Managing Your Online Reputation In 2023 - How Should You React To Positive & Negative Reviews?
As crucial as SEO is to your website and business, it doesn’t always lead to sales. Now, don’t get that statement wrong; being number one on SERPs for your desired keyword will fetch you incredible traffic. However, traffic is only the tip of your sales funnel.
According to BrightLocal statistics, at least 87% of customers won't visit your website, let alone buy your products, until they've read your online reviews. In essence, the ultimate stage of your sales funnel, which converts traffic to sales, is online reputation. It's a crucial part of how your brand is perceived, and it plays an important role in your digital marketing.
In summary, don’t relent on your SEO efforts. Those efforts will stir interest and "clicks." But, focus more on improving your reputation this year. How? How do web marketing experts do it?
The first step to improving your reputation is to deliver on your promise of quality services. After, ensure that your NAP details (name, address and phone number) are consistent in all your online listings. Most importantly, learn how to manage your positive and negative reviews.
That last part is where the bulk of the work lies. But don’t fret; this article will help you get started!
Note: we’ll start with the dread of all businesses: negative reviews.

How To Manage Negative Reviews – With Example
Frankly, the chances are that you’ll get a few negative reviews in your business regardless of your top-notch products and deliveries. While that reality can be sad, especially when you’ve given your all, know that negative feedback isn’t entirely “doom.”
Against public consensus, negative feedback can even spur your business to greater heights. However, you must learn to manage the negativity the right way. Here is how:
Don’t Reply Immediately
A negative review will stir your emotions and make you want to lash out. And when the review isn't even the truth to start, the chances are that you would use foul language. But don't give in to the temptation. Why?
Prospects are not only reading your negative reviews; they are also checking to see how you'd react. Would you be defensive or tackle the matter at hand? Could the reviewer be right? How will you make amends?
Your reaction will answer those questions!
So, don’t give the reviewer the upper hand. Instead, let the steam off for a while away from your computer. Then, come back after a few minutes and use the following tips:
Thank The Customer
Whether a buyer leaves a negative or positive review, he at least bought from you. That much deserves a thank you. So, start your message on an appreciative note.
However, don't say anything about the feedback in your "thank you." Instead, thank the reviewer for trying your services. And while you're at it, include the customer's name. Aside from being professional, including the name makes your reply personalized.
Afterwards, do this:
Show Empathy
We have seen how businesses apologize incessantly about their customer experience. Well, apologies are great but don't overdo it. And if you must say sorry, do so from a position of strength.
Furthermore, if you must apologize about your services every time, you might as well assess your quality control team. Else, empathize with a customer who leaves negative feedback. State how the below-par experience affects you as much as the customer.
Take Control And Fix The Issue
Thanking your customer and showing empathy doesn't mean a thing if you can't address the issue at hand. Worse case: shifting blame to your employee!
Regardless of who does the work, the face of the business should take responsibility and promise to make amends. On the spot, seek another chance to rectify the aggrieved customer's experience. And when your request is granted, ensure you do a quality and fast job.
Pro tip: try to move conversations around negative reviews off public feeds to your direct contact as soon as possible.
Example: Replying to A Negative Review

Hi Beverley,
Thanks for being a longtime customer of our banking services at NAB. We apologize for the inconveniences the "blocked access" might have caused you and your business. We would appreciate it if you could re-forward your details to [contact email address] to handle the issues right away.
As always, we value your safety. That is why our security systems are sensitive to threats of scams.
How To Manage Positive Reviews – With Example
Beyond the excitement that comes with a 5-star review, the feedback itself is proof of your professionalism. Plus, you could use it for social media ads.
Most importantly, positive reviews could boost your SEO. Here is how:
But first, read this: How to do SEO in Australia With FREE Tools [Updated 2023]!
You Don't Have To Reply To All Your 5-star Reviews
For a start, know that all positive reviews are equal. However, a simple "thank you" wouldn't carry the weight of a two or three paragraph review. The latter will communicate your customer's feelings and readily convert a prospect.
So, if you have the time, reply to all your 5-star reviews. Doing so will help search engines to notice your business. However, seek the long-form types. You need them for the third step!
Thank The Customer
You thanked the customer who left a negative review. How much more one who gave your business a 5-star rating? So, do the needful! Even better, thank the customer twice: at the beginning and end of your reply.
Send A Keyword-optimized But Personalized Response
This step is where the long-form, 5-star review will come in handy. How?
A detailed positive review gives you room to provide an equally lengthy reply. With such an opportunity, you could insert a few keywords without sounding all robotic.
Most importantly, lengthy replies give you more room to personalize your message and address all the key points your customer raised. Fortunately, that back and forth is an unsuspecting hook for the on-looking prospect.
Caution: know when to insert keywords in your reply. And most importantly, avoid keyword stuffing.
Add Special Offers At The Tail End Of Your Replies
This part is unconventional – but it works. Nothing draws more attention than special offers; that is why there are tons of sales on Black Friday.
So, you can adopt that approach too in your response to reviews (but do it only for positive ones).
Note: we will recommend adding offers that are don’t use time-bound discount codes. For example, you could offer a free 15 mins consultation, SEO audit, or quote.
Example: Replying to A Positive Review

