect experience at your business, but that’s not always the case. If it seems like a situation that warrants an apology, our Community Managers say that apologizing and appearing proactive and responsive to feedback will help the reviewer feel heard.

Seeing a negative review for your business is can be disheartening. Sometimes, it’s clear there was a misunderstanding. Other times, you’ll recognize the error that was made and what could’ve been done differently. Most times, the problem lies in the gray area between the two. Your job as the business owner is to make sure that the customer knows that it won’t happen again. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and your staff in a kind and explanatory way. However, even in a situation where you want to defend your business, an apology can go a long way.

Even if no one is at fault, you want your customers to know how sorry you are that they were less than satisfied during their most recent visit.

If you could give a business owner one piece of advice for responding to reviews, what would it be?

Here’s some stellar advice from our expert Community Managers for review responses across the board:

“Remember that your response isn’t just for the reviewer, but for all the people checking you out online.”

“For negative reviews, try to realize that it’s not personal, and that there’s a middle ground. For positive reviews, try to thank them in a genuine way that’s personal to their experience.”

“Taking ownership of a mistake can add a human component that might diffuse a situation better than an excuse.”

“A review response is one of the strongest ways we have to connect with customers on a personal level.”

“Don’t get lost in the anonymity of the internet, and remember that it’s a human writing the review and other human beings reading the review — so try to be as friendly and professional as you can.”

Above all, as a business owner, remember that your Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, and other review pages are visible extensions of your business online.

When you are responding to a review, whether positive or negative, you have the opportunity to connect with both the customer that left the review and the massive audience of potential customers who are considering whether or not to pay your business a visit.

By remaining calm, genuine, and appreciative, you will present your business as a welcoming environment where customer feedback is not only accepted, but respected.

Understand the importance of online reputation management, but don’t have the time to take care of it for your business? Main Street Hub can do it for you! Click here to get started.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to ensure that you never miss one of our local business resources!