Everything we might think of nowadays is readily available at our fingertips, and online reviews are there to guide people’s decisions.
Whether it’s choosing a dining spot or selecting a service provider needed for their home, people rely heavily on the opinions and experiences shared by others.
However, what happens when those opinions turn bad? How do negative reviews affect a brand’s marketing efforts?
Let’s discover it together.
The Influence of Online Reviews
Statistics have shown that 93% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase and 2 out of 3 consumers rely on testimonial videos before making a purchase.
Online reviews have a massive impact on consumer behavior and purchasing patterns.
Consumers want assurance, they want to know that they can trust a business before investing their time and money into it.
The Challenge of Negative Feedback
The average customer reads 10 reviews before deciding to trust a company.
Unfortunately, people are more inclined to leave reviews after a negative experience than a positive one. This creates a new challenge for businesses that try hard to manage their online reputation effectively.
One bad review can quickly turn into a series of damaging comments, making it even harder for them to recuperate.
So, what can businesses do to safeguard their marketing efforts and protect their reputation?
Studies have shown that 94% of consumers read a business’s response to reviews. This indicates how important engagement is, and at the same time, how critical good communication can be for your brand image.
This being said it’s suggested businesses actively monitor and respond to reviews, both positive and negative.
When addressing negative feedback, they must respond with empathy and professionalism. They should also avoid getting defensive or engaging in arguments, instead, acknowledge the customer’s concerns and offer a resolution where possible.
Interesting Example of How Bad Reviews Can Impact Your Brand
The story of Heirloom’s restaurant experience is a very interesting example of how a bad review can impact negatively and even shut down your business.
It all started when the restaurant added meat to their vegetarian-only menu online, upsetting people from the Vancouver community. Things got heated on social media, especially after the restaurant’s replies towards customers’ feedback were revealed. (Screenshots of these fights spread online, and soon, everyone was talking about it.)
When Heirloom closed, they put up a sign blaming Deborah (an unhappy customer). This led to a big debate online, with some people supporting Deborah and others supporting the restaurant.
People shared their opinions on social media, and the story became really popular.
Here’s Deborah’ post on Reddit.
An unhappy customer’s post on Reddit
Even though the restaurant is closed, there might be more to the story, making us think the drama isn’t over yet. Through this and many other real-life examples, we can clearly see the massive damage and negative impact a bad review has.
The Impact of Negative Comments on Forums
When we’re looking at how people talk about a brand online, it’s not just about places like Twitter or Facebook. Forums like Reddit are also very important for your brand image.
In these forums, members share advice and opinions, and what they say can really shape how others see a brand. So, if someone says something bad about a brand in these forums, it can make a big impact because people trust what others say there. (like in the example above)
A while ago, a Facebook group that helps expats find their dream properties in Albania, got into an unfavourable position, because the prices they were promoting were too high. This didn’t go unnoticed as members of the group started to realize something wasn’t right and got pretty upset about it.
They started speaking out, sharing negative feedback and saying that expats shouldn’t rely on this group to find homes. This made the group’s reputation take a hit, and now, most likely fewer people trust them to help with housing.
The thing is, there’s a very thin line between brands ignoring these types of comments, and actually standing out for themselves.
If a brand ignores these negative comments, it can become an even bigger issue, hurting the brand’s reputation and scaring away potential customers. But if the brand actively participates in these forums, helping out and addressing issues, it can actually boost its reputation and bring more people to its website.
Some brands even treat forums like their own social media platforms, offering customer service and advice. This step is very important to keep the reputation high and make customers happy.
How to Protect Your Business’s Reputation
Businesses should seek out positive reviews from satisfied customers.
Some common strategies that usually work are, for example, offering gift cards or coupons in exchange for sharing your brand online. Usually, some influencers do this by creating content from the free products or services they get, and some even get paid for it.
This is a great strategy that works fine to build brand identity, especially for new businesses on the market.
Conclusion
The impact of online reviews on a brand’s marketing efforts cannot be overstated. Negative reviews have the potential to damage trust, reputation, and even business growth. However, by actively managing online reputation, responding thoughtfully to feedback, and cultivating a base of satisfied customers, businesses can fight the adverse effects of bad reviews and work for long-term success in the digital marketplace.
