respond correctly to reviews on social networks

There are many reasons why customers choose to post reviews on your Facebook page or any other social media site, but for the most part, they are divided into two camps:

  • Those who write a review to share a positive experience, or
  • Those who complain publicly.
Good and bad reviews on public forums can strengthen or destroy your image, but how you respond to them can be just as important.

Many brands tend not to respond to any reviews, regardless of their nature. Each review is an opportunity to learn about how you run your business, who your audience is, and offers the chance to build long-term customer relationships, whether their comments were praiseworthy or not so kind.

In addition, excessive visibility of star reviews and ratings has a huge impact on a person when they decide to turn to a company or not. This does not necessarily mean that a consumer will not consider turning to that company unless he has a perfect 5-star rating – most people know that no business is perfect – however, they are looking for a company they can trust. Approaching reviews from a business perspective in the right way can go a long way in encouraging this trust.

The following figures highlight the importance of online reviews:

One-third of customers post online due to inappropriate customer service, writing comments about your brand on their social media network, and beyond.

Below images from this website will clear the picture more:

consumers behaviour after reading reviews

i.e. More than 92% people will go with the purchase.

Another interesting data is:

Only 20% of companies are currently using reviews in their marketing strategy.

Another important factor that review plays is in SEO. As some data suggests that the website having positive ratings helps in getting your website ranked on the Global as well as on the local level. Reviews and Ratings play an important role in your SEO strategy so do not forget them while making one for your company or for your customers.

Some data suggests that when a brand responds to a customer on social media, 65% become more loyal to that brand, and 25% are less likely to go elsewhere or post negative things.

When a brand responds to reviews written on social media like on Facebook, Google, 65% of customers become more loyal, and 25% are less likely to go elsewhere or post negative things.

1. HOW TO RESPOND TO NEGATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS?

People who have a negative experience are more likely to tell friends and family about it – they will hear it both in person and in the shared review online. In the meantime, anyone visiting your social page will be able to see this one-star rating and use it as an indicator to make sure they are visiting you or staying away from your business.

Choosing not to respond and hoping that the problem will evaporate is not recommended a correct response to a negative review can be a way to heal the hurt feelings of an annoyed customer and help him/her and others see your brand. a positive way, in a good light again.

response on negative reviews on social media
Choosing individual keywords in a negative review is a great way to think about formulating a personalized response and encouraging a more positive outcome.

Write a short, peaceful answer that shows that you have read and understood the problem (s) raised, even if they are unfounded. Be specific and acknowledge the client’s concerns; show your compassion that they had a bad experience.

Sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and assure them that you will do things right now.

Thank the customers for their visit and for the time given to provide feedback.

Assure your customers that the problem has been or will be solved in the future. As an incentive, you can give them a discount or a free product or service to win back next time.

Avoid including the name of the location and the name of the company in the answer, so that the negative review is less prioritized (and found) in search engines.

Example negative review response

[customer name],

Thank you for your comment. I’m so sorry to hear about your experience this is definitely not the standard of service our customers have expected to receive from us, [share what is normally happening]. Please contact me, as I would like to reward you for your disappointment [name, job title, email address and/or phone number]

2. HOW TO RESPOND TO POSITIVE SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS?

When you get a positive review for your business, you know that your customers are very happy and that is why they have shared their positive reviews on social media. Responding to this review is a great way to involve a customer more and build his/her brand loyalty.

Thank the customer for his kind words and for his visit or purchase. Be specific in your text.

Invite your client to do something – ask them to come back, use another service, or even help spread their good opinion.

how to respond on positive reviews
Include your company name and location in your response to a positive review, as this will help you appear in search engine results.

If appropriate (i.e. if the client suggested this in the review), include information about future discounts, promotions, or events for the benefit of him and any other person who will read your response. But beware – the last thing you want to do is use the acute positive feeling as a gateway to obvious marketing.

If you have identified him/her as a very loyal customer, contact him/her privately to give him/her a reward for his/her generosity.

Example of a positive review response

Hello [customer name], we are so pleased that you liked [something specific mentioned by the customer in his review], everyone at [company name] was so proud to hear such wonderful comments! Next time you come here / buy from us, you should try [introduce an exceptional product or specialty] or join [the next event]. Thank you once again for leaving a positive review, We hope to see you again soon. Respectfully, [company name / manager / owner].

3. HOW TO RESPOND TO NEUTRAL SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS?

response on neutral reviews on social media

Research has been done and it has been found that, on average, neutral reviews represent half of the total reviews received by retail brands, but only a small part of them receive an answer. Neutral reviews give your brand the chance to take care of a largely satisfied customer, feel more positive about your brand, and are more likely to visit you again in the future.

According to Harvard business school, a one-star improvement can translate into a 5-9% increase in revenue.


Neutral comments (three-star rating) will include a mix of positive and negative feelings. If it’s the downside, you should treat it in your answer as if it were a one-star review. While the feedback may not be entirely positive, take the time to respond. By doing this, you show that you really appreciate the feedback from customers and that you are eager to receive their full opinion in the future

If the customer has highlighted a problem you know the solution to, thank the customer for the feedback you have received and explain how you intend to improve the service in the future.

As with a negative review, don’t be afraid to offer a voucher or a discount to get them back. Alternatively, you can remind the customer of new products, offers, or events from that period, it may be the right time to invite them to try your products/services again – and to prove that you are able to fully meet their expectations.

4. ANSWERS TO SOCIAL-MEDIA REVIEWS: ADDITIONAL TIPS AND STRATEGIES

Ask for reviews

50% of consumers say they will leave a review of a business, if required, reinforcing the need for almost every company to have a reputable marketing strategy. You can ask customers to leave reviews in many ways – in person at your store, at the bottom of a receipt or email, the marketing materials that appear packaged with your product. Time is of the essence – present your opportunity when your customer is most likely to be satisfied with the service they received.

Make negative reviews go unnoticed with positive ones

You may convince an unhappy customer from time to time to update their negative review to a more positive one, but chances are that most will not do so and you will be blocked by them. And since most review sites don’t allow companies to delete inappropriate reviews, the next goal should be to make them go unnoticed among a sea of four- or five-star reviews. Use the above tips to encourage reviews and over time, positive reviews will “annihilate” negative ones. Any prospective customers who read the reviews will see the negative ones as isolated cases and not normal ones in your business.

Keep answers short for reviews

In general, you should try to answer the reviews as short as possible, short, and concise – three sentences for your entire answer is a rule to remember. Remember that not only the person who wrote the review will read your answer, but also other potential customers. If your answers are not easy to digest, then the customer or future customer could migrate to the competition. Regarding negative evaluations, in particular, do not go into too much detail and do not ask questions. This could cause the disappointed customer to add more negative feedback by replying to your comment. If your response needs to belong, have a private conversation, and contact the customer to provide a 1 to 1 response.

Respond to reviews as early as you can

Responding quickly to reviews lets customers know that you are present and attentive to their thoughts. When a customer has left a review (especially if it was negative), they can lure you with questions and actively wait for an answer. If it is not possible to find time and respond during working hours, do not panic, but try to find time in the near future, to respond to all customer reviews and comments.

Conclusion:

I hope this article has given you some notes to consider when addressing all kinds of social media reviews and how to turn any kind of customer feedback into an opportunity to increase brand engagement and loyalty. the one you represent.

By Swastik Saraf

Swastik Saraf is a growth hacker, negotiator, & strategist with a sharp mind & having 5+ yrs of experience. He mainly worked with the CxO's and learned from them.