Regular maintenance of your business’ online reviews is a critical component of a well-rounded online presence. We make this process easy for our OPTIMA™ clients with a variety of easy-to-use tools to help encourage positive reviews, as well as support from a team of dedicated Account Managers ready to assist with any questions related to your online reputation.
Why Respond to Reviews?
Responding to reviews is not only good business, but it’s impactful on your overall search ranking! Search engines, such as Google, prioritize businesses that frequently engage online with their customers. According to Forbes, “When a company responds frequently, Google’s algorithm is more likely to place that company at the top of a user’s Google search, but a company that doesn’t react may not rank as highly.”
Our Reputation Management tools include customized Recommendation Request Cards, a Review Invitation Link, and a Review Response Portal to effectively encourage and manage your business’ online reviews. OPTIMA™ clients can distribute Recommendation Request Cards in person or send their Review Invitation Link directly to customers to further their online reputation goals.
“OPTIMA™ has truly been a game-changer for our restaurant! We are thrilled with the review cards they provide, which have helped us generate over 40 reviews in the past year alone. Our customers love them too – we make sure to hand them out with every to-go order, allowing our customers to share their feedback easily. The support we have received from our Account Manager has been exceptional. They have guided us in responding to these reviews. We are grateful for their input and the positive impact it has had on our business.” – Abigail Chavarin, Owner of Manolo’s Tamales in Chicago, Illinois
The Value in Responding Quickly
According to a 2024 Bright Local survey, 88% of consumers report that they would be fairly or highly likely to use a business that response to all reviews (both positive and negative). You not only have to respond to all reviews no matter the content, but you need to respond quickly! 11% of consumers expect a response the same day, 14% the following day, 34% expect these responses within 2-3 days (the most common expectation), and 22% expect a response within a week.
Best Practices on Responding to Reviews
So what’s the best way to respond to and boost visibility for your online reviews? Indeed gives us four steps to follow:
- Thank the Customer: Thank the customer for leaving a review, whether positive or negative, as it shows you value their feedback.
- Craft a Response: This can be done easily using the OPTIMA™ Review Response Portal. Be sure to address any issues mentioned in the review. You can even use a positive review to highlight other products or services you offer.
- Encourage an Actionable Step: For positive reviews, invite the customer to try another product or service. For negative reviews, provide contact information for a representative who can help resolve the issue.
- Share the Review: OPTIMA™ collects all 4 and 5-star reviews and showcases them on your Testimonial Page Website or Rich Content Website. You can also use our Review Widget Plugin to display these reviews on your primary website.
OPTIMA™ Review Alert Emails keep you in the loop on what is being said about your business across the major review sites so that you can quickly respond and return to business as usual. Simply click the link in the alert email to visit your Review Response Portal. We consolidate all of your reviews onto one page where you can then choose from our response templates, or write a personalized response to address issues or invite satisfied customers in for another visit.
For assistance or advice while writing responses, our team of Account Managers are just a phone call or email away. We’ve worked with thousands of businesses to achieve a positive online reputation and have seen it all!
