The benefits that online review management services bring to companies on a local level can be vital to long-term success that comes in the form of better customer acquisition, more revenue, and a growing retention base. These benefits are the result of an ongoing evolution where review management software offers a full suite of features that extend beyond online reviews.
While they are a core part of brand reputation, they’re one of the many factors that encompass the larger concept of reputation management, which is why the following benefits of using online review management services are important to the success of a brand on a local level.
- Review insights
- Comprehensive review management and promotion tools
- Improved local presence
Online Review Management Services Benefit 1: Online Review Insights that Improve the Customer Experience
Online reviews are the social proof that consumers need to make an informed purchase decision, but they’re also valuable tools for companies to improve the experience at their locations to better retain customers and give them a reason to write a positive review.
Specifically, customer experience analytics software tools inside an online review management service can provide these insights. With the help of natural language processing, the software can spot positive and negative sentiment-based keywords that can point to outstanding parts of the visit or hidden pain points that are detracting from the experience. For instance, the tool might highlight the words “waiter” or “service” for a 1-star review. This shows that changes need to be made for your wait staff. On the flip side, a 5-star review will highlight other terms such as “price” or “quality,” which can reinforce recent decisions about the products or services your locations sell.
Taking your library of online reviews to this next level of management opens up opportunities to improve the experience, especially when the competition is fierce on a local level. Employing new technology is key to getting the most out of each piece of feedback and using it elevates the brand above competitors.
Online Review Management Services Benefit 2: Powerful Review Management and Promotion Tools
The process of asking for reviews on a manual basis is tough, but the right software can automate the process without losing the human touch. Having handy templates ready to go that can be personalized in multiple ways and deployed via email, SMS, or even in person can set you up for success. In addition, having some knowledge of how to respond to negative reviews or leaning on positive review response examples can help teams use online review management services to effectively triage incoming reviews while providing the right responses. Some positive feedback might just warrant a simple thanks while the words of an angry customer will need a specialized response and the possibility of continuing the conversation offline.
With the right digital tools on hand, this seemingly daunting task can be achieved quickly, saving time and money.
You can also use online review management services to further promote the company with your best feedback. Displaying your best reviews on a special widget on your site, next to the product page, or even on social media can help attract the customer. ReviewTrackers’ Amplify tool does just that for companies of varying sizes, and the benefits extend beyond the goal of improved customer acquisition. Displaying reviews in the right place online can help your standing on popular search engines, which makes it easier for people to find and consider you when pitted against the competition.
Online Review Management Services Benefit 3: Improving Your Local Presence
The right online review management service also provides additional resources to help you rank higher when it comes to local SEO. This can come in a variety of ways, but the best ones provide local listing management as well as a local search rank checker that helps monitor the competition.
This is because reviews and your local influence online go hand in hand when it comes to reputation management. People need to easily spot your listings on Google My Business, Yelp, or Facebook before they even see your customer reviews. At that point, there’s still time for them to look at a competitor if the information you provide in the listing is outdated or incorrect. Local listings management makes that process easy for any brand regardless of the team size.
With your listings solution optimized, you should also utilize competitive keyword analysis. By specifically monitoring certain terms and comparing them to your rivals down the block or on the other side of town, you can use the data provided as proof to plan out new strategies that can better attract customers to your locations.
Conclusion
When it comes to online review management services, brands need to see if it offers more than just the basic functionality because a comprehensive overview of your online reputation is needed to achieve brand success. Teams need to have access to all factors of your online reputation in order to make the changes necessary that attract and retain customers. The benefits might not come overnight, but the effects of your strategies now with the software in hand can set the tone for the company’s continued success.
