Category Archives: Blogs

Why Dentists Need Online Reviews to Market Their Practice

Dentists need online reviews if they expect to attract new patients and continue to build their practices. Online reviews help build trust with new patients before you even have a conversation.

The convenient scheduling, true compassion and exceptional care you provide to every patient will be highlighted in your reviews by reputable sources: the patients themselves. When you get positive feedback online from past or current patients, your hard work and dedication to all aspects of your practice will reap the rewards of a lasting, quality digital testimonial.

The only hurdle? Getting those reviews. Luckily, Accrue Reviews is here to help.

dentists online reviews

Your First Impression Happens Online

Even if you have excellent patient retention, time can take a toll as patients age or move away. If you don’t have a full schedule or you’re looking to add partners, you need to invest in your marketing budget.

Marketing today has changed drastically, even from 10 years ago. Today, the consumer’s first step toward making a purchase decision is checking online reviews. This process is similar to choosing a dental practitioner. The prospective patient will visit your website and look you up on a range of review sites, from Yelp to Rate MDs. What they find (or don’t find) there could dictate your chances of getting a call from them.

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Today, the first impression the patient gets of your practice isn’t a result of looking up your number online. It isn’t from visiting your office. It’s from your online presence. And since 70 percent of dental patients reported that online ratings influence their practitioner choice, it’s vital to monitor what’s being said online and do everything you can to make sure what’s posted is positive.

You Need Reviews

Any digital marketing you do will inevitably lead your prospect to your Facebook page, Google business page or Yelp page. If the customer sees a 2-star review, your competition will look better by comparison. You need positive online reviews.

Let’s start with the first challenge — how to get any reviews at all.

Surprisingly enough, many customers will post online reviews, but they need to be asked. Talk to your front desk staff and hygienist team about mentioning it when patients leave the office. You could post signs in your waiting area encouraging patients as well.

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What if What They Write Isn’t Positive?

It’s difficult to contest a legitimate negative review, so it stays online forever. That’s why Accrue Reviews has developed a system for dental practitioners like you, who don’t have time to constantly monitor their online images.

When you send out a request for an online review, the feedback submitted is sent to you if it’s anything less than a five-star rating. You can then talk to the patient about their frustration. You get a chance to repair the relationship and ensure they receive what they consider to be five-star service.

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Make it Simple

People are busy and don’t have time to figure out how to leave a Healthgrades review, but Accrue Reviews helps with that too. The system sends out a simple text or email with a direct link for your customer to follow to leave the review. It takes all the guesswork out of it! It’s a proven way to accrue more reviews, and do it faster.

We’re HIPAA Compliant

We know dentists need online reviews, but they also need to respect the privacy of their patients. That’s why our system is HIPAA compliant. You don’t have to worry that your patient information will be compromised — we take care of the security protocols. Get in touch today and we’ll show you how it’s done. Contact Accrue Reviews and try it free!

What Goes into a Comprehensive Reputation Management Plan?

Reputation management is more important than ever in today’s digital marketplace, no matter what industry you’re in! As with most business initiatives, it’s important to make a plan, or else it won’t get done, and slacking on reputation management is definitely NOT in your company’s best interests. What your target audience finds on Google is important and as a result, can define the breadth of that audience and ultimately the success of your business.

What should you consider when building a comprehensive reputation management plan?

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Don’t Pretend Consumers Aren’t Talking — They Are

The first step is to recognize that just because you are able to successfully block out the noise doesn’t mean there isn’t any. People are talking, and they’re talking online in public forums about your business.

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If they’re happy with what your company provides, that’s good news! If they aren’t satisfied, it’s bad. Don’t believe that any publicity is good. This isn’t true when it comes to consumers and online reviews. Negative reviews directly translate to lost business, so taking a proactive approach with a reputation management system is vital.

Treat Google Results Like Your Business Card (Hint: This Means You Need SEO!)

First, assess what comes up when you search your brand’s name. Are your competitors landing above you in the search results? If so, remember this is what your customers are seeing, too. It means it’s time to invest in quality SEO services.

The first step toward earning a positive reputation is making sure your customers find the right information when they’re searching for your services. If your direct competitors have exploited your previous lack of an SEO strategy, it’s time to turn this around.

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Claim Your Presence on All Platforms

One of the first steps to enhancing your image online is to make sure you are online. Claim your business profile on all available platforms. This includes Yelp, Google My Business, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Once you have claimed all the platforms where customers could be leaving feedback about your business, you have more control over how you respond and build up a positive image.

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Be Proactive About Positivity

You can’t sit back and wait until your customers are so happy with what you do that they take time out of their day to look you up and write a review for you. When you make it easy for them to post a good review, you’re making it easier to win the next customer too.

Use a system like Accrue Reviews, which allows business owners to send a quick text or email to their customers after their transaction, asking for feedback. If the review is good, it’s posted publicly for the world to see. If the relationship has to be mended, the business owner can address the issue before it goes online.

Don’t Go it Alone

In the everyday life of a small business owner, there is no time in the day to constantly try to get in touch with customers and convince them to leave online reviews. You need a streamlined system to help you with quality control of your reputation management plan. That’s where Accrue Reviews comes in. You’ll see a boost in your positive review score!

Why Online Reviews Are Vital for SEO

The connection between online reviews and SEO is real, and it directly affects the number of times you show up in organic search engine results. Translation: The quantity, quality, diversity and frequency of your online reviews is part of a set of factors that dictates how easily your prospective customers will find you online.

In other words, you need to pay attention to your online reviews if you’re concerned with where (or if) you’re showing up in online search results.

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The Power of SEO

Digital feedback plays a big role in consumer purchasing decisions. This is a well-known fact backed by plenty of data.

  • 97 percent of consumers read online reviews for local businesses.
  • 85 percent of consumers trust them as much as personal recommendations.
  • 49 percent of consumers need at least a four-star rating before they will choose a business.

The data is powerful. But it all assumes one fact: Consumers are seeing those awesome comments.

What if you’re not showing up in search engine results? How would your customers even get the chance to decide whether to try you?

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Online reviews play an integral role in everything that comes after the customer finds you online for the first time — but they also help the customer find you in the first place.

Google’s Ranking System Includes Them

Google owns 63.5 percent of all online searches, so naturally their algorithm is where you want to start when piecing together the connection between reviews and SEO. According to Moz.com, Google considers online searches a significant part of both local three-pack results and local organic results.

First, what’s the difference between showing up in Google’s three-pack and showing up organically?

If you’ve ever searched on Google, you know that if you type in “bakery (town name),” Google will show you a few ads at the top of the page. As you scroll, the first thing you’ll see is a map. Underneath the map you will notice a list of the top three bakeries close to you, complete with their contact information and their online reviews.

Finally, if you keep on scrolling past the map and three-pack results, you’ll begin to see organic results for bakeries.

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Google prioritizes online reviews differently for their three-pack and their organic results. Review quantity, diversity, frequency, etc. account for 13 percent of Google’s local three-pack ranking factors and about 7 percent of Google’s local organic ranking factors. Since showing up in the three-pack is a distinct advantage for local businesses, a constant stream of new reviews is one factor you can’t afford to ignore.

What Exactly Is Google Looking For?

You know the number of reviews you have matters. You know that quality matters.

Did you know that frequency matters too? If you get two reviews a year, it won’t affect your standing as well as if you received two reviews a week.

Also, Google prefers feedback from people who have a history of writing accurate reviews — it shows “review authority.” Google also likes plenty of reviews from reputable, third-party sources, such as Yelp.

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Stay Relevant in Long-Tail Keyword Searches

Besides the straightforward presence of reviews as a ranking factor, there are additional ways they contribute to your website SEO. When enough people write a comment about how they loved making a “same-day appointment” at your dental office, a searcher who types in that long-tail keyword is more likely to be shown your practice as one of their top results.

They Contribute to Domain Authority

The benefits of online reviews for SEO keep coming. Another factor plays a big role in Google’s three-pack and organic results — your website’s on-page signals and its domain authority. Domain authority refers to a website’s age, popularity and size.

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Guess what helps enhance domain authority? That’s right — online reviews.

Reviews Provide Content for Social Engagement

Social media engagement is another factor contributing to a website’s SEO rankings. You can save and re-post online reviews on your social profiles and give your followers an opportunity to like, share and comment! Online reviews are a major help in this area as well.

Get What You Need — Now

Do you need to work on your SEO? Then you need online reviews. And the best way to get them is to use Accrue Reviews. Our intuitive, easy-to-use platform is built for the busy business owner who needs to build their online presence with feedback from happy customers. Want to learn more? Try it free today!

Online Reviews for Electricians Help Win New Customers

Compiling a long list of positive online reviews for electricians is essential for building a business or turning around a business struggling to maintain a steady flow of work. There is no room for error when it comes to your online review strategy — one of the most valuable assets for any skilled tradesman is their reputation.

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Without a solid digital presence that backs up what your happy customers say in person, you’ll find that prospective customers choose the competition over you. Why? Everyone looks at online reviews. They are here to stay.

Ignoring Reviews Isn’t Effective

As a busy electrician, you don’t have time to surf the internet all day, but you must make time to monitor your online reviews. Whether you like it or not, customers will give online feedback about your business. How you respond to the negative posts and how energetically you solicit positive reviews is dependent on you.

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What Are Customers Looking For?

Home and business owners want electricians who will show up on time, clearly explain what needs to be done and how much it will cost, then follow through, efficiently and quickly!

You might think, “I’m exactly who they are looking for!” If so, it’s time to start generating online reviews that say it. You can put information about yourself on your website, but potential customers put more stock in reviews. After all, 74 percent of consumers say online feedback helps them trust a business more, and 84 percent trust online reviews just as much as a peer recommendation.

You Might Not Show up on Search Results without Many Reviews

Here’s another way online reviews for electricians helps drum up business: It gets you seen. If a homeowner goes directly to Yelp to search for an electrician, your company might not even show up. Why?

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Many people filter their Yelp results by “highest rated,” or “most reviewed.” More than 98 percent of electricians don’t show up when this filter is applied. This means if your competition has a wealth of online reviews and you only have five, consumers won’t be forced to choose between the two — they won’t even know you exist.

Online Reviews Tell Why You’re Different

The number of online reviews you have gets prospective customers looking at your business name, and the content of those comments helps them make their decision. When you ask customers for reviews, try to ask pointed questions that emphasize your stand-out characteristics to guide them. If you know how you differ from your competition and relieve the pain points of your customers, make sure these are the issues your happy customers highlight!

The Solution for Busy Electricians: Automated Review Requests

We know, we know. You don’t have to time to come up with a review generation system for your business. You’re too busy sending invoices, speaking with clients and doing electrical work most hours of the day! Your answer? Use Accrue Reviews.

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We design a template that lets you immediately send an automated review request to every client you service. If they’re happy with your work, the review is posted to the site of your choice. If they aren’t, you have the chance to address any issues privately.

Accrue Reviews is the ideal system for generating online reviews for electricians. Ready to try it? Give us a call now!

Online Reviews Help You Get Repeat Customers

Getting repeat customers is the goal of most businesses. Regardless of industry, building a sustainable foundation of repeat customers is one of your best avenues to success.

Have you ever heard of the “1,000 true fans” concept? It’s a marketing theory that if you can find 1,000 people who will pay you for what you do, you’ll have unending success in your business.

getting repeat customers

Many small businesses don’t even need that many customers to reach their revenue goals. You can achieve your targets with less, but it starts with capitalizing on the relationships you’ve already started with the customers you’ve already served.

Repeat Customers Mean More Revenue

Study after study shows the value of repeat customers versus the cost of obtaining new customers. A 2013 survey showed 70 percent of companies reported it is much cheaper to retain a customer than market to a new one, but only 22 percent of businesses invest in relationship marketing. Sixty-one percent of small businesses report that over half of their total revenue comes from repeat customers. Loyal customers are worth 10 times as much as their first purchase. Increasing customer retention by 5 percent can boost your profits 125 percent.

You might be thinking, “Then why are online reviews so important?”

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If you’re asking this question, you are under the impression that online reviews are only meant to help you sell your business to new customers. In reality, the process of accruing online reviews is in and of itself a form of relationship nurturing of your current customers.

Asking for Reviews Is a Form of Engagement

Customers who feel engaged by a company on social media will spend up to 40 percent more on their products or services than other customers. Eighty-one percent of people are more likely to visit a business again after good customer service.

What better way to both engage your customers and ensure they received the best service possible than by asking for an online review?

When you reach out to customers after their visit and request they fill out an online review through our system, you’ll immediately get notified if their feedback is negative. The system gives you a chance to keep the less-than-ideal opinion offline and ask for another chance to win their loyalty.

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If the review is positive, you’ve enhanced your online image in a good way. Either way, the very act of caring enough to ask for a review has shown your customer you value their opinion!

Responding to Their Review Is Another

Taking it a step further, going beyond just asking customers for a review in the first place is another way to engage them and keep your company top of mind.

Respond to their review publicly and thank them for their business. This is good to do for your public image, but ultimately, it’s more valuable to show this customer that you genuinely care about their opinion.

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Build Trust Before Your First Interaction

Of course, online reviews by themselves are important to businesses that want to grow in the modern market. Many times, customers won’t even give businesses a chance unless they see social proof (in the form of positive online reviews) that says they should.

But don’t forget that the exercise of gathering those online reviews can be one of your top customer relationship management strategies and one of the best ways to engage one-time customers, turning them into repeat customers. With a system as seamless and user-friendly as Accrue Reviews, you can work faster toward securing first-time and repeat business. Try it free today!

Bad Business Reviews Aren’t Bad — They’re an Opportunity to Stand Out

Bad business reviews: They’re every business owner’s worst nightmare. A customer hated your service, despised your product and wants you (and the world) to know it. What else could possibly go wrong?

Hold on — calm down. Everyone gets bad business reviews. You aren’t special. In fact, surveys show that 95 percent of people share bad experiences and 87 percent share good ones. Forty-five percent share negative reviews on social channels, versus 30 percent who share positive ones.

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If you pay attention to the numbers, it makes sense — you’re much more likely to hear from your haters than your fans, but it’s not always a bad thing. Why?

The Silver Lining

Here’s a secret: Customers love bad reviews. A little bit of negativity is a good thing. It helps your business look authentic. Sparkling, 100 percent positive reviews look fishy to the cynical, realistic consumer.

Also, bad business reviews help the customer feel informed. They know not only the benefits but also the drawbacks of doing business with you. When they make the decision to buy from or visit your business anyway, they do so with an enhanced level of confidence. They know what to expect.

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But you can turn bad reviews into a great opportunity to further increase future customers’ confidence level. How?

The Accurate Bad Review Is a Chance to Improve Business Operations

Do you think what the reviewer posted has a shade of truth? Could you improve an aspect of your business? If you’re going to truly find long-term success, you have to address problems that crop up along the way. Is there an employee who’s creating problems between you and your customers? Could you change your products to prevent a particular response from recurring?

Take honest criticism to heart and use it as motivation to keep improving and make the experience better for the next customer.

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The Inaccurate Bad Review Is a Chance to Showcase Outstanding Customer Service

Sometimes bad business reviews are just bad. They’re inaccurate, they’re bitter and they make you look bad. Denying the accusation only makes you look worse.

But there is something you can do about it. Every business has an irrational customer who will never be satisfied, but not all businesses respond correctly. Take the chance to do so.

Apologize profusely and honestly. Ask them what you can do to make it better. Offer a freebie or discount. Invite them to speak with you in person, offline.

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Chances are, future customers will see your response, understand the irrationality of the reviewer’s original post and find it impressive that you’re handling their complaint with such professionalism. It will make you stand out.

The Reviewer May Become Your Biggest Supporter

Do you think there’s a chance to salvage the relationship between you and the reviewer? Maybe not, but you have to try, even if you don’t want to.

Do everything in your power to correct their perception of your business. Personally invite them to come back. Send them a free replacement. Go above and beyond to change their mind. That reviewer could become your greatest supporter, your ambassador to the rest of the world. How couldn’t they, when you make it your mission to make them happy?

Your Response (Or Lack of One) Matters

Sometimes staying silent is best, but only in rare cases, such as when the negative review looks like spam. But don’t ignore bad business reviews just because they make your blood pressure skyrocket.

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It’s tough to stomach when someone is attacking the company you’ve poured your life into, especially if you feel like you aren’t in the wrong. But remember — you aren’t the only one reading those online reviews. Your future customers are too, and they see a lack of response as uncaring, or worse, an admission of guilt. Use your bad business reviews to your advantage: Respond with the future client in mind.

Better yet, use a system that allows you to head off bad reviews before they become a permanent part of your digital reputation. Use Accrue Reviews. When you’re able to address customer concerns right away, you are much more likely to resolve them and turn that naysayer into a believer.

How to Accrue Positive Reviews Fast 

As a new business owner, you must accrue positive reviews fast to attract your target audience. Recent surveys show 90 percent of consumers report that positive reviews impact their purchasing decision, and 86 percent of consumers report negative reviews influenced their choices as well.

New Businesses Can Accrue Positive Reviews

In the modern marketplace, what your past customers are saying to your future customers can directly affect your long-term success.

Why Do Customers Leave Online Reviews?

Before you can accrue positive reviews fast, think about the reasons your customers may leave you a review. Typically, it’s because they either love you or hate you.

If they love what you offered, whether you gave them a great deal or you simply exceeded their expectations, they may want to “give back” by vouching for you online.

If they hate what they received, they want you and everyone else to know they were cheated somehow, whether they feel like they didn’t get a good value or your product was defective.

Still, other groups of people take it upon themselves to share information they discovered that may help them with a detail in the buying process or enhance their experience in some way.

Tip #1: Make it as Easy as Possible

You want the people who love what your business has to offer to leave feedback online. But no matter how much a customer loves a brand, if it’s too time-consuming and difficult to leave feedback, they won’t.

This is where a tested, proven system can be a true asset. If you have a streamlined way to request and publish reviews from customers, you’ll get reviews much faster because your customers won’t have to search for a way to give their feedback. You can provide a step-by-step process that’s easy to follow and doesn’t take much time.

Tip #2: Tell Them Exactly What You’re Looking for

Those same customers — the ones who love your brand — are happy with your business, but most of all, they’re happy with what your business did for them. While you likely won’t turn away any 5-star reviews, a review that is overly personal or off-topic isn’t ideal. You want the online review to clearly state what the customer was looking for, how your business helped them and why they would go back or recommend another to visit.

It’s helpful to guide your fans when they’re leaving their online review by asking them specific questions about their experience.

Tip #3: Tell Them WHY You Need Them

The people who want to support others in making the right buying decision — these are the people you can get to help you with the right message. Tell them why you need their input and why others need their advice. For example, “If you have any advice about your experience with us, share your expert tips!” Position them as a savvy guide who can support others.

Tip #4: Focus on Feedback, Not Just Positive Reviews

All your business needs is a couple hundred online reviews — then you’re good, right? Wrong.

What if those reviews aren’t positive? What if your customers are highlighting issues about your business that you could correct?

Business owners who want to make big strides toward an impeccable digital reputation should put a heavy focus on getting feedback versus reviews. Reviews are someone’s opinion posted online for the world to see. Feedback can make you better as a business, and this will be reflected in your reviews!

Accrue Reviews helps your business get the feedback you need from all customers — happy, neutral and disappointed. When happy customers want to leave a review, they’re directed to your online site. When they’re less than happy, you have a chance to address their concerns and use their experience to create a better product or service. This is ideal for a new business, and Accrue Reviews has affordable monthly packages to make it possible to accrue positive reviews fast.

Strong Customer Relationships Can Be Built with Brands

If you are a business owner, you know customer relationships are everything. Your customers are what drives your business. They have a need, and if you go above and beyond to meet that need, your company will succeed.

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On the other hand, the end of a customer relationship can spell trouble. Sixty-one percent of consumers take their business to a competitor once they leave you. You make less, your competitors earn more, and it costs almost seven times as much to get a new customer than to retain a current one.

You can see the problem. But it’s avoidable, and it starts with building strong customer relationships that only grow stronger with every interaction they have with your company.

Long-Term Relationships Aren’t Built Overnight

Customer relationships start when they first interact with your business. This could be the first time they see your advertisement, walk through your doors or look up your business on a review site.

Your goal as the business owner is to make sure that every customer interaction is positive. Sound like a tough job? Well, strong customer relationships aren’t built overnight.

Know Your Customers

The first step in this process is knowing who your customers are. You should know what they like, what they’re interested in and how to help them solve a problem. If you’re doing business with 35-year-old women in the suburbs, how you interact will be different than if you are running an e-commerce store geared toward teens in the city.

Know your audience, so you can know how to meet them where they are.

Know Your Strengths

What is your business known for? If you’re a restaurant, do you have a signature dish? If you’re a doctor, are you known for a patient-focused bedside manner? If you’re a plumber, are you known for your fast response?

You can find out what your customers value about your business — just ask them.

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When you use Accrue Reviews’ management system, you send customers a text right after you finish delivering your product or service. When they offer positive feedback, you find out right away what they liked best. If they have a negative comment, you can privately respond to their complaint without it being posted online.

This helps business owners like you correct misconceptions customers may have as well as mend customer relationships quickly.

Take Your Interactions Offline

Yes, you should always be active online with your customers, but sometimes the best customer relationships are built offline. It’s how you can truly show you care and convey how much you value their dedicated loyalty.

Use customer gifts to thank long-time patrons. Use surveys (like the messaging system offered by Accrue Reviews) to get instant feedback after a customer’s first visit. This is how you can observe what your customers appreciate and plan how to get better in areas where your business could improve.

Customer relationships are your most valued business asset. What are you doing today to make those relationships stronger? Let us help. Call Accrue Reviews today to start connecting and getting feedback from your customer base.

6 Big Mistakes Business Owners Make When Managing Online Reviews

Managing online reviews isn’t for the faint of heart. But then again, neither is starting a business.

As a business owner, you are already aware of the power of your digital reputation. You probably hear it all the time.

“Oh, I found you on Yelp!”

“A Google review said I’d love this place!”

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People your customers don’t even know are recommending you on public information platforms, and it’s paying off. On the other hand, sometimes what they might be reading isn’t so complimentary.

You know managing online reviews is a priority. So while you’re investing time in building good customer relationships online, make sure you don’t sabotage your efforts by making one or more of the six big mistakes listed below.

1. Managing One Platform Only

Sure, Yelp has pull with diners. But if you’re a restaurant, you should be managing online reviews on Google too! That’s where people are pulling up directions to your location. If your Yelp stars are high but your Google rating isn’t, you may lose traffic.

The same goes for companies in every industry. Don’t get carried away thinking that one platform has all the power. There are many different online review sites, and you should be checking all of them!

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2. Ignoring What You Don’t Want to Hear

Paying no attention to the noise is good in some contexts, but when it comes to online reviews, this isn’t true. While you’re ignoring complaints, your prospective customers aren’t. They’re reading every single bad review, looking for the truth.

Either address the problem internally (if there really is a problem), or respond politely to the negative reviewer with respect. Never just ignore the bad reviews. It’s like an admission of guilt.

3. Encouraging Fake Reviews

You have to play by the rules, or else you’ll pay. Never encourage employees to leave fake reviews posing as happy customers. Never leave fake bad reviews on your competitors’ profiles either. This will get you banned from the platforms in question and it will look bad for your business.

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4. Getting Too Personal

So one customer had an issue with your services. Don’t take it personally! They might be unreasonable and take out their frustration on you. Or maybe they have a legitimate complaint and it’s up to you to fix it.

Either way, don’t get angry or discouraged. This is business! Deal with the negative feedback in a practiced, calm manner and don’t take it to heart. If you have good intentions, you will find a way to make it right.

5. Letting Opportunities Slip Away

Managing online reviews means making a personal connection with your customer before they walk out the door and out of your life. If you hear great feedback from them verbally, ask if they wouldn’t mind leaving you an online review. Don’t let these opportunities to grow your online presence slip away!

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6. Losing Sight of Your Main Goal

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to get all 5-star reviews all the time. The goal is to build a sustainable business that is successful for the long term. Reviews are just a tool to help get you to the finish line. Use them for their power, but don’t get too obsessed!

Do You Need Help?

Would it help if you had a system you could implement to generate good online reviews for your business? What if you could privately deal with negative feedback and funnel happy reviewers to the profiles where you need more social proof?

We can help. Managing online reviews is what we do, especially for busy business owners like you. Call Accrue Reviews today to find out more about how it works.

Can You Remove an Online Review?

Is it ever an option to simply remove an online review? So much attention is given to how to respond, but what about when the negative comments just go too far?

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As a business owner, you can’t report every review that’s unfavorable, but you can take action when some published content goes too far. Ultimately, it’s up to the website the review is posted on, but there are some situations in which you may get a review removed.

When the Review Contains Slander

You can ask an online review to be removed if it accuses you of a crime. Any time a published review contains slander, you have grounds to have it removed from the site in question.

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When the Post Violates the Terms of Service

Profanity and attacks on a person’s character are generally not permitted on most online review sites. Reviews that threaten personal harm or name one of your employees are also likely not allowed. Report the post for a violation of terms of service, and if the site finds it does not align with their policies, they will most likely take it down.

When the Reviewer Is a Competitor

Can you prove the reviewer is an owner or employee of a competing business? If it’s clear the review was posted simply to steal potential customers, complain to the site. Just make sure you have proof!

When it’s Fake

Was the review posted by a fake profile? If you can provide proof that the reviewer isn’t a real person and was never a customer at your business, you may have a case.

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When You and the Reviewer Are Involved in a Lawsuit

If you are involved in a lawsuit with the person who wrote the negative review, be it a customer or former employee, you can ask for it to be removed and your request will likely be granted.

Your Best Countermove

If the negative online review doesn’t qualify for removal, don’t get downtrodden — just get ready for your next move. The first thing you should do is try to reach out to the reviewer privately to see if you can resolve their issue. If you can come to a resolution, ask them to update their review.

If that doesn’t work, post a public response that states your side of the story, the facts (not your emotions), and a public offer to resolve the situation.

Finally, it’s time to bury the negativity for good. Start asking all your happy customers to leave positive feedback on all platforms. Even the worst negative review will lose its power when confronted with 100 positive reviews.

Want to learn how to build a favorable online reputation? Call Accrue Reviews today!