I came across this study by Racheal Morrow, founded in cited references, that looks at this exact point. Considering the points Racheal Morrow makes, how do you handle public facing reviews?
Optimizing Online Review Management for eCommerce Brands
Racheal Morrow
Effectively handling both
positive and negative reviews is an essential part of marketing and online
reputation management for your eCommerce brand. As much as negative reviews can
harm your brand’s reputation if left untouched, ignoring positive reviews is a
missed opportunity for growth.
On the other hand, not
responding to either type of comment can be more damaging to your brand
reputation than the comments themselves. This is because avoidance comes off as
insincere, leading existing consumers to feel as though they are not a priority
and that you only care about making the sale. Meanwhile, potential customers
may see avoidance as a red flag, even if your other marketing efforts have
convinced them to really consider a purchase.
Furthermore, customer
complaints aren’t bound to review platforms. Negative content can show up
in your search results for all to see. As a result, conversion-ready customers
could decide to buy from your competitors.
To avoid damaging the
reputation of your brand amongst existing and potential customers, put a plan
into place to regularly monitor any reviews or comments that are made about
your brand across the internet. Below, we’ve compiled some useful tips to
leverage review management and boost your brand image.
Understand how online reviews work
There are many platforms to consider
when managing reviews. Some reviews are more formal, like a comment or star
rating on Facebook, Google Reviews, or Yelp. Others can be left in a comment on
Facebook or Instagram, and can even be via a tweet on Twitter.
Don’t forget to check your direct
messages (DMs), too– it is still just as important to foster this channel of
communication even if it isn’t public-facing. This one-on-one interaction not
only encourages repeat purchases, but it also does wonders for attracting new
customers in terms of word-of-mouth recognition. Outside of the large platforms
mentioned above, do a Google search of your organization’s name and relative
keywords to find other places that may be collecting reviews.
According to BrightLocal, the average consumer reads at least 10 reviews
before feeling as though they are able to trust a business. But don’t panic if
you have one or two negative reviews. Review profiles that are 100% positive
can come off to potential customers as fabricated, and consequently,
untrustworthy. Negative reviews are inevitable for every brand, so treat them
as an opportunity to improve your business. Doing so shows potential customers
that you’re listening and that you care about their experience with your brand.
Remember, not all negative
reviews come from so-called internet trolls. So before you jump to conclusions,
sort out the fakes from the legitimate complaints. Real customers tend to make
a more compellingargument for their grievances with plenty of details. Fakes, on
the other hand, are most often filled with general statements, like “the food
was terrible,” or “the staff was rude.”
If you see that a complaint
is rational, it's a chance not only to respond and turn this angry customer
into a happy one but also to see what's going wrong in your business.
Long story short, negative
yet rational feedback from customers helps you spot problems and fix them to
prevent further complaints. It's an opportunity for you to grow. Doing so shows
potential customers that you care about communication and are dedicated to
ensuring the satisfaction of your customers.
Use reviews as an opportunity to
communicate with customers
Ecommerce brands have many
advantages over brick and mortar entities. For example, set up and maintenance
is usually quicker and easier, overhead costs tend to be lower, and you have
the potential for reaching a wider audience.
There are, however, a few drawbacks
to operating your business solely online. For instance, customer communication
can lose its personalization without face-to-face contact. At times, this can
make it more difficult to leverage brand experience in hopes of developing
customer loyalty, especially if their comments and messages go unnoticed.
Responding to comments and
reviews in real-time helps to fill that void and build the lasting relationship every eCommerce
brand strives for. When customers leave positive feedback, take the time to
thank them so that they feel appreciated and connected with the brand. When
customers leave negative feedback, be sincere in working with them to resolve
their issues. Even though this interaction is happening behind screens, tried
and true customer service best practices still come into play here:
- Listen first, then speak
- Make a customer feel as though they
are right (even when they aren’t)
- How you say (or write) something is
just as important as what is actually being said
- Follow up days later to ensure their
issue has been resolved
It is equally as important to
implement customer-first strategies in eCommerce as it is in a traditional
storefront setting. Enhance customer personalization even further by investing
in different customer service related tools like secure personalized payment forms and
platforms that allow for the customization of eblasts and messaging.
Use reviews to improve your product,
service, or processes
No one likes to receive a
complaint, but oftentimes, they are necessary for growth. Customers can make
valid observations and suggestions about your products, services, and processes
that you may not have considered before. Pay close attention to these
suggestions, especially if you find many customers are repeating the same
thought points or suggestions.
Implementing customer-driven
changes shows that you’re listening and that you genuinely care about their
experience with your brand. If you do make a change to your business processes
based on customer suggestions, be sure to communicate these changes across the
board by highlighting them on your social media channels and within your marketing.
This type of customer-firstmindset can help you improve your business across the board.
Use positive reviews as a marketing tool
Positive reviews can be a
great marketing tool for your business. Show off kind words and testimonials
from happy customers in your social media posts, eblasts, graphics, targeted
ads, or promotional videos to increase your credibility with potential
customers.
Using real testimonials from
satisfied customers is an extremely effective way to convince potential buyers
that your product and customer service can be trusted. Nielsonresearch suggests that “92% of people will trust a
recommendation from a peer, and 70% of people will trust a recommendation from
someone they don’t even know.” In other words, your company can sing it’s own
praises until the cows come home, but advertising other’s praises of your
company can be that extra nudge for potential customers who are currently
sitting in the decision-making process.
How to generate more reviews
If you followed the first tip
and searched your company’s name under all of the top review platforms, you may
find that your current pool of reviews is rather sparse. Though you may feel a
sense of relief that you have managed to go unscathed by negative comments, you
will want to put a plan into place to start generating some reviews. Having no
reviews can negatively impact your conversion rate, too.
Case in point– imagine that
you’re looking at two similar properties on AirBnb for a future vacation. One
with about 100 reviews– mostly positive with a couple of negative experiences
mixed in. The other, slightly cheaper, but with no reviews at all. Which rental
would you go with? It’s safe to say that most would choose the location that
has reviews. Why? Despite having a handful of negative comments, the reviews
provide a sense of security for the consumer. To choose the slightly cheaper
option without reviews would feel like a risk since you aren’t provided with
any validation of the services advertised.
It’s never too late to
generate feedback! Start by offering incentives for customers who leave
reviews– it could be something as simple as 10% off or free shipping on their
next purchase. For a more direct approach, consider customizing your purchase
confirmation emails. Here, you can thank them for their support and kindly ask
for a review. Or, you could target returning customers with chat software encouraging reviews. Make it
easy on them by including links to your major review platforms right in the
prompt. Customers are more likely to leave a review when they don’t have to go
too far out of their way.
Proper online review
management should be an integral part of your eCommerce strategy. Even negative
reviews are an avenue for growth! Managing feedback is an impactful way to
create brand loyalty and keep existing customers coming back for future
purchases.
Article Source: https://www.promotionworld.com/articles/ecommerce-sales/200619-optimizing-online-review-management-ecommerce-brands
