Websites like Yelp, Google, or industry based websites like HomeAdvisor, provide business owners the chance to promote their businesses online and improve their local SEO, for free. Responding to positive reviews on these websites provides them more leverage to do so.
Stats show that 84% of consumers trust online reviews and that they also have shown to impact 67.7% of purchasing decisions.
But your work doesn’t stop there. Gaining positive reviews is only the first step towards growing your business. Now, you need to know how to respond to them If you really want positive reviews to work for you, respond to them in ways that benefit your business.In this post, we’ll show you how.
Tip #1 – Make Your Responses Specific
It makes sense to thank someone who leaves a positive review on your website. Everyone loves a good follow up, but responding to positive reviews shouldn’t be limited to a simple sentence like “thank you, how to see you again.”
To make customers feel truly special, make your responses more specific. Tailor your responses according to their reviews by:
- Calling customers by name: Personal responses can’t beat face to face conversations, but addressing customers by name shows that you care about them personally.
- Mentioning specific people: If a customer mentions how a certain waiter made them feel special, mention that person in your response, as well. For example, your response can go something like, “We appreciate the positive review Sharon. And yes, Matilda is a valuable member of our staff, her positive attitude makes her a customer favorite.”
Tip #2 – Use Keywords That Benefit You
You can make your responses work for your business, as well. Search engines rank responses that have business names, addresses, and categories. Use keywords to make them SEO friendly.
- Use review websites –Chances are that someone might have left reviews on websites like Yelp. Claim your business on these websites and start responding to positive reviews by using keywords in your responses.
- Add a location with your business name: A business address ranks well in local search results. For example, a response to a positive review on Yelp can be “Thanks Cheryl. We’re glad that (business name) is your top choice for (services) in (city/state).
Tip #3 – Take the Chance to Promote Your Business
Once your responses start ranking, they will be read by others, as well. Keep in mind, customer engagement strategies are based on how much value you can get out of them. So, as you are responding to positive reviews, take the chance to promote your business:
- Sell to them: To sweeten the deal, respond by adding some services or products that they don’t know about but might potentially buy. For example, a response can be “Thanks for the review Tate. Did you know we just introduced a new (service/product)? Loyal customers get discounts.”
- Attract other customers: Use positive reviews to entice other customers to look into your business. “A satisfied customer is a win for us. We’re giving 50% off on lunch starting next week. Bring your friends too!”
Tip #4 – Reinforce the Positive When Responding to Positive Reviews
When a customer says something positive about your business, it doesn’t hurt to remind them why they did so. This way, you also reinforce the popularity of particular services and encourage other customers (who might see the review) to try them out, as well.
For example, if you manage a hotel, a response to a positive review on your Yelp page can be, “We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay at (name of the hotel). We hope you travel to (city/state/country) soon. Let us know when you do so we can book your favorite room for you!”
Customers leave good reviews if you serve them well and if you explicitly ask them to. Ultimately, the more positively people talk about your business online, the better it is for you.
Want more tips on customer reviews?
Drop us your email and we will keep you in the loop for all online review management tips!