Question

Topic: SEO/SEM

How To Increase Good Reviews?

Posted by lstevens on 10/24/2011 at 3:04 PM ET 50 Points
I work with a couple of retailers that have negative reviews showing up on Google searches. Can anyone recommend strategies for encouraging customers to post reviews (hopefully positive) to help balance the negative reviews?
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted on 10/24/2011 at 3:48 PM Member
    The key is to find out the source of negative reviews, which might require an audit of procedures and policies, which is an internal problem. By the time these issues reach the internet, the damage has already been done.

    Businesses have to realize that we're in the digital age.
    A bad experience can be uploaded onto the internet via a smartphone or a tablet while the disgruntled customer is still in the store and the incident is fresh in their minds. A customer will more likely complain than compliment: keep that in mind!

    Fixing the problems on the "front line" is perhaps the best remedy to shift the balance from complaints to complements.

    To encourage compliments takes an awesome (as my 14 year old niece says) experience. Going the extra mile to give exceptional service, perhaps a coupon for $$ off a next purchase, enter to win a gift card for the best compliment. Something that a customer would feel they are benefitting from....
  • Posted by Gail@PUBLISIDE on 10/24/2011 at 5:15 PM Member
    Catching an issue before it becomes public is key to keeping negative comments off of the Internet. If it happens, however, message that person and ask what you can do to make things right and for them to change their mind. Be SO good to them, and tell them you hope he/she will see it as such a benefit, that they will post a good comment and/or remove the negative one.
  • Posted by lstevens on 10/24/2011 at 5:35 PM Author
    Thank you for the feedback. I agree that retailers should address complaints quickly and publicly, but THEN WHAT?

    I'm trying to give my retailers actionable steps to take to help generate good reviews. I'm taking it for granted that they are not ignoring disgruntled customers and are dealing with them, however, these actions alone do not make the reviews disappear from Google searches. All the advice on SEO says "counter bad reviews by making sure that good reviews are posted." That is the strategy that I am looking to help my retailers implement. I have seen strategies implement on Facebook that ask customers to tell the world why they "love our product" for a chance to win a gift certificate. I'm looking for other similar approaches.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 10/24/2011 at 7:13 PM Member
    Have (or offer) something that's worth reviewing. To gain positive attention, the product or service must solve the problem in a memorable and note worthy way.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 10/24/2011 at 8:05 PM Member
    If you can convert someone who's disgruntled enough to write a negative review to a fan, you've got a very vocal advocate on your side. Don't argue with people who have negative things to say - fix their problems and encourage them to write an update of the result of their complaint.
  • Posted on 10/26/2011 at 12:03 PM Accepted
    Great Question Lark Shirley-Stevens.

    I would highly recommend building a separate landing page with the primary goal of capturing reviews. Follow best practices of lead capture with a form for name, email & review. This will put the control of the review in your hands, not publicly on review sites. If the review is negative, then follow-up and try to fix the situation before it goes public. If it is positive, contact them, thank them, and give them an Incentive to leave the review on their favorite review site. (include easy link to Yelp, Google reviews etc.)

    The landing page to solicit reviews is only half of the system. The second part is driving customers who have recently purchased to the review page. Create a process to first collect emails at purchase. Second process is for the business to send out a "thank you" email with a link to review the business after each purchase.

    The system of "thank you" emails with a link to a landing page dedicated to gathering (positive) reviews can prevent negative reviews becoming public and significantly increase the number positive reviews you can use as marketing assets.

    Once you have the review, and permission to use it - You can then motivate them to post it to their favorite review site with an Incentive of value ($10, Coupon, etc) Alternatively, if your clients are not technically savvy (but you do have permission) post the review for them manually by creating a temporary gmail account in their name and leave the review in Google places under your clients business listing.


    Cheers,
    Nigel
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelkay
  • Posted by lstevens on 10/26/2011 at 2:05 PM Author
    Thank you for the good ideas!
  • Posted by aorlikoff on 8/29/2012 at 5:40 PM Member
    We have a unique tool that enables business owners to get more LEGITIMATE positive reviews.
    https://www.MyPositiveFeedback.com
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(SEO/SEM)