A brand’s reputation can mean everything on the internet. Negative reviews and a poorly handled customer experiences can spiral into a public relations nightmare quickly. We know that consumers hold the buying power and often turn to reviews as a research touch point.
This week at #SproutChat we were joined by Sprout All Star, Mandy Yoh, Head of Communications for ReviewTrackers. In this chat, Mandy shared why reputation management is an important factor in any marketing strategy.
Reviews Can Impact a Consumer’s Decision
The importance of consumer reviews goes beyond the content of the review itself, it can become more about your organization’s response. Reviews are often a make or break deal with potential customers.
A1: Absolutely. Reviews have become a big part of the customer journey & the social proof by which we make purchasing decisions #SproutChat
— Mandy Yoh (@Yoh_Mandy) September 13, 2017
A1: Yes, consumers have more power today than ever to hold businesses accountable & it does/will affect bottom line. #SproutChat
— Daniel Hachey (@daniel_hachey) September 13, 2017
A1) Rather than following celebrity endorsements, consumers prefer reading reviews from real customers & that’s why it matters #SproutChat
— Liliana H (@Liliholl) September 13, 2017
A1 Absolutely! Others’ firsthand experience with a brand’s product(s) and people can majorly influence purchase decisions. #sproutchat [AR]
— ModSquad (@modsquad) September 13, 2017
A1b: Fun Fact:
Future customers trust a brand with both positive AND negative reviews as opposed to just one or the other. #SproutChat— Jeff Higgins (@ItsJeffHiggins) September 13, 2017
A1: Short answer: Yes. Long answer: heck yes! Most customer do their research in pricing after they read the reviews first. #sproutchat
— Val Vesa (@adspedia) September 13, 2017
A1: Absolutely!. I think reviews must be more earned than paid. #Sproutchat. – @fortunedavid
— ©HyXeNcompanies™ (@HyXeNcompanies) September 13, 2017
A1: Absolutely! Yelp, Indeed, Glassdoor, Facebook, and Google reviews can make or break a brand. #SproutChat https://t.co/3cfvVOUqdD
— Chatterkick (@Chatterkick) September 13, 2017
A1: Reviews have major prominence in social, Google, etc. now. Effect on brand continues to grow. Part of that 1st impression! #SproutChat
— Krista Vogel (@KristaVogel) September 13, 2017
Online Reviews Impact a Brand’s Reputation
Reviews are like a padding of credibility and trust to your brand’s reputation. When potential customers see reviews that haven’t been engaged with, that reputation you’ve built can fall.
A2: They are vital. A strong positive review can sway a consumer to pay nearly 9% more for a product/service #SproutChat
— Mandy Yoh (@Yoh_Mandy) September 13, 2017
A2: Reviews add credibility and show that your product/service is tried and true. Reviews create a sense of trustworthiness. #SproutChat
— Flying Cork (@flyingcorkpgh) September 13, 2017
A2: Definitely important. If a consumer sees you’re pulling 50% 5-star and 50% 1-star, they are going to think something it up! #SproutChat
— Apple Box Studios (@AppleBoxStudios) September 13, 2017
A2: In the Auto Industry, reviews are huge because there’s already a negative stigma attached to car buying. #SproutChat
— Daniel Hachey (@daniel_hachey) September 13, 2017
A2: Consumers look at a brand or biz with no reviews as untested and sometimes, to be un-trusted.#SproutChat
— Jeff Higgins (@ItsJeffHiggins) September 13, 2017
A2: Online reviews are really important to managing your reputation. People are willing to share a lot online. #sproutchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) September 13, 2017
A2 Brands must deal with bad reviews otherwise the mud sticks!
#sproutchat— Jenny Neville (@MamaKnowsSocial) September 13, 2017
A2: Especially in time of crisis, good honest positive reviews are the best messaging a brand can put out. It’ll feel genuine. #sproutchat
— Val Vesa (@adspedia) September 13, 2017
Be Nice
You’ve heard the saying, “the customer is always right,” before. When it comes to public reviews, it’s best to keep that in mind when crafting responses. Snark and sass can be misconstrued for hostility, so stick with a genuine approach.
