Everything people say about your company or brand does matter, which is why it is important to learn how to manage reviews from Google My Business. Even if you think you are doing it right, there can always be a client who has not been satisfied with your products or services.
Given this, it is essential that you are prepared to face these not so positive comments that can affect the reputation of your business. It is not about putting yourself on the same level as the user, less if he is right in his argument, but about trying to find a solution.
As a general rule, a review is the opinion produced by a person in this case clients. These revolve around the products, services and customer service that a company provides. And Google uses them to provide valuable information about your business that is useful to you and consumers.
These business reviews appear next to the business listing on Google Maps and Google Search. So if you want your company to stand out in this popular search engine, these will be your best allies to achieve it. But you should keep in mind that opinions will not always favor your company.
Now, the big question is: What benefits do Google My Business reviews offer you? The most relevant ones are listed here:
Advantages of reviews
It gives you the possibility to improve your online presence in the different Google services: YouTube, Google Maps, etc.
Promote a direct relationship with your customers, sharing valuable information such as news, photos or events.
Improve your search engine rankings.
You can geolocate your business using Google Maps.
It allows you to follow up to be aware of the opinions of your business on the web. It also offers you to have personalized statistics
How to manage the reviews?
1.- Respond to the customer's review
Ignoring a negative comment will not solve anything, rather it may cause other customers to have a bad impression of your company. So it is best to respond with caution. In addition, always with a respectful and friendly tone that shows interest in solving the problem.
Keep in mind that not only the reputation of your business is at risk, but also that of the customer who commented. Therefore, with an apology on behalf of the company, you can get the user to retract.
2.- Solve the consumer's problem
Normally, negative reviews are the product of customer dissatisfaction when purchasing a product / service or receiving poor customer service. For this reason, you need to know what the problem was that caused that comment.
But it is not only about knowing the problem, but about finding a way to correct it to satisfy the person. In addition, it will help you not to make that mistake again with other consumers. And the only way to find out is by following up with customers to see if they'll give you another chance.
3.- Do a proper follow-up
You have to follow up to make sure that the problem has really been fixed and that the customer is satisfied. But, also, verify that there are no more negative comments from that person or other users.
It is not enough to verify the last month, it is essential that you check at least the last three months. Remember that many consumers look for recommendations in reviews, it is their way of checking if it is a good idea to buy what you offer.
4.- Verify the authenticity of the review
It is also recommended that you make sure that the review is real. Some people make false reviews to sabotage their competitors' businesses. Before this you have to be alert and look for signs that confirm that it is not true.
How can you tell? Usually they are lacking in detail, that is, they do not cover a specific problem and are extremely general. Check if the user has a photo in their account and then respond to the review. If you don't receive a response, flag the post as inappropriate and wait for Google to review it.
Tips to achieve more reviews
Taking into account what you must do to manage and delete reviews in Google My Business, it is appropriate that you also have knowledge about how you can get comments. To do this, it is advisable to carry out these actions:
Invite your satisfied customers to leave a review: Recommendations are one of the best strategies to reach other potential customers.
Use social networks to promote yourself: they are an excellent means of diffusion, both for clients and companies. In addition, it has a high reach, which means that you will be able to reach new consumers.
Work with email marketing: you can reserve a space at the bottom of your emails to invite your customers to leave a review about your business.
Highlight the positive reviews on your website: you can also take advantage of a special section on your site to expose the opinions, testimonials or positive reviews of your customers. This is a very effective way to convey confidence and security to users interested in purchasing your products or services.
The idea is that you can generate a community tailored to your business. At Century Digital Marketing we aim to keep your brand presence and online communications at its best. Feel free to contact us for more information about it.