Taking Control of Your Online Business Reviews

Online reviews are often trusted more than other forms of marketing because they come from neutral third-party sources. You can’t fully control your brand’s reputation, but you can respond to negative reviews and encourage positive feedback.

Why are online reviews helpful?

• People trust objective parties more than your brand
• People use online reviews before they make a purchase
• These online sites make you more discoverable online

How can you get started taking control of your reviews?

• Search for your brand name online
• Claim all of the online review sites you can find
• Audit the information to ensure that it’s accurate
• Create accounts on the other sites that make sense
• Setup email notifications for when a new review is left

What are the most common review sites?

• Google My Business
• Yelp (consumer-facing)
• Facebook
• Clutch (services)
• Glass Door/Indeed (hiring)
• G2 (software)
• Industry-specific (Houzz, Upcity, Blue Bird, BBB, etc.)

What are tips for responding to reviews?

• Respond to everything— positive or negative
• Be timely— within a week or not at all
• Thank people for leaving a review
• Take negative comments to offline conversations

How can you encourage positive reviews?

• Link to it from your website
• Automated emails to new customers
• Scannable QR codes in brick-and-mortar locations
• Asking people in person
• Can’t offer anything in return
• 4.5 is ideal because people don’t trust 5.0 ratings