Reputation matters in online marketing. The company is only as good as its reputation. When there are negative reviews, potential customers will feel turned off. Instead of trusting the brand, they decide to look for other options. Therefore, businesses have to focus on online reputation management. Here are ways to respond to these negative reviews. 

Present the truth

The first step is to answer the false claims. Don’t let the incorrect information win the day. Respond to the comments with what happened based on the accusations. Try to be as diplomatic as possible – present evidence and facts to disprove the accusations. If your company knows the reviews are incorrect, there’s no harm in responding to them. 

Apologize

Investigate the claims and determine if the reviews are correct. If proven to be true, try to apologize. Be specific in the apology and promise to do better. It’s not only for the person who left the negative review. It’s also for other potential customers. They must know that your company takes everything seriously. An apology is necessary to bring confidence back to the brand. Besides, failing to apologize for something that happened will further damage your company. 

After expressing regrets, offer freebies or other ways to make things up. Again, it’s also for the other readers. They will feel that your company doesn’t stop with an apology. There’s an effort to make up for what happened. 

Use review management software

The problem with online reputation management is the number of reviews to deal with. Spotting all of them across different platforms can be a daunting task. The best way to solve it is by using appropriate software. In doing so, it’s easier to spot the presence of negative reviews online. Responding to them is easier with the aid of quality software. 

Take the discussion in a private space

Not everyone feels satisfied with the response. Try to answer the unsatisfied customers until they agree. However, if there are more negative reviews, try to take the discussion privately. There’s no point in arguing in public. It will also hurt your company’s reputation further. Offer ways to deal with the issue and try to end the discussion. It’s enough for everyone to know that your company listens and responds when necessary. It’s better than ignoring the negative reviews. 

Request for the removal of fake reviews

While some negative reviews are accurate, others aren’t. Request for the immediate removal of fake reviews. They hurt the brand, and they don’t have any basis. Politely ask the person to delete the reviews. If not, take whatever legal action is necessary. Raise the issue with the review website. The admin will investigate the reviews and remove them when deemed appropriate. 

Be prompt

Negative reviews can quickly spread. Control the narrative before it spread like wildfires. When there’s only one perspective winning the day, it will hurt your company. Provide a counter-narrative and allow everyone to determine who is telling the truth. Try to answer within 24 hours if possible. 

Work with an online reputation management company

Negative reviews are only among the problems to deal with when running a company. There are other concerns to consider. Therefore, it helps to ask a third-party agency to help in this regard. They know how to politely respond to every negative review. They also have a strategy to help please the unsatisfied customer. The best part is they can use the software to spot brand mentions and answer as fast as possible. 

Online reputation can make or break a company. Don’t allow these negative reviews to be the dominant narrative.