We’ve all heard the saying “any publicity is good publicity,” and this old saying also holds true in regards to today’s world of online advertising and reviews.
With the abundance of review sites available today for consumers to rate and review businesses, it is easier than ever to share personal experiences across the web. When these reviews are painting a business in a positive light, it’s obviously something that a business owner wants others to see. Positive reviews can generate new clients – this is common sense. But what about negative reviews? There is very little keeping a review writer from sharing their own negative opinions and experiences.
While no one wants to see negative reviews about their business being shared with the public, it can actually open up a whole new opportunity for clients with positive experiences to share their opinions of the business. While it can be seen as riskier to leave that negative review out for all to see, businesses are starting to leave them visible instead of deleting or hiding them (which in many cases, isn’t even possible). For a reputable business, a negative review usually appears pretty rarely, and in many cases, the presence of a negative review about a business that is known and loved within the community will actually encourage other customers to come to the business’s defense. So, a negative review can actually result in more positive comments – usually from loyal customers whose positive reviews drown out the occasional negative one.
No, this doesn’t mean that we can expect that businesses are going to look forward to or be excited about a negative review from a customer – but it does mean that there is a bright side!
In addition to drawing attention to the business’s listing, a negative comment online can also give the business themselves the opportunity to make amends with an unhappy customer. If you should happen to receive a negative review, we generally recommend trying to figure out which customer left it, and then respectfully approaching them (if possible) to try to resolve the original issue. By smoothing things over and responding to the comment professionally, either publicly online or privately with the customer, you may be able to earn back their business and give them an opportunity to adjust their opinion of your company. Additionally, you’ll be able to show other potential and current customers that you do indeed care about their experience with you and your business.
With the way today’s consumers rely on the internet to share information, it’s a safe bet that online reviews and review sites are just going to become more popular. As with anything, we’ve got to take the good with the bad – Negative reviews may be inevitable but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world for businesses; it just presents new opportunities for success!
-Sarah Buell, Account Manager
nextadagency 