Online reviews are important for a number of reasons, particularly because of their ability to impact your rankings in local search engines and how they affect which search results rank highest. This makes online reviews critical to your SEO strategy.

We live in a world where your online reputation can either make or break your business. Employers, customers, and clients are constantly checking Google before making important decisions. Customer reviews are extremely important to customers. In fact, nearly 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business and around 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Forbes).

Responding to Good Reviews

A lot of great things can happen when you take the time to respond to positive reviews. This is an excellent way to show your customers that you are friendly and caring and helps you market your business. At the same time, this gives your SEO a little boost. Here are some important components you should include in your response:

  1. Always thank your customer. Tell them how much you appreciate the positive feedback and thank them for their business.
  2. Acknowledge what the customer has included in their review with a personalized response. You want people to know that their response is from a human and is not an automated message.
  3. Include your company’s name, location, and services to help boost your response’s SEO. For example, “At Shelley Media Arts, we are proud to be one of Melbourne, Florida’s best Digital Marketing Agencies.”
  4. Market your company’s product or service. Use this as an opportunity to invite this particular customer back. Encourage them to try a new service or refer a friend or family member.

See this example:

Responding to Bad Reviews

There may be times where your business leaves a customer feeling unsatisfied. Responding to an unsatisfied customer’s concerns gives you the opportunity to turn a negative review into a positive one. The customer may be more likely to make additional purchases or refer your business to a family or friend. Prospects will see your willingness and ability to solve problems, ensuring you are caring and trustworthy. Here are some important components to consider when responding:

  1. Respond as promptly as possible. This will help solve issues quicker and more efficiently.
  2. Thank your customer. Reviews may not always be positive. However, it is important to thank your customer for taking the time to leave you a review and for identifying any potential weaknesses within your business.
  3. Acknowledge and admit your mistakes. Be sure to apologize clearly. Don’t make excuses for your customer’s poor experience.
  4. Identify what you’re going to do to fix the issue. Don’t just apologize. Figure out an appropriate resolution. Consider leaving them your customer service contact information. This will show others that you are willing to go above and beyond to please your customers.
  5. Try to avoid using SEO related terms like your business name, location, and services. It is best if this review does not appear within a Google search.

What NOT to do:

What TO do:

Putting This to Action

Whether your business receives positive or negative feedback, you should always take a moment to respond. By sharing your acknowledgment and gratitude, you build trust and expand your community, all while reaping the benefits of an effective SEO strategy.

Looking for more ways to improve your SEO? Check out our SEO Guide below.

Read more: