Seeing negative reviews about your business posted online can be disheartening. However, negative reviews are something every business must deal with. Even with the best service, you may not be able to avoid a nasty 1-star review from a grumpy customer. Still, you can help guide the conversation when it comes to online reviews about your business. In fact, doing so can boost your future revenue. Continue reading for a closer look at how bad reviews can affect your business so you can be better equipped to fight back against them.
Negative reviews shape customer impressions.
Some business owners make the mistake of assuming that potential customers don’t really pay attention to online reviews. However, about 91% of people read online reviews about local businesses. Even more importantly, just one bad review can cost a small business about 30 potential customers. With frequent bad reviews, your business’s reputation will suffer even more.
Having lots of negative reviews can impact your visibility on search.
It’s difficult to regain customer trust when bad reviews about your business are circulating online. You may also find that negative reviews cause a ripple effect that further dings your profitability. That’s because reviews factor into search engine algorithms that determine which sites are displayed most prominently in search results.
You can shift the focus away from negative reviews of your business.
Just one bad review can be problematic for your business, but it won’t permanently tarnish your reputation. You can soften the blow of bad reviews by responding to them publicly and offering helpful solutions for unsatisfied customers. Going a step further, you can invest in online review management to ramp up 5-star reviews of your business and stop bad reviews in their tracks.
If you’re struggling to maintain a glowing online reputation, Leverage Marketing can help you rebuild customer trust and drive more traffic to your business. Contact us today for a quick strategy call to discuss your reputation management needs.
