When it comes to digital marketing, most businesses tend to overlook review management. However, it is something that should be treated as a top priority. Reviews play a crucial role in influencing the views of potential customers. They carry a lot of power. Great reviews instill confidence in customers and convince them to purchase from you. On the other hand, negative reviews hurt business growth. Nine out of ten people check reviews before using the services of a company. Hence, you cannot afford to overlook review management.

What Are Customer Reviews?

For those of you that do not know what customer reviews are, they are a form of earned media. Since it consists of material that has not been created by the company, it is the most trusted form of advertisement as compared to other options. It is crucial that you keep in mind that people trust the opinions of others more.

So How Do Reviews Impact Customers?

Customer reviews play a huge role in influencing others. They are more powerful than you think. The following facts will help you realize your potential.

  • Consumers do not engage with businesses that have a rating of fewer than 3.3 stars.
  • 86 percent of customers read reviews and close to 95 percent of people aged between 18 and 34 do so.
  • Before a potential customer feels confident about trusting a business, they would read an average of 10 reviews.

So How Can You Respond To Reviews?

Despite their importance, companies fail to monitor their reviews. Hence, if you respond to your reviews, you would have a better opportunity to foster a positive relationship with customers and resolve conflict. Although it can be time-consuming to respond to customers, the following tips will help you respond to them in the most effective manner possible.

Respond Promptly

One of the most important tips that you should follow is responding promptly to reviews. It is crucial that you monitor and respond to reviews regularly. It is advised that you respond to reviews within a day or two. This is especially true for negative reviews. Do not let a customer remain unhappy. Try to help them out and resolve their issue to earn back their confidence.

Show Appreciation

If a customer has something positive to say about the business, it is vital that you show appreciation. Even a simple response thanking the review for their feedback should be sufficient. But, make sure to respond to positive feedback. It shows that you value your customers’ opinions.

Reinforce Positivity

When you respond to a positive review, you should reinforce the positive practice while promoting the positive experience.

Apologize for Negative Experiences

No matter how hard you try, sometimes a negative experience becomes inevitable. But, that does not mean that you should not do anything about it. The first thing that you need to do is apologize for the negative experience. Show your customer that you care about them by getting in touch with them.

Reassure Customers

Whenever a problem arises, you should be quick to reassure customers and work towards achieving a solution.

Connect with Customers

Finally, if a negative review is too lengthy to handle, it is best to personally connect with the customer. It will allow you to help the customer one on one.

Conclusion

Once you have gone over this post, you will be better prepared to respond to all types of reviews. Make sure to follow each tip mentioned above to leave a positive impression on your customers.