A3: 1/3 of customer complaints are never answered. Be different. Be more responsive than they expect & right the wrongs #SproutChat
— Mandy Yoh (@Yoh_Mandy) September 13, 2017
A3: Head on. Always be sure to address the problems and offer a solution. These can be valuable transactions. #SproutChat
— Flying Cork (@flyingcorkpgh) September 13, 2017
A3: reach out to the person & ask them for feedback publicly, turn to private messages if it turns nasty. #sproutchat
— Wholesale Central (@WholesaleCen) September 13, 2017
A3a: Respond genuinely to the concern or feedback in the review and resolve the problem whenever possible. #SproutChat
— Daniel Hachey (@daniel_hachey) September 13, 2017
A3: Don’t ignore them. Be very patient while working through the issue. Possibly handle the situation privately if necessary. #sproutchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) September 13, 2017
Q3 Fight the knee-jerk reaction to delete negative comments. Respond publicly and fix underlying issues. This builds trust. #sproutchat
— KNB Communications (@KNBComm) September 13, 2017
A3: Own mistakes. Avoid canned responses. Publicly say you’re taking things offline. Don’t negotiate w/trolls. #SproutChat
— Kathleen Gormley (@KathGorm) September 13, 2017
Good Experiences Lend to Positive Reviews
Paying for positive reviews is a no-go and a practice that is definitely looked down upon. Providing a great experience for your customers organically yields the positive reviews you’re looking for and is the better plan for the long run.
A4: Study the customer feedback, right the wrongs and encourage people to try you again #SproutChat
— Mandy Yoh (@Yoh_Mandy) September 13, 2017
A4. Posting other positive reviews and showing appreciation for them, will help. Also ASK for feedback
#sproutchat— Jenny Neville (@MamaKnowsSocial) September 13, 2017
A4: Just ask! If you ask for reviews, you’ll likely get more positive than negative. #SproutChat (don’t ask for positive – that’s shady) https://t.co/qRID4rxCfQ
— JL Summerfield (@JLSummerfield) September 13, 2017
A4: Absolutely. Send out #NPS surveys to fill right after they are completing purchase / marketing funnel process #SproutChat
— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) September 13, 2017
A4: As difficult as this sounds, provide a great customer experience Ask customers for feedback, most customers are happy. #SproutChat
— Daniel Hachey (@daniel_hachey) September 13, 2017
A4: Deliver what you promise. People are negative when companies over promise and under deliver. #sproutChat
— Wiaan Heyns (@WiaanH) September 13, 2017
A4 Yes, you can let them know you’re on Google, Facebook, Yelp etc, and suggest they share their experience or feedback #sproutchat
— Elisema Heras (@HerasSal) September 13, 2017
Monitor & Strategize
If your business is consistently seeing poor reviews, make an effort to take that feedback to heart and rethink your current strategy. Monitoring reviews is an important aspect in keeping your brand’s reputation top of mind.
A5: Ensure you’re getting ALL the feedback, dig into the data, engage with customers, fix the problems rinse & repeat #SproutChat
— Mandy Yoh (@Yoh_Mandy) September 13, 2017
A5: Be on the platform they review you on. Have a branded presence, not personal accounts (sometimes those help too). #sproutchat
— Val Vesa (@adspedia) September 13, 2017
A5b: Always use listening tools to get in fast and diffuse a situation. The longer you wait, the more you have to deal with. #SproutChat
— Jeff Higgins (@ItsJeffHiggins) September 13, 2017
A5: We use @Mention to monitor our client’s online reviews and press coverage. #SproutChat
— Dave Macdonald (@rdavemacdonald) September 13, 2017
A5: Make sure to check your business social media accounts daily for reviews and responding promptly. #SproutChat
— Digital Addicts (@digitaladdicts_) September 13, 2017
Tune in next Wednesday, September 20 at 2 p.m. CT to chat with Sprout All Star, Phil Hughes, of NYU Admissions when we’ll discuss engaging students through social media. Until then, check out our Facebook group to connect with others in the industry.