We know; your business is enough of a task to handle on it’s own. Then you add in the world of online reviews and monitoring them, and you have a plate stacked up that no amount of hours in the day could allow you to tackle. You may even be sitting here reading this, thinking there’s no plausible way to effectively maintain a successful business and also manage online reviews.

To that, we’d have to respectfully disagree and point you in the direction of an online reputation management solution such as ReviewPush to closely monitor your business’s online presence at all hours of the day, every day, so you don’t have to.

Now, back to the point of this article: customer reviews. While it’s vital that your business is receiving legitimate reviews on behalf of customer’s experience with your platform or company, it’s equally as dire to respond to these reviews. I’m sure you’ve heard of the importance of responding to negative reviews, which I’ll hit on, as well. But what about those gleaming reviews; the ones that make your business shine like the north star in comparison to your competition?

Contrary to what you might’ve heard and been implementing, responding to reviews of all calibers should be your new normal; your new standard. This is one of the most effective ways to manage your reviews. This shows consumers that you take the time to acknowledge the voice of the public; it shows you’re listening and that you care. Monitoring comments and reviews of your business is something that will make or break you. Translation: not responding to reviews and questions will break you.

Responding to online reviews is a critical element to creating and maintaining a positive online reputation for your business. When your online reputation is groomed and treated with dignity and respect, it’s noted in the eyes of current and future customers. By simply responding to your reviews, you’re building a particular rapport with consumers; a shimmering, bulletproof one, at that (see image below for example).

To carry on in the eyes of the customer, many consumers read more than one online review of a business when considering whether to invest in whatever they’re selling. When consumers see that your business is responding to reviews, even the negative ones, in a positive and meaningful way; your online reputation will improve. Think of it like this: online reviews are the voice of your business, whether you want them to be or not.

Online reviews aren’t going anywhere, and the fact that they exist in most verticals leaves much discretion up to the consumer. With online reviews, they are able to craft up an idea of what it’s like to do business with your company. The good, the bad and all of the in between; online reviews share others experiences with your business, and can heavily influence and guide other consumers towards or away from your company.

Although we wish we could say you’ll always get positive reviews if you start managing your online reputation, but that’s simply not the case. Even the most prestigious and pristine companies have a bad review or two on various sites across the web, and your business is probably no different. Now, it may be hard to admit fault in responses to negative reviews, but it’s important to take ownership where it’s due.

It’s been estimated that it costs 25 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to salvage a current one who may have had a less than admirable experience with your business. Reviews with legitimate concerns are lifelines directly to your business from consumers. They have power untapped by many companies, and can save yours money if you’re responding to them.

Not only can you right past wrongs by responding to reviews online, you can drive up sales efforts, too. By responding, you’re showing that you’re active; not only giving you leverage with consumers, but also with Google. When a business responds to reviews, it signals Google’s algorithm that these sites and accounts are active, thus ranking you higher on a Google search, too.

Overall, responding to online reviews not only helps you maintain your business’s online reputation, but also saves you money on customer acquisition and advertising. Think about it: if someone is shouting a rave review of your business online . . . why would you not document and share this sentiment on your business’s social channels? It’s free advertising in its purest form. Thus, it’s in your best interest to respond to any review that comes your way in a delicate and thoughtful manner.

If you need help managing your business or brand’s online reputation, look no further than to ReviewPush, an online reputation management platform that works for you, the customer, and ensures you’ll never miss a beat.

Lee McNiel