See if this sounds familiar: You’re considering making reservations for a new restaurant in town, but before moving ahead, you check out the online reviews to see what other people are saying about their experiences.
If this is your approach, you are not alone! In fact, one study found that an overwhelming 98% of customers check out online reviews for local businesses.1
For business owners, it’s critical to understand how the online review process works so you can see what comments help–and what comments can potentially hurt–your business.
“One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.” Luke 16:10
Review Management vs. Reputation Management2
People often blur the line between review management and reputation management. Here’s a quick way to remember the differences.
Review Management: The process of watching, managing, and responding to people who take the time to provide online reviews of your business.
Reputation Management: The steps involved in checking out what is being said about your business on social media, search engines, and news outlets in an effort to maintain a positive reputation.
So, the two management types are similar, but they look to achieve different goals. Review management looks to engage with customers while reputation management focuses on taking steps to maintain a positive brand image.
Goals of Review Management
If you checked out that local restaurant we mentioned above, and all the reviews are two and three stars, how likely are you to make a reservation? Reviews can welcome or scare off potential customers. Here are a few benefits of active review management:
Collect feedback: Customers can be brutally honest, and business owners can use the feedback as a way to course correct.
Build trust: Responding to reviews shows that your business is interested in hearing feedback, and this can help build trust with customers.
Boost credibility: Being a good steward of online reviews shows that you care about how your business is perceived in the marketplace.
Consistent, consistent, consistent: Ongoing interaction with customers lets you celebrate the good days and take responsibility if something goes wrong. When you respond to negative reviews, customers may give you the opportunity to make things better than before.
Pro Tip: Many business owners–who know that a day only has so many hours–check out what review management services have to offer. These services provide businesses with tools to monitor and respond to reviews. Some also offer tools to track your online reputation.
Business owners put their hearts and souls into their companies. Taking a proactive approach to review management may seem a bit scary at first; however, in the long run, the benefits may far outweigh the limits.
As Mick Owens, author of the popular book, Diamond of Life: The Five P’s of Success and Significance reminds us, “Remember, He created you for good works… walk where He created you to walk!”
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Forbes.com, April 13, 2023
- Business.com, January 6, 2025