Hi Dean,
We appreciate your feedback! And, we are thrilled that you love the quality of our website design services at Digital Treasury.
We look forward to working together on those future projects. We will even sweeten the deal with a free SEO Audit for any (1) website of your choice. If you're interested, inform our customer care, and we'll set up a meeting.
Once again, thanks for the feedback. You're an incredible customer!
Last note: in addition to your reputation management and SEO efforts, ensure that your website is top-notch. Nothing hinders the effectiveness of a well-designed sales funnel than a poorly-designed landing page. However, if you have such a website, don’t fret. We can help you fix it – today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a digital marketing approach focused on boosting your website’s presence on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. By refining different elements of your site—such as content, meta descriptions, and backlinks—SEO works to improve your website’s position in search engine results. This increased visibility is vital as it attracts more organic traffic, potentially leading to a rise in leads, sales, and overall business success. Businesses frequently discuss the basics of SEO, its importance in attracting targeted visitors, and how it supports wider business goals.
SEO is a strategy that requires a long-term commitment, and it's essential to have realistic expectations from the outset. Typically, businesses may notice significant improvements within 3 to 6 months. However, this can differ depending on factors such as the level of competition, the industry, and the website's current condition. While addressing technical issues can result in some early successes, meaningful increases in rankings and traffic usually develop over time. Clients often ask for a clear timeline to gauge when they might start seeing a return on their investment (ROI).
Website Audit and Analysis: Conduct a thorough evaluation of the site to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas that can be enhanced.
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your potential customers actively search.
On-Page Optimisation: Improving various on-page elements such as meta tags, headers, content, and internal linking to increase site effectiveness.
Content Development: Crafting high-quality, engaging content tailored to the needs of your target audience.
Link Building: Securing backlinks from credible websites to enhance the site's domain authority.
Technical SEO:Ensuring the website is technically robust, with fast loading speeds, mobile responsiveness, and secure connections.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment: Regularly track performance and make necessary adjustments based on data and trends. Clients ask about these steps to ensure they are investing in a thorough and effective SEO strategy.
Success in SEO is measured through a variety of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including:
Organic Traffic: The number of visitors coming to the website from search engines.
Keyword Rankings: The position of targeted keywords in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who take desired actions (e.g., filling out a form, making a purchase)
.Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.
Domain Authority: A score that predicts how well a website will rank in SERPs based on factors like link quality.
ROI (Return on Investment): Evaluating the financial return from SEO activities in comparison to the cost. Clients want to understand these metrics to gauge the effectiveness and profitability of their SEO investments.
SEO is an ever-evolving field, with search engines like Google regularly updating their algorithms. We make it a priority to stay ahead of these changes.This might involve:
Continuous Learning: Attending industry conferences, webinars, and training sessions.
Membership in Professional Organisations: Being part of SEO communities or organisations that provide the latest insights.
Regular Testing and Experimentation: Consistently testing new strategies and adapting to changes in algorithms.Industry Research: Staying informed with the latest studies, white papers, and expert opinions in the digital marketing sector.We are confident that our SEO strategies are current and that we are proactive in adopting best practices.
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
Yes, we ensure that your website is both user-friendly and optimised for conversions. We understand that clients want a website that attracts visitors and encourages them to take action. To achieve this, we focus on several key areas:
User Experience (UX) Design: We create an intuitive and engaging interface that makes navigation easy and enjoyable for users.Responsive Design: We ensure your website is mobile-friendly and looks great on all devices.
Call to Action (CTA): We strategically place buttons and forms to prompt users to take the desired actions.
Speed Optimisation: We ensure fast load times to reduce bounce rates and keep users engaged.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): We analyse user behaviour and make data-driven adjustments to increase the percentage of visitors who convert.By incorporating these principles, we maximise the chances of turning your website visitors into customers